New Slapper: Still left and Right. What's the plan in the box?

[speedseeker]

Hi folks, wanted to get your advice on a situation I'm in.

I have a newly converted slapper on my team. She's lightning fast - definitely the right move for her. Thing is, she's mid-journey. She can drag bunt and soft slap from the left for now. No experience in hard slapping and cannot swing away from the left yet. She has a pretty good swing from the right too and I would put her in the contact hitter category. I'm only the 3B coach but I'm certainly lobbying for her to fill the leadoff spot.

Her goal is to be a slapper from the left first.

My question, what's her/our plan when she steps in the box? Start left with drag or soft slap - she makes the call on which based on D? And what about two strikes? How likely is it to be called an out on foul offs?

As I understand things the art of slapping can include the following:
1) drag bunt
2) soft slap (maybe to 5/6 hole)
3) hard slap (over fielders head)
4) chop slap (bounce taking time away from fielders)

Right now, she has 1 and 2 covered. What situations might I need to consider bringing her from the left to the right in order to swing away? Etc...so many questions. lol

This is 14U B BTW. And yes I'm a lucky coach! We're an emerging team so we'll see.

 

[mmeece]

I'd soft slap and bunt her until teams prove they can consistently get her out. Initially, I'd let her decide what she wants to do and teach her how to read the defense. With 2 strikes I'd let her do what she feels most comfortable with. Also, have her develop her bunting skills so she can bunt short or push a bunt past the P to the ss or 2B.

Situations when she may want/need to go righty? Any time there is a force at 3B or home I'd consider going to the R side. But, if there is a really good hitter behind her I might not even change things then. Another situation she may want to go to the R side is when you have a runner on 3B and just need anything to the OF to try and score a tying or winning run.

 

[speedseeker]

...Any time there is a force at 3B or home I'd consider going to the R side.

This is an excellent point that I hadn't thought about. Thanks and will implement.

 

[speedseeker]

Another situation she may want to go to the R side is when you have a runner on 3B and just need anything to the OF to try and score a tying or winning run.

If I can get her to confidently drag bunt down 1b baseline (I know she's working on it) is safety squeeze an option here rather than swing away from the right? Given age group (14UB) seems the higher probability move on the surface but unsure.

 

[mmeece]

If I can get her to confidently drag bunt down 1b baseline (I know she's working on it) is safety squeeze an option here rather than swing away from the right? Given age group (14UB) seems the higher probability move on the surface but unsure.

If I have speed on third, definetly. If she is able to show the bunt late and keep the bunt fairly short the run scores almost every time at that level unless they are just playing really tight at the corners. If they are and she can make the pitcher field the ball on her backhand side it's really tough to get the out at home as well.

 

[Comp]

She wont be a full threat until she can do everything from the left side. Switching back and forth based on the situation is simply telegraphing to the defense what the batter is going to do. I full option batter from the left the defense has no idea what is coming. If they play back, drag bunt, if they move in power slap or swing away. She really needs to concentrate on developing her left side batting.

 

[Vertigo]

She wont be a full threat until she can do everything from the left side. Switching back and forth based on the situation is simply telegraphing to the defense what the batter is going to do. I full option batter from the left the defense has no idea what is coming. If they play back, drag bunt, if they move in power slap or swing away. She really needs to concentrate on developing her left side batting.

This was how my dd was taught. She was 16 when she switched to slapping. All winter long she worked from the left side only (lessons, team practice, and on her own). They have to learn to ”see” the ball from the other side of the plate. Switching back and forth will just delay developing that eye for the ball and reverting back to the right side will be a crutch.

With a runner on 3B that is a force my dd has been given the squeeze sign numerous times. In order for it to work they HAVE to be able to get bat on ball no matter where it is pitched (unless it’s obviously going over the catcher’s head). Reason being, that runner on 3B should be taking off as soon as the ball is released by the pitcher. If the batter misses the ball completely, that runner is dead. I would be very careful having her squeeze until she is more confident.

That all being said, my dd will now go back and forth between slapping and hitting righty depending on the situation. She only started doing this after she fully developed her skills as a slapper. She can swing away now from either side. However, she will stick with the right or the left side the whole at-bat.

As far as fouling-off soft slaps not being called a bunt attempt on 2 strikes, try to have her finish her swing after contact. You can still soft slap and follow through after.

 

[MikeP]

She wont be a full threat until she can do everything from the left side. Switching back and forth based on the situation is simply telegraphing to the defense what the batter is going to do. I full option batter from the left the defense has no idea what is coming. If they play back, drag bunt, if they move in power slap or swing away. She really needs to concentrate on developing her left side batting.

For what it's worth, my dd asked to try slapping when she was 9 and I told her we would try because she is quick. We messed around for one practice trying everything and once I realized she could probably do it we only worked on swinging away until she was fairly proficient at it. My thought was if she can learn to swing first and get comfortable from the left then the rest should come a little easier. It our case it definitely worked out. She has never went back to the right in a game but we do practice it at home occasionally. We also start every slapping practice with her doing self toss just to get warmed up.

 

[uncdrew]

She wont be a full threat until she can do everything from the left side. Switching back and forth based on the situation is simply telegraphing to the defense what the batter is going to do. I full option batter from the left the defense has no idea what is coming. If they play back, drag bunt, if they move in power slap or swing away. She really needs to concentrate on developing her left side batting.

Yup, it's gonna suck for a while, but let her go full slapper mode.

It's best for her softball career if she learn how to slap as soon as possible, even if it costs you some outs and some games. We dealt with it last year. One girl on team converting to slapper and she got out almost every at bat.

Now I wouldn't bat her leadoff in that case. I'd tell her if she can improve in games she can earn the leadoff spot. That might be the motivation she needs to practice more and improve faster.

 

[murphdog]

When DD switched at 13 both her hitting coach and her travel coach said no more hitting righty. It was all or nothing. Turns out she has more power lefty anyway. It took time and tons of reps but switching to lefty was the best decision for her. She hits, slaps and bunts