Utilizing slappers

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Jan 17, 2014
54
0
Middle America
So DD is in her 3rd yr of lefty slapping ( 13 yo). Weve Been seeing a great slapping only coach for the last 6 months and her game has really opened up. Proficient in hitting away, drag, soft, hard, and chopper. They are using wristbands but there is nothing set up for the slappers on the team. Coach just wants them to read the defense but the girls don't always see what the coaches see. Should there be / do you have more specific signals for your slappers? What do you think produces the highest OBP for a fast lefty leading off? Thx.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
I never had any really specific signals with my slappers unless I wanted them to swing away. What I did do was have many, many conversations with them about reading the defense and understanding the game situation. If they were unsuccessful with an at bat I would ask them what they were trying to accomplish. Then I would give them some suggestions on how to handle the same situation the next time. I would put it in the context of what tool they need to take out of their hitting bag to perform a specific task. It takes time and patience. There are a whole lot of failures at the start of the process. They need to know they have the option of doing different things depending on the pitch they have to work with without being reprimanded.

Two years ago I had a young slapper on the team who worked very, very hard on her own. Dad had coached her until the situation dictated he couldn't so he brought her to me. She ended the season with a .650 OB and a .450 BA. As the season went on she matured exponentially and I could see what she was trying to do with each at bat. Her dad came to me at the end of the season and told me I was the best thing that could have happened to her at that point of her career. He did not think she was capable of learning and understanding everything so well. He said he would have tried to control her more at the plate. I thought differently after meeting and talking with her a little bit.

Sometimes you need to toss them into the deep end of pool knowing the life line is there if they need it.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I never had any really specific signals with my slappers unless I wanted them to swing away. What I did do was have many, many conversations with them about reading the defense and understanding the game situation. If they were unsuccessful with an at bat I would ask them what they were trying to accomplish. Then I would give them some suggestions on how to handle the same situation the next time. I would put it in the context of what tool they need to take out of their hitting bag to perform a specific task. It takes time and patience. There are a whole lot of failures at the start of the process. They need to know they have the option of doing different things depending on the pitch they have to work with without being reprimanded.

Two years ago I had a young slapper on the team who worked very, very hard on her own. Dad had coached her until the situation dictated he couldn't so he brought her to me. She ended the season with a .650 OB and a .450 BA. As the season went on she matured exponentially and I could see what she was trying to do with each at bat. Her dad came to me at the end of the season and told me I was the best thing that could have happened to her at that point of her career. He did not think she was capable of learning and understanding everything so well. He said he would have tried to control her more at the plate. I thought differently after meeting and talking with her a little bit.

Sometimes you need to toss them into the deep end of pool knowing the life line is there if they need it.

Excellent approach. Can be applied to similar effect with pitch calling IME. Teach 'em how to fish!
 
Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
..reading the defense and understanding the game situation.

Shelbysdad, our DD's are same age and similar situation. At 13, they have their slapping mechanics and fundamentals pretty down and they need to develop their softball intelligence to match the skills. I very much agree with Sparky's approach. DD is learning to read the situation and defensive alignment and then choose a tool in the toolbox. I tell her that once she's picked the tool, commit to it fully, and execute it as best she can. Don't second guess... we can always talk about results later. i.e. was it right tool/right execution, wrong tool/right execution, right tool/missed execution, was it a good, better, best choice of tool.

It could be wrong tool, well executed and she may still get on base at this level, so we don't focus on OBP so much. The game reading will only come with time, so I try to take the pressure off of did she get on base as a measure of success.

On another note, we have three slappers on the team this year with others learning how. I've told DD she can learn 3x as fast if she watches how her teammates approach their at bats. It's like getting 3 AB's vs 1.
 
Sep 24, 2013
696
0
Midwest
Your slapping instructor should teach her to read defenses as well. A good hitting or slapping instructor teaches the mental side of hitting as much as the physical....or more.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
I tell her that once she's picked the tool, commit to it fully, and execute it as best she can. Don't second guess...

What I tell my slappers is to step in the box with a plan and idea of which tool they want to use. But if the pitch dictates making that instant change, go for it. Slapping is a very fluid action that requires a great deal of flexibility.
 

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