If you’re working with your players on bunting skills,here’s an easy, inexpensive way to make an excellent bunting training bat. You need and old wooden bat that is no longer being used and a Bandsaw.
How to Make a Bunting Bat
Take the old wooden bat to the bandsaw and saw off one third of the barrel.
Start at the end of the bat and work towards the handle. Find a grain line and follow that as a guide. The length of the bat will not be shortened. Do not cut any wood off the handle area of the bat. When you are done the length of the barrel will have flat surface. Use athletic tape and wrap the entire barrel of the bat to prevent splinters or slivers to the batter.
Now you have a terrific bunting training bat.
The bunter uses the bunting technique that their coach prefers, but the bat’s flat surface is pointing to the sky. The batter’s pointer finger is along the edge of the flat surface. The bottom three fingers are curled, and the thumb is on the flat surface. Remember the flat surface is pointing to the sky or up.
The pitcher or tosser now throws pitches to the batter and the batter is forced to use the bat’s “still round BOTTOM two thirds portion” of the bat to successfully to bunt the ball DOWN.
Bunting Drill
Lay down 2 pieces of 2ft x 2ft plastic garbage bag about 6 ft down the baseline, 1 on the third baseline and 1 on the 1st baseline. Have the kids bunt like 6 pitches. If they can land 1 on the plastic they get a soda after practice and they also laid down a great bunt.