Ichiro Suzuki lays down a bunt.

A bunt is a special type of offensive technique in baseball or fastpitch softball. In a bunt play, the batter loosely holds the bat in front of the plate and intentionally taps the ball into play. A similar play is seen in kickball, where the kicker simply taps the ball with his/her foot. Image File history File links Ichiro Suzuki lays down a bunt. ... Image File history File links Ichiro Suzuki lays down a bunt. ... Ichiro Suzuki ), often known simply as Ichiro ), born October 22, 1973 in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is the center fielder for the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... Softball is a team sport in which a ball, eleven to twelve inches (or rarely, 16 inches) (28 to 30. ... Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ... Four historically significant baseball bats showcased in a museum. ... Kickball is a playground game and also a competitive league game, similar to baseball, invented in the United States in about 1942. ...

Bunting technique

The primary goal in bunting is to ground the ball into fair territory, as far from the fielders as possible, generally while staying within the infield. This requires not only physical dexterity and concentration, but also a knowledge of the fielders' positions, their relation to the baserunner or baserunners, their likely response to the bunt, and knowledge of the pitcher's most likely pitches. In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that has not yet become a foul ball, and that. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. ... In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The bunt is often characterized by the batter turning his body toward the pitcher and sliding one hand up the barrel of the bat to help steady it. This is called squaring to bunt. Depending on the type of bunt, the batter might square well before the pitcher begins throwing, or as the pitch is being delivered.

Types of bunts

Sacrifice bunts

In a sacrifice bunt, the batter puts the ball into play with the intention of advancing a baserunner, in exchange for the batter being thrown out. The sacrifice bunt is most often used to advance a runner from first to second base, although the runner may also be advanced from second to third base, or from third to home. The sacrifice bunt is most often used in close, low-scoring games, and it is usually performed by weaker hitters, especially by pitchers in games played in National League parks. A sacrifice bunt is not counted as an at-bat. In general, when sacrifice bunting, a batter will square to bunt well before the pitcher releases the ball. In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat. ... The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. ... The position of the second baseman A second baseman often ranges onto the outfield grass to field a ground ball A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base. ... The position of the third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in the sport of baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base, the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in a counterclockwise succession in order to score a run. ... The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada and the worlds oldest extant professional team sports league. ... In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. ...

The squeeze play occurs when the batter sacrifices with the purpose of scoring a runner from third base. In the suicide squeeze it is integral that the batter bunt the ball, or the runner—who is running towards home with the pitch—will likely be tagged out easily. The squeeze play is a very audacious play, and to witness it is one of the most exciting experiences for the baseball fan. If a runner scores in a squeeze play, the batter may be credited with an RBI. In baseball, a squeeze play is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third and fewer than two outs. ... In baseball a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielders hand holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy. ... In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. ...

Bunting for a base hit

A batter may also bunt for a base hit. This is not a sacrifice play, because the batter is trying to reach base safely, without any intention of advancing a runner. A batter may try to bunt for a base hit while there are runners on base. In this case, if the runner advances and the batter is thrown out, and if the scorer judges that the intention of the batter was to bunt for a base hit, then the batter will not receive credit for a sacrifice bunt. A batter bunting for a base hit will often hold back his bunt while the pitcher begins delivering the ball, in order to surprise the fielders. In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. ...

Often when attempting to bunt for a base hit, the batter will begin running as he is bunting the ball. This is called a drag bunt. Left-handed batters perform this more often than right-handed hitters, because their stance in the batter's box is closer to first base. In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. ... In baseball, softball, and similar sports and games, the batters box is the place where the batter stands when ready to receive a pitch from the pitcher. ... The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. ...

Swinging bunts

A swinging bunt occurs when a poorly hit ball rolls a short distance into play, much like a bunt. A swinging bunt is often the result of a check-swing, and only has the appearance of a bunt. It is not a true bunt, and if the scorer judges that the batter intended to hit the ball, it cannot be counted as a sacrifice. Check-swing is a swing in baseball where a batter starts to swing for a ball but stops the swing shortly before the ball reaches home plate. ...

Fielding bunts

Fielding a bunt is often more difficult than fielding a regularly-batted ball. Bunts are often hit slowly, so fielders must charge the ball to get to it quickly, in order to throw out a runner in time. Well-placed bunts sometimes can be impossible to field, and often go as base hits. The main idea in bunting for a base hit is to hit the ball fast enough to get it by the pitcher, but slow enough to not give the other infielders enough time to make a play. Bunting a ball into no-man's land --- the triangle between the locations of the pitcher, first baseman, and second baseman --- is often a good location for a bunt, because often there will be some confusion over which fielder should field the ball and which should cover first base to receive the throw. It is common for all three fielders to try to field the ball, and for nobody to cover the bag, or for no one to try to field the ball, assuming someone else will handle it.

Special rules involving bunts

A foul bunt that is not caught in flight is always counted as a strike, even if it is a third strike and thus results in a strikeout of the batter. This is distinct from all other foul balls which, if not caught in flight, are only counted as a strike if not a third strike. This special exception applies only to true bunts, not on any bunt-like contacts that might occur during a full swing or check-swing. In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that is not a foul tip, and that: touches the person of an umpire, player, or any object foreign to the natural ground while on or over foul ground, or settles on foul ground between home and first base, or home... In baseball, the rules state that a batted ball is considered in flight when it has not yet touched any object other than a fielder or his equipment. ... Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). ...

History

The bunt was introduced into the game by Dickey Pearce of the Brooklyn Atlantics in 1866, but was not common until the 1880s, and was not an accepted part of baseball strategy until the 20th century. The bunt has enjoyed periodic waves of acceptance and use throughout baseball history, coinciding with the periodic shifts of dominance between pitching and hitting over the decades. One of baseballs most famous early players, Pearce broke in with the Brooklyn Atlantics in 1856. ... The Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn (Atlantic or the Brooklyn Atlantics) was baseballs first champion and its first dynasty. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... // Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Part of the History of baseball series. ...

During periods of pitching dominance, for example during the dead-ball era or the 1960s, bunting was an important offensive weapon. Conversely, during periods of hitting dominance, for example the 1990s and 2000s, the value of the bunt has often been questioned. Recently, teams following the "Moneyball" school of baseball thought (such as the Oakland Athletics and the 2004-2005 Los Angeles Dodgers) have shown the tendency to shun the sacrifice bunt almost entirely. However, a simple canvass of the 2002-2005 World Series champions (the 2002 Anaheim Angels acting as the primary "small ball" trendsetter for the 2000s) reveals that each team used bunting frequently in order to overcome strictly power hitting teams. Nevertheless, the role of the bunt in baseball strategy is one of the perennial topics of discussion for baseball fans. The dead-ball era is a baseball term generally used to describe the period between 1900 (though some date it to the beginning of baseball) and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1920. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... This article is about the year. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is a book by Michael M. Lewis in 2003 about the general manager of the Major League Baseball team Oakland Athletics, Billy Beane, and his teams approach to running the organization. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 9,27,34,43 Name Oakland Athletics (1968–present) Kansas City Athletics (1955-1967) Philadelphia Athletics (1901-1954) (Referred to as As) Ballpark McAfee Coliseum (1968–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,2,4,19,20,24,32,39,42,53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-1912), (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) (Also referred to as Trolley Dodgers 1911-1931) Brooklyn... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...