Right Handed Slap?

[absdad]

I can't help but wonder what would happen if they taught them to do it right-handed. maybe all of them would develop a skill they could use effectively.

In my opinion it's a great tool to have, but you're taking away the advantage of it by doing it on the right side.

I have often wondered about this. My DD has excellent speed, but hits right handed. I have shown her how, and she does a fairly good job, bunting and slapping from the left side. The problem is that every time she goes to the left side of the plate, the other team knows whats comming. Kind of limits the ability to surprise the defense. So now she is working on more 'push bunting' and looking at defensive allignment for a surprise bunt from the right side. Never really considered slapping but, hey if it catches them off ballance, might be worth a try.

If you teach her to hit from the left, she can certainly keep the surprise. Sounds like your dd is plenty talented enough to hit for power from the left, if she can pick up bunting and slapping from the left. Plenty of tricks a slapper can do to keep the def guessing, they don't have to broadcast a bunt, or just because they start in the back of the box, doesn't mean they're going to slap.

 

[FPMark]

In my opinion it's a great tool to have, but you're taking away the advantage of it by doing it on the right side.



If you teach her to hit from the left, she can certainly keep the surprise. Sounds like your dd is plenty talented enough to hit for power from the left, if she can pick up bunting and slapping from the left. Plenty of tricks a slapper can do to keep the def guessing, they don't have to broadcast a bunt, or just because they start in the back of the box, doesn't mean they're going to slap.

You haven't seen her try to full swing from the left side, very uncomfortable, and not very convencing. I compare it to her trying to throw from ss to 1st with her left hand. If I had it to do over again, I would start her left handed in T-Ball. Now at 14 she just is too comfortable hitting right, and does very well, so it's hard to get her to try. Bunting and slapping from the left are completly different than hitting with power.

 

[absdad]

You haven't seen her try to full swing from the left side, very uncomfortable, and not very convencing. I compare it to her trying to throw from ss to 1st with her left hand. If I had it to do over again, I would start her left handed in T-Ball. Now at 14 she just is too comfortable hitting right, and does very well, so it's hard to get her to try. Bunting and slapping from the left are completly different than hitting with power.

I don't know why, but I was under the assumption your dd was much younger. You're absolutely right, it would be VERY difficult for her to switch now. When my dd moved to the left, it took a good while for her to get back to the level she was at previously. Her batting tanked for a while, and she and her coaches were frustrated, but her slapping coach kept pushing her and with alot of work she got over it. But she was 10 when she started working on it.

 

[RedTeam]

My opinion is that a right handed slap is different kind of slap to a lefty, squaring round for a bunt draws the 1st and 3rd baseman up, 2nd baseman will cheat (generally) and the SS will come up flatter, this movement creates more holes in the infield and the righty slap can exploit these by punching it threw, bouncing over the top or chipping it over the infield. This also creates some doubt in the corners mind about whether they are bunting, push bunting or slapping, it becomes a mind game between the hitter and the corners. I think it's a great idea but it isn't a regular option every time you go up to bat

 

[JAD]

If the player is fast enough, slapping from the right side is an option. Defenses would probably not expect it and if the player can also hit for power it is a tough decision to pull in the defense. A lot of right handed batters who slap from the left side cannot hit for power, so defenses 'cheat' in. I have also seen some players go to a 'slap' style hitting from the right side trying to put the ball in play. A 3/4 or 1/2 swing ground ball is better than a full swing strikeout, especially with runners on base.