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The wheel play is a unique bunt defense in that the play is designed to put out the lead runner at third base. Most bunt defense strategies give priority to making sure the defense gets an out at first base. [1] The wheel play begins with the shortstop running to cover (defend) third base.
A bunt is a batting technique in baseball or fastpitch softball. Official Baseball Rules define a bunt as follows: "A bunt is a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield." To bunt, the batter loosely holds the bat in front of home plate and intentionally taps the ball into play.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Bubba Thompson squares up to bunt in the eighth inning during a MLB spring training baseball game, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz.
To extract information from the offense. For example, if the defense suspects a bunting situation, the pitcher may throw over to first in hopes that the batter will square around to bunt on the pitcher's first move, revealing his intention. To buy time for a relief pitcher to be prepared to come into the game.
The player at the plate must also lay down a quality bunt. That is, the player must lay down a bunt that does not pop up, go foul, or go straight to a fielder. Even if all goes well, if the sacrifice bunt is successful, the team must still get a hit to score the runner, and they now have 2 outs remaining instead of three. [5] [6]
In baseball, the squeeze play or a squeeze bunt is a maneuver consisting of a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out at first base, but providing the runner on third base an opportunity to score. Such a bunt is most common with one out. [1]
Some extreme repositioning known as a shift was used against pull hitters, a strategy that became more prevalent in Major League Baseball since the late-2000s. [1] For example, versus excellent left-handed pull-hitters like Ted Williams, David Ortiz, Joey Gallo and Ryan Howard, teams would move more players to the right side of the field.
Speedy runners also bunt for base hits when infielders are playing back. In such a situation, left-handed hitters may use a drag bunt, in which they start stepping towards first base while completing the bunt swing. Even the great slugger Mickey Mantle would drag bunt once in a while, taking advantage of his 3.1 second speed from home to first ...