Bunt defense
Bunt defense
A bunt defense is a plan, decided before the pitch, for who charges, who covers each base and who makes the call when the batter bunts. The batter showing bunt is the trigger; the ball only decides which fielder picks it up.
The moment the batter squares to bunt, the corners crash, any infielder assigned to rotate goes, and all three outfielders break for their backup spots, before the pitch is released. The pitcher comes off the mound at contact; he can't leave before he throws.
The four coverages
- Standard: the corners charge (the third baseman stays home with a runner on second), the pitcher covers the middle or the left side, the second baseman covers first and the shortstop covers second.
- Wheel: everyone rotates to take away the lead runner.
- Pitcher to third: the pitcher takes the third-base line so the third baseman can stay home.
- Squeeze: with a runner on third, everything goes home if there's a play.
With a runner on first, the force at second is the first look (except in the Wheel, where second base belongs to the center fielder); with runners on first and second, the force at third. With a runner on second alone there's no force, and the out is usually at first.
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