Is slapping on the decline in college ball?

[knuckleballer]

Is it just me or are there far fewer slappers on D1 teams than there were 10-15 years ago? If so, why?

 

[Northball]

Just watched a taped game from Clearwater, the USF slapper lined into a double play, so that didn't go so well.....

Tightening the rules on stepping out of the box, and the proliferation of power hitters (not getting into reasons why batters 1-9 can pop it over the fence here) are making the slapper less valuable IMHO.

 

[marriard]

Is it just me or are there far fewer slappers on D1 teams than there were 10-15 years ago? If so, why?

Not overall, but it may appear that way if you only watch college teams on TV.

The teams you see on TV get the pick of the power hitters (which are plentiful), elite athletic fielders and the genuinely fastest of fast slappers (which are not).

As you get beyond those teams, it changes. There are teams and coaches who know they can't compete against the Power teams by just recruiting the second set of power players available so they concentrate more on recruiting speed.

 

[Westwind]

The thing about slappers in the most competitive conferences is they must be a triple threat. Added to that, they can’t be really fast, they have to be really, really fast. Players can be fast enough that they have never had to do anything but soft slap or bunt for a hit in high level tb and hs but when you are playing against really good left side defense they will throw you out most of the time and make it look easy. That weeds out a lot of players that were considered “really fast” before, players that seemingly no one could get out.

 

[_MIA_]

OU has two players who play and can slap, Jayda Coleman and Rylie Boone. Coleman is a triple threat and Boone can hit away (doesn't have much power though).

 

[NJSwampdragons]

I saw a girl from USF slap one off the fence vs Oklahoma State earlier this year for a base-clearing triple. Now that is how to slap.

 

[radness]

I saw a girl from USF slap one off the fence vs Oklahoma State earlier this year for a base-clearing triple. Now that is how to slap.

that might be called a smack

 

[MikeP]

Just watched a taped game from Clearwater, the USF slapper lined into a double play, so that didn't go so well.....

Tightening the rules on stepping out of the box, and the proliferation of power hitters (not getting into reasons why batters 1-9 can pop it over the fence here) are making the slapper less valuable IMHO.

That same slapper had a nice hard slap right between the pitcher and 2nd baseman for an easy single.