Should batter hit down on ball?

[Fastpitch Trainer]

My next comment probably should start a new thread in regards to slappers, but I'm seeing people saying that it's OK for slappers to swing down. I disagree. I had Caitlin Lowe in for about 10 weeks or so working out before the summer pro season this year, and never once saw her swing down during a slap to hit the ball on the ground.

What I did see, was her stay on plane with the part of the ball she wanted to hit. She didn't completely change her swing plane to hit the ball down, just had the ability to stay on plane with different parts of the softball.

Mark

 

[Mark H]

I wouldn't argue with that and I do love power slappers...but...if a slapper can slap down on the ball and make it take a big bounce, they are safe. Not easy but I have seen this strategy so I offer that as the possible exception to the hitters should not hit down through the ball rule.

 

[batsics1]

Hitting down on the ball is irrelevant! It's five words that can mean almost anything.

Isn't the general idea that you hit down on a ball moving up and up on a ball moving down? In both cases you have to swing down at some point. It is all about what you mean and how a player interprets your meaning. In all cases except bunting, including the big bounce slap, any cue that encourages a hitter to proactively disconnect the hands from the rest of the body and slash down at the ball will eventually lead to issues.

 

[Mark H]

Hitting down on the ball is irrelevant! It's five words that can mean almost anything.

Can't argue with you. Cues mean what the speaker and the hearer think they mean.

 

[SBFAMILY]

I guess it depends on who is teaching. I will take Natasha's power hit into the ground any day. My dd has worked with Laura Berg and others on slapping. One drill is to put a milk jug on the ground as a target about 5 feet in front of the plate, toward your target. In our case short stop gap. You practice hitting the ball into the ground so the ball comes out with less power. . You can hit it to slow it down or hard like Natasha does to pop it up.. If the kid has speed, you cannot get them out. So hitting the ball down is taught. I won't argue with Lowe, but others she played with teach slapping a little different. I use Larry Ray as my main source when it comes to slapping.

 

[Mark H]

There seem to be as many successful slapping strategies as there are fast kids.

 

[batsics1]

"I guess it depends on who is teaching."

Exactly.

I wasn't advocating for or against "hitting down on the ball". The big bounce slap is a thing of beauty when executed properly, indefensible and demoralizing for the other team. The reason I said hitting down on the ball is irrelevant is because it can be interpreted in many ways, most will be suboptimal. What is important is the how, when and why.

If DD had the opportunity to work with Watley, Berg, or Lowe I would advise her to pay close attention. But, most won't get that opportunity. Trying to understand and apply the information provided from a weekend clinic or 45 minute DVD to the development of a hitter over several years is likely to be suboptimal as well. Hitting down on the ball is of minimal value without a deep understanding of how, when and why.

 

[SBFAMILY]

batsics1. Good post. Each Style or method has advantages and disadvantages. 1. Point left off this discussion. Can the kid also hit for power like Watley. If she can then add this weapon and the defense . I did post my dd hits 50% of the time slapping. So last weekend they played her for the slap and she hit a 220 foot shot to the fence. The coach on the other team stated I give up. The outfield didn't play in for the slap the rest of the game. So she duck hit/ slapped in front of the outfield. Another slap method that is very effective that is not hitting down on the ball.

 

[Mark H]

Exactly. College coaches love versatile slappers. Take what the defense gives you. Whatever the defense does is wrong and speed never goes through a slump.

 

[drc9805]

Can someone explain or post a slow motion video of swinging down. One of my dd's coaches had her doing one handed drills with the bottom hand and was telling her to instantly unlock her elbow and take the backside of her hand to the ball from basically up by her ear. Is this an example of swinging down? I don't know a whole lot and would have never thought twice about it but we had just been to a very good instructor who told her totally different. In the same drill, he told her to take the elbow forward and slightly upward which will allow the hands to come forward through the zone at contact and extension. Her coach has been around for a long time and has coached some very good teams and also gives hitting lessons but her and I both just looked at each other with that "are you kidding me" look.