Does Slap hitter have to be fast

I will first admit I am not sold on slap hitting.

I do however have a 10U team and a DD that while sitting back can hit well - some power for her age. She can also lay a bunt down into any of the 3 main sections (1st, pitch, 3rd) when I ask.

She wants to try slapping and we have experimented some in the cage with the machine. She is capable of moving and hitting the ball off the machine and even my pitches.

Question:

She is not fast (she knows it and I know it) so is training to slap the ball worth while?

Part of me says it will give her an extra step but part says to have her sit back and hit it hard making the girl have to field a hard shot.

Which side does she hit from now and how not fast is she?

Batting left handed even without slapping is a step advantage and you get another step if you have the moving start. For sake of argument let's say 2 steps = 8 feet advantage per plate appearance. Let's say DD plays 100 games per year thru high school (at least 8 years) getting an average of 3 ab per game....that adds up to 19,200 feet of advantage...almost 4 miles. In addition, to reduce this advantage, defenses will play IN more than they otherwise would so there is also the advantage of creating bigger holes in the IF to drive the ball thru. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe these advantages are available even to players with average speed. In my experience, assuming a reasonable level of slap skill, slapping will imprve a players BA by about 100 points on average but will reduce their power output.

I am sold on slap hitting for almost any player who isn't likely to be a consistent power hitter (about 7-10% extra base hits or more).

I don't have an argument with that but if she is hitting good pitching for power from the right side and she is slow, then no, I wouldn't fool with the left side.

I have never seen a slow slapper.

True but slow is a relative word. One of the best slappers I ever watched was three flat from contact to first...but...she could place that ball like a pool shark and if you caved on her she would drop it behind F8. Didn't matter what you did you were wrong. I would call three flat slow for a slapper who has reached physical maturity-but she made it work very very well. Wish I had timed our tennis player F4 from home to first back then.

I have watched Bustos slap. So it is a weapon to move runners , just like bunting. Slapping is putting the ball in a place that the fielders give you and advantage. My dd is 2.84 at 15 and I admit after two years she is very good at it. The key is she can also hit for power..

Mark H said:

True but slow is a relative word. One of the best slappers I ever watched was three flat from contact to first...but...she could place that ball like a pool shark and if you caved on her she would drop it behind F8. Didn't matter what you did you were wrong. I would call three flat slow for a slapper who has reached physical maturity-but she made it work very very well. Wish I had timed our tennis player F4 from home to first back then.

Click to expand...

I think she would have met the "fast" definition.

another discussion where we tend to think of slap hitting ONLY from the left side.
-- turning a power hitter into a LH Slapper? Depends on age if I would even consider it.

** Right-handed slap off a Fake bunt, helps the batter's chances folr multiple reasons:
1) Shorter bat (Choled up) provides more coordination and chances for contact
2) Shortens the swing (Not power, AND you are NOT looing for power on this slap)
3) Moves the infield; corners with less range if playing up and middles start to cheat to their base they are covering, opening holes
4) Pressure on defense helps an offense
** Something to think about!

It's always good to add new skills to teach for children at a young age. If you think she'll be pursuing softball 'til she gets older go ahead and make her learn it.

Slap hitting is always an option it doesn't have to be her main offensive weapon. This may even make her want to develop her speed.

Variation makes a player less predictable