Slapper out of the box

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Oct 18, 2009
17
1
Indiana
DD just started HS ball. Has been called out of the box 3 times in 7 games. She rarely has any problem during travel (the occasional call, but nothing like this). Seems to be either outside pitch or after she takes a ball and is really out there after a take. Causing a lot of frustration. Any suggestions for drills or her.
 
Oct 16, 2008
164
18
SE Michigan
She's only out if she makes contact with one foot completely outside the box or touches the plate. If she is truly making contact out of the front of the box then her stance is too far forward or her cross step is way too long or her timing is way early such that her right foot is replanting before contact. If she is truly making contact inside the side of the box then she is crossing in too deep instead of keeping her weight moving straight at the P. If this is the case, practice with a small cone on the inside line of the batter box until she keeps straight...btw staying straight will also help with her making better contact.
 
Last edited:
Oct 18, 2009
17
1
Indiana
????????? She can run out of the box all she wants as long as she doesn't make contact with the ball

Well, in our neck of the woods there aren't a lot of coaches that believe in it so therefore, they don't coach it. Thus, umpires don't see it and all of sudden if a kid is a quarter of the way to the pitcher on a take she would have to be out of the box if she hit it. Not saying, she isn't out of the box. Trust me, I have made the argument that part of her foot could be in the box during the summer. The other thing that confounds me is that two of the calls where in late innings when the box was all but gone. I guess my thing is I want to be sure we don't leave it up to blue, because if it doesn't work coach is going to take it away.
 
Dec 12, 2012
1,668
0
On the bucket
Well, in our neck of the woods there aren't a lot of coaches that believe in it so therefore, they don't coach it. Thus, umpires don't see it and all of sudden if a kid is a quarter of the way to the pitcher on a take she would have to be out of the box if she hit it. Not saying, she isn't out of the box. Trust me, I have made the argument that part of her foot could be in the box during the summer. The other thing that confounds me is that two of the calls where in late innings when the box was all but gone. I guess my thing is I want to be sure we don't leave it up to blue, because if it doesn't work coach is going to take it away.

Sounds like you have a problem ! Providing what you posted is correct, then I'm not sure what to tell you here.

Just know in the back of your head that she has to have a foot completely out (not touching the box anywhere) at contact in order to be out. Out of the box without contact (even a swing) is not a an out.

We have been taught and teach that contact should occur when the crossover foot hits the ground.
 
Aug 4, 2008
2,355
0
Lexington,Ohio
Just my two cents when I have seen this called the umpire didn't understand the rules. Most slappers using correct foot work cannot be out of the box. We teach the cross over style and it's impossible to be out of the box, since your heel is on the white line . Even if it touches any part of the white you are still in the box.
 
Jan 15, 2009
683
18
Midwest
I agree with SB.

We teach the slapper to make contact after the cross over after the back foot comes down. It should be a long aggressive step and towards the front of the box on the line, then the go step (with the right foot towards the pitcher) should be in front of the box before they sprint to first.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Sounds like she needs to make an adjustment to HS pitching speeds. A TB pitcher with a good change up can get some slappers called for making contact in front of the box.
 
Even if you are never out of the box you will still be called for out of the box every once in a while. Ive had video of my DD hitting while slapping when she was called out for being out of the box and her whole foot was inside the box.

One interesting thing I noticed one day at a game was a umpire smoothing out the dirt in front of the plate and in front of the batters box with his foot before my DD was about to slap so after the game I asked him why he did that and he said "so i can tell if shes out of the box while slapping" so I asked him what will that prove as she hits the ball with her right foot up in the air then her foot comes down outside the box after the ball is hit. Ump said "if I see her footprint out of the box and she makes contact with the ball she will be out" so some ump's just don't get it
 

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