Oakland Park Baseball

I think this thread has shown that there are many reasons to allow bunts at DeFremery. I like the idea of keeping the defensive pitcher "honest", ie not letting them drift back toward 2B. If they drift back like that, getting a solid basehit up the middle becomes way harder. They'd have to play closer to the throwing pitcher to be ready for bunts. I'm voting to allow the bunts with no special rules. I mention this because my worldview is so influential, and so you voters need to know where I stand to orient yourselves.

':lol:'

I like the idea of bunting. However, I like the idea of the corners having to defense against the bunt. This re-infoirces baseball fundamentals in the field. (when to creep up, should the second baseman start to first to cover, if catcher fields, will he throw inside or out ?)and this also gets the d. Pitch involved as he (she ?) now has to be aware and on point to cover bases (ie 1st). In fact anything that allows the d. Pitch to be more involved in the defense would be welcome. Then perhaps it won't be the least desirable position tio play in the field. I think this would make the game a little more strategic. Imagine me laying down a bunt in the element of surprise to move a runner over instead of popping up to the fence as everyone expects me to. Makes for good baseball.

I personally wouldn't mind bunts, seeing as how I could probly beat them out (go go speedracer). It would also get the catcher and pitcher positions some more action, and they those positions wouldn't become the I-don't-want-to-play-there-because-it's-boring positions. However, I think the problems are

A) Other balls on the field. With all the balls we have by the pitcher, the pitcher position person might have problems because they have to watch out for them. The solution for this is to not have balls by the pitcher with any more, which personally I'd like to see because it can, and has interfered with balls put into play. On the other hand, it's possible that it would slow down gameplay, because the pitcher wouldn't have another ball ready to go.

B)The pitcher not getting out of the way, or getting out of the way the wrong way, ect... I envision a team grumbling at the pitcher because he went to the right instead of the left, be he paniced or something of that sort. I also envision the pitcher, and pitcher position getting tangled, and someone twisting a knee. Both not very cool.

At this point I'm going to abstain from voting, because none of the choices fit with what I think.

Grrr -- retyping whole post 'cause browser erred and it erased.... NOTE: If you are hitting the Back button to review a post you're replying to, DON'T accidentally hit the Go button or it advances onward and you lose all of the reply that you had written thus far. When you hit Back and then Forward, you can review and go back to finishing your post, it won't forget what you have so far.


Anyway, I think you bring up some valid points, Tayster. We can ameliorate the stray balls issue by having all the extra balls in foul territory behind (and to the side) of the Catcher. The catcher would toss balls to the pitcher as necessary. And the throwing pitcher could keep at least one extra ball out there with them in their glove, since they aren't fielding.

Yes, we should get the stray balls out of there anyway. I assume you were there and remember the game when a crucial, late-game RBI hit up the middle was instead deflected by one of the stray balls near the pitching rubber.

Now, as for the throwing pitcher blocking the fielding pitcher. I see what you mean, but if we coached the pitchers (there's a relatively small core of them) on how to respond, I think we could make it a non-issue. I think bunts aren't going to come out very far from the plate due to pitching velocity, so the defensive pitcher is primarily going to be charging forward, and they presumably have already established that clear line of sight to the batter prior to every pitch anyway. The throwing pitcher would just move primarily back (plus slightly left, or plus slightly right, depending on if bunt to 1B or 3B side).

I like the idea of the Special Rule because it forces you to drag bunt if you want to lay one down, or else the pitcher is already on top of you. That's a little added skill/fun.

I agree with TheLegend

TheLegend wrote:I agree with TheLegend

Why in the world would you do that for.

Well, as the poll and discussion indicate, bunts are supported by Forum members at Park Baseball.

So, we will allow bunts with no Special Rule starting this Sunday.

Of course, bunts are only an option if both teams have catchers and fielding/defensive pitchers.

NOTE: If we find TheLegend's logic to be false, we will revert to Bunts With Special Rule as described by retep. Reminder: TheLegend asserts that the low velocity of our pitching will make all bunts playable by the catcher or pitcher, therefore removing the need to protect 1st and 3rd basemen from getting slashed with a line drive after the batter fakes a bunt (since they won't be creeping in to make the play).

Rephrase: If we see bunts that go out of range of the catcher/pitcher, we'll put into effect the Special Rule that batters who show bunt cannot then swing away.

Well, with that consideration in mind I'd like to volunteer at the dish on Sunday. As soon as I read the previous post, all I could think about was firing a bunted ball to first... for the out, of course.

I suggest a short going over for each team when they take the field defensively on how to play bunts, and also instruct the pitchers themselves on how to react to bunts.

Yes, we will do the above suggestion of taking a moment to explain to each team, and particularily to each pitcher, on how to respond & react to bunt situations. Good Call.