Ever since its creation, baseball has faced many changes throughout the decades. Many rules, players, equipment, and fields have been altered to make the sport safer and more enjoyable for people on the green and in the bleachers. Even so, some aspects of the sport have survived the many changes and continue to this day. The one technique that confuses me the most with its continued existence is bunting.
Bunting is a technique of hitting the ball without swinging the bat, causing it to go a short distance. It is mainly used to get a runner to another base and to fake out the defense. It is an interesting tactic on paper, but the constant use of the move has led to its downfall in usefulness and popularity.
The move’s utility has changed negatively in recent years, with fewer players prioritizing it over swinging the bat normally. The technique has inadvertently created tighter defense, with the infield positioning making it easier to recover the ball and react accordingly. Any play with bunting will involve getting out unless it is done perfectly.
Bunting is ineffective because of better defense, and the move is boring to the casual spectator. One of the best things about watching baseball is seeing how the batters launch the ball into next week or having the outfield scramble to catch the ball and get the players out before hitting the home base. All that excitement is removed when someone bunts the ball a few feet. It’s not a feast for the eyes, and it’s less appealing when players do it constantly.
Thankfully, we are beginning to see less bunting in official games for these reasons, and you won’t see me complaining about it. It is time for bunting to fade away or be prohibited completely so that baseball can continue to be fun.
