We shift to the other side of this series,
with a collection of approaches for a good bunt defense.

Everyone can see the suggestion for the squeeze bunt, Team Players will be given a menu of other scenarios to review. Please login or join.

Squeeze Defense
With the possibility of a suicide squeeze play, several things must happen. This is very much an all-or-nothing scenario for both teams.

• Pitcher should do a step-off or fake throw-over to see if defense can get a read on the batter (is he squaring?).
  
• Catcher must obviously hold the plate, especially because the best pitch will be up and in (hardest to bunt).
• 3B has got to charge early to be ahead of the runner, and possibly make him think twice or hesitate.
  
• Shortstop also must commit early toward the bag in the event of a rundown play developing.
  
• Likewise, 1B is charging early because the best bunt is going to be away from the runner.

Squeezed to Death

An explanation from WebBall's Richard Todd as to why we lead off these defensive suggestions with the squeeze play.

Back in the early 90s, my son and I had travelled to a tournament several miles away from our usual stomping grounds. It meant we were playing on unfamiliar turf, mostly against clubs we had not faced before.

In our crucial late-tournament game against the host team, we had started with a comfortable lead. And we were heading into late innings 3 runs up. They had put guys on base and got their lead runner to 3rd, but I had confidence in my pitcher's ability to throw strikes. Unfortunately, so did they. Expecting something over the plate, the other coach called for a suicide squeeze, and our pitcher didn't disappoint. The bunt was layed down perfectly, their runner scored. The worst of it was we botched the fielding play entirely and their batter was safe, plus they had moved the next runner up to 3rd. No worries, still 2 runs up.

Well, I learned a valuable lesson that day about coaching strategies — if something works, do it again. The opposing coach quickly realized that our inability to defend against bunts was a serious flaw, something worth exploiting, and he did. Twice more. After 3 suicides in a row, the game was tied and we were demoralized. We got out of that inning still tied, but we never recovered and they went on to win 8-5 — their suicides killed our chances.