Here are some tips on teaching the safety squeeze:
- Explain the concept. The purpose of the play is to score a runner from 3B by having the batter drop a bunt downward toward the 1b side of the field. We are basically sacrificing an out for a run without the risks involved in a suicide squeeze play.
- Have the batters practice their bunting techniques. They can either pivot in their tracks or jump both feet into a squared position. The keys are to bunt the top of the ball with the bottom of the bat. It helps to contact the ball past the sweet spot of the barrel out near the end of the bat to help deaden the bunt.
- Instruct the bunter to keep the bat up and level and adjust up and down with the pitch by bending their legs more or less. “Let the ball bunt you.” Don’t jab at it. Catch it on a still bat.
- Communication. Stress using a signal for the play that is acknowledged by both the runner and the batter with a return signal.
- The batter moves quickly into his bunting posture when the pitcher’s arm starts forward while the runner at 3B edges down the line following behind the 3Bman. When he reads down the angle of the bunt he bolts for home. The first baseman or pitcher who fields the ball has no other play but to throw the ball to first base.
- Caution the batter/runner to make sure he gets into the running lane outside the 1B line because the only option the fielder as if the game is on the line is to peg the batter/runner in the back and hope the umpire calls him out for being inside the baseline *
- Like all baseball plays, if you are going to use it you should practice it every day or at least every other day. I learned long ago that you cannot have a million pickoff plays, special plays, etc. unless you can practice them regularly. It’s better to have one pickoff play at each base that you are really good at than to have ten of them you never practice enough to get the signals into everybody and have them execute the plays correctly.
- Streamline your signals and play packages to a number you can practice at least every other day.
- Videotape your practices as much as possible for easy tape review.
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