Bunting is the easiest way to put the ball in play and the easiest way to move a runner. The square-around is the basic version. Kids learn it once, use it for years.
What you need: A bat, 10 plastic or safety-core baseballs, a tee or coach to pitch.
Setup: Tee at the top of the strike zone (chest height) or coach pitching at half speed from 30 feet.
How to run it:
- Cue: Square, Show, Soft, Drop.
- Square: turn the body to face the pitcher. Both feet point at the pitcher.
- Show: the bat is held flat across the body, at the top of the strike zone, with the top hand pinching the barrel.
- Soft: hands stay soft, no swinging motion. Let the ball hit the bat.
- Drop: the ball drops off the bat in front of the plate.
What to watch: Is the bat held at the top of the strike zone? If the bat is at the belt, every ball at the top is a strike that can’t be bunted. The bat goes UP from there to lay off, not DOWN.
If they’re struggling: Drop the pitch. Use a tee. Just have them practice the position 10 times.
If they’ve got it: Add a target zone (a cone 10 feet in front of the plate on the third base line). The bunt has to roll toward the cone.