Anti-Slap Hitting Coach.....

[canyonjoe]

So you daughter wouldn't still be fast if she didn't slap?

I didn't say speed didn't matter, I said that once you get on first it doesn't matter how you get there. I've seen some really fast kids try slapping and turn a right handed hitter from a 450 hitter with power into a 250 hitter who hits singles.

But my real point is that you can't steal first base. Just firing a slapper up in the 1 hole is a mistake unless they can get on base.
If I have a choice I want someone very fast to lead off. I don't care how they hit I just want them to get on period.

If I were starting a game I would rather face any slapper in the country instead of Lauren Chamberlain.

In the end every coach in every sport does what they think will win. Some football teams always pass, some run a wishbone, some Basketball teams slow the game down, others run and gun. Some baseball teams like to run a lot, others try and hit more HR's. Some softball teams bunt you all over the field, others never do. If a coach doesn't like slappers go and play for one that does.

 

[SBFAMILY]

The best batting average in D1 last year was a slapper. Sorry I would take Courtney Ceo from Oregon. Hit a whopping (and career-best) .410 with 54 runs, four doubles, four home runs and 27 RBIs...posted a .497 slugging percentage and a .449 on-base percentage...went 23-of-26 on stolen bases...Posted a team-high 12 sacrifices...Hit a team-high .556 in Oregon's six postseason games, going 10-of-18 with four runs scored and two RBIs in the tournament. Watch the Bustos u tube video that was posted. So you are the #4 hitter what does that mean? If you bat 3 slappers and they make outs. Who is the lead off batter in inning 2. It only matters the first time up! She makes a good point, it still her job to get on base.

 

[SlapHitter]

I love good slappers.....


http://i.imgur.com/Z93sYFw.gif

 

[Mr T]

My oldest just started 12U so haven't seen a tremendous number of slappers yet. But the ones who can do it well are obviously extremely valuable and effective at the young ages. Very tough for young defenses to handle.

That said, I was utterly shocked when someone at a recent roundtable asked about slapping. The panel had a US women's national team pitcher, an ex-D1 all-American catcher who had started an extremely successful A ball program, and two male coaches, both who had helped coach on the mens' national team and one who had also played. Not a single person supported slapping. I couldn't believe my ears. They took turns talking about how defenses have adjusted extremely well, how statistically it wasn't a good choice to call usually. How they didn't fear the slap beating them. On and on. They remarked that from a recruiting standpoint, it's not a hard skill at all, there are a zillion girls who can do it, so to be recruited as a slapper you need to have true game-breaking track and field sprint speed.

Just passing along info, I have nothing against slapping or even have a strong opinion myself.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Funny that college coaches are passing out money to slappers right after pitcher and catcher. So the facts doesn't support that attitude. Anyone watching the D1 playoffs can attest that the top level teams have good slappers and the best batting average in the nation was a slapper that no defense could handle. Courtney Ceo proved that.

 

[grounded]

After going thru tryouts this summer, I thought I would bring this thread back...a little of what I learned during silly season. Btw..this is our first time trying out since we have converted to left side slapping..
There are plenty of coaches that say thanks. .no thanks
There are plenty of coaches that slapping was a bonus for us..
The one thing I found...not one asked what type of slapper DD was.
I feel this says a lot about how coaches look at slapping. Some dont want it...I can agree to disagree. Some want it in the worst way..like its some gimmick. Every slapper has their own style...some favor the short game..some favor a power game. Not one single time did any coach ever ask DD's style. DD plays more of a power game...will play small if defense lets her, but will mostly power slap and pick her spots if up to her. For the coaches that said no thanks..I have to wonder if they knew her style, would they say the same? For the ones that wanted DD in the worst way, would they feel the same knowing that we dont drag bunt a lot?
Any way, just an observation from silly season. I think anyone with a slapping DD understands exactly what im talking about

 

[Sparky Guy]

Many, many coaches at the younger levels have no idea what slapping is about. Much less how to use one correctly. It takes two full years for a slapper to become pretty good at it. It takes another year or two for them to become extremely confident with it. The coaches at the younger levels have little understanding of the learning process and have little patience when a girl struggles right after turning around. The reason a lot of coaches are afraid to take a slapper on their team is they don't have the knowledge to help their slappers with the mental side of the game and how to use their tools. It takes a lot of trust to give up some control of the at bat and trust they will use what you've taught them.

I've had two different slappers the last two season who grew to be very adept at picking on a defense's weaknesses making split second adjustments at the plate depending on the pitch and game situation. Both had the best BA and OP stats of the team.

 

[grounded]

Yes...forgot to mention that we changed right after out 1st yr 12u season. We worked thru the summer for the conversion. We have now completed 2 full years of slapping. We are not hitting our spots exactly like we wish to, but at same time...we are pretty close. Little.more experience and little.more maturity will go a.long way im sure. I do believe that a part of it is coaches not knowing what to do with them...and those that understand it just a little...dont feel great about letting the kid call their own shots so to speak. She will change thought process after every pitch if conditions dictate. I think its hard for some coaches to give up that power

 

[Turtle]

I'm not sure if my experience matches others, but as someone semi-anti-slap, I will comment on what planet I'm coming from. First, let me say that I have a bunch of lefties on my little team and after they learn the basics of hitting, if any of them want to slap and/or are suited to it, I plan to teach it the best I can. I'm an assistant on another team with a strong slapping coach, so I'm learning the ropes from him. I hope to teach it right and use it to help our team.

I came up in college around the time slapping was really coming to the forefront. I was a slow righty, so it wasn't for me. I considered myself a Tony Gwynn type singles and doubles hitter, with a couple of years of extra power thrown in. I could dunk it over the infield or hit it to the fence, playing an equivalent hitting game to the baseball I'd grown up watching. When I saw the surge in slapping, it seemed to me the coaches pushing it were saying something like "okay, all the games are 1-0 and the girls can't hit, so we are just going to give up on the dream of getting solid hits and cop to the fact that these are just girls; we need to use a gimmick to get on base, so I'm going to teach them to gently place the ball just so, and hope the fielders don't throw the batter out." It made me want to scream, "hey, I can hit, just teach them how to hit. Who wants to see a bunch of chicks hitting weak grounders to shortstop?"

I will admit slapping has come a long way, it is a skill, and clearly involves a lot of hard work. I'm still just living back in the day and it has always left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm a girl who has always wanted to show the world that anything a guy can do, I can do just as well (or better).

Just my take on it.

 

[Greenmonsters]

After going thru tryouts this summer, I thought I would bring this thread back...a little of what I learned during silly season. Btw..this is our first time trying out since we have converted to left side slapping..
There are plenty of coaches that say thanks. .no thanks
There are plenty of coaches that slapping was a bonus for us..
The one thing I found...not one asked what type of slapper DD was.
I feel this says a lot about how coaches look at slapping. Some dont want it...I can agree to disagree. Some want it in the worst way..like its some gimmick. Every slapper has their own style...some favor the short game..some favor a power game. Not one single time did any coach ever ask DD's style. DD plays more of a power game...will play small if defense lets her, but will mostly power slap and pick her spots if up to her. For the coaches that said no thanks..I have to wonder if they knew her style, would they say the same? For the ones that wanted DD in the worst way, would they feel the same knowing that we dont drag bunt a lot?
Any way, just an observation from silly season. I think anyone with a slapping DD understands exactly what im talking about

re the bold - Actions speak louder than words! Tryouts should be used by a player as an opportunity to showcase all their skills. A coach shouldn't have to ask what kind of slapper a hitter is after a tryout. IMO, a slapper needs better than average speed to make a coach take notice.