Defining Running Speed

[Westwind]

This is a great topic and its one of tho deals that involves “key phrases and tricky language”, lol

If I have to pick a number, it’s 2.7. But 2.7 without base running strategy is 3.0. Base running strategy and technique is so rarely taught. And I’m not saying I know what it is or how to teach it, but it has to do with always looking for the next base, no matter what. It’s knowing what to do without having to wait for a base coach.

Next- really effective slappers make you defend the whole field. They bunt, soft slap, hard slap and swing away. How many players can do this? My answer is not many. But my gosh, the ones that can are unstoppable.

Coaches, that kid that no one can get out if she bunts..... make sure she keeps expanding her skills. Because one day, when the defense knows what her skill is, they WILL be able to get her out. If she can be a true triple threat she will be unstoppable.

If you want a current model player for slapping, I say it’s Kayla Kowalik. The defense has to play her straight up. She then shreds them. It’s incredible to watch.

 

[_MIA_]

If you want a current model player for slapping, I say it’s Kayla Kowalik. The defense has to play her straight up. She then shreds them. It’s incredible to watch.

Jayda Coleman, although only a freshmen, fits your description pretty well too.

 

[Westwind]

Yes! Absolutely.

And both are absolutely fearless and another commonality is both have unusually high instinctive knowledge of the game.

So fun to watch. They are so dangerous.

 

[BigSkyHi]

Natasha Watley has some great youtube and a website dedicated to the physical and mental aspects of being a 'triple threat' hitter.

https://www.natashawatley.com/

 

[Vertigo]

FYI ROE doesn’t have a positive effect on on base percentage.

My bad. I’d still focus on the player who can put the ball in play and cause fielders to rush, cause errors, etc. Getting on base any way possible without it causing an out for the lead runner will always help the team, IMHO. I don’t care much about individual numbers, I care more about team outcomes.

 

[Nimrod]

I wish that college teams kept ROE stats. It's assumed that slappers draw more ROE, but I'd like to see if stats verify it. My theory would be that it's not as significant as we customarily think. Slappers might also draw more no-throws on plays where the fielder realizes she has no chance, thus helping even things out, whereas a slow runner might draw a bad throw because the fielder is thinking, 'I can still get her.'

On slappers in general, those that draw walks and hit for reasonable power are much more valuable than those that don't. Historically slappers have been overrated IMO because of the low number of bases they get, especially first base. Which is only to say that coaches have given passes to slap-hitting outmakers, but again, those that are good and versatile are huge weapons.

 

[Long Baller]

Coaches, that kid that no one can get out if she bunts..... make sure she keeps expanding her skills. Because one day, when the defense knows what her skill is, they WILL be able to get her out. If she can be a true triple threat she will be unstoppable.

This cannot be stressed enough! As an elite slapper, your game must continue to advance because the defense WILL get better. My oldest DD is what many consider an elite slapper. At 2nd year 12U and 14U, the bunt that dropped in front of home plate was a guaranteed no-throw, infield single. Anything that was backhand side of SS, or bounced twice was an infield single. Fast forward to 16 and 18U, you must be much more precise with your placement and how hard you hit the ball. The bunt needs to be placed where infielders are converging. The soft slap needs to bounce, roll, and die before being fielded. DD had to continually modify her mechanics to stay on top of the game. At the younger ages, DD was about 75% small ball and 25% hard slap or swinging away. At 18U, those numbers swapped.

The modern elite slapper plays a "multi-threat" game. The "tap and go" game of old isn't as effective anymore. With DD being a H.S. senior, we run into quite a few of her prior travel ball teammates. The "slappers" that mostly bunt let the game pass them by. Sure, their speed still beats out a lot of singles against mediocre defenses, but they are not the all-around threat that they should be. It is also telling when you "catch up" with these parents, and you notice that these girls keep moving to lower-level travel teams.

 

[Vertigo]

Agreed that the multi-talented slapper is best, as they can adjust what they do depending on the situation on the field (baserunners and where defense is playing). However, I’ll still say getting the ball to bounce on the ground a few times will almost always lead to slapper safe at 1B - important if you are leadoff in the inning.

Slappers should always be working on their skills to have more tools in their box to use.

 

[radness]

If I have to pick a number, it’s 2.7. But 2.7 without base running strategy is 3.0. Base running strategy and technique is so rarely taught.




And I’m not saying I know what it is or how to teach it, but it has to do with always looking for the next base, no matter what. It’s knowing what to do without having to wait for a base coach.

Next- really effective slappers make you defend the whole field. They bunt, soft slap, hard slap and swing away. How many players can do this? My answer is not many. But my gosh, the ones that can are unstoppable.

Coaches, that kid that no one can get out if she bunts..... make sure she keeps expanding her skills. Because one day, when the defense knows what her skill is, they WILL be able to get her out. If she can be a true triple threat she will be unstoppable.

If you want a current model player for slapping, I say it’s Kayla Kowalik. The defense has to play her straight up. She then shreds them. It’s incredible to watch.

Like the technical numbers 2.7 to 3.0 with game awareness being part of overall productive skill assessment!

Super critical to acknowledge where some athletes gain or lose tenths of a second in quickness, in a sport often measured by inches.

I measure in tenths of a second its where outs are made and bases are gained !!!

 

[Long Baller]

I wish that college teams kept ROE stats. It's assumed that slappers draw more ROE, but I'd like to see if stats verify it. My theory would be that it's not as significant as we customarily think. Slappers might also draw more no-throws on plays where the fielder realizes she has no chance, thus helping even things out, whereas a slow runner might draw a bad throw because the fielder is thinking, 'I can still get her.'

On slappers in general, those that draw walks and hit for reasonable power are much more valuable than those that don't. Historically slappers have been overrated IMO because of the low number of bases they get, especially first base. Which is only to say that coaches have given passes to slap-hitting outmakers, but again, those that are good and versatile are huge weapons.

I personally believe that OB% should increase anytime the batter reaches base safely, regardless of how they got there. I understand the argument about a FC, but good slappers create sooooo many errors, and this should not be held against their OB%. When infielders see elite speed at the plate, they know they need to get to the ball quicker and get the throw off immediately. This creates bobbled balls and bad throws. Now put runners on base and all hell breaks loose. Slappers do create errors, I've been seeing it happen for years. We had a coach one year that valued this, and kept OB% + ROE as one stat to make lineup decisions.

I disagree about slappers (truly good slappers) being overrated. The tap and go slappers, yeah, they can be a hindrance in certain game situations. Most of the problem I see is coaches not knowing how to properly utilize slappers. I see more "power hitter" outmakers getting passes. That struggling 3-5 hitter that keeps striking out ("but it was a nice cut") or hitting routine fly balls ("just got under it, that's all") never seem to leave the line-up. However, that slapper that never strikes out and just barely missing out on bang-bang plays (or "only reaches on error") is quick to get relegated to pinch-runner status. That's just my opinion based on what I have seen over the years.