Slap Hitters

[RADcatcher]

To be proficient at both sides of the box would double the amount of training time needed.

Would never split time to only put 50% to either.

 

[Vertigo]

It’s all good. I totally understand the doubt. I have to admit, I haven’t seen another player in college do it, either - but I’m sure they’re out there. Most slappers are told to give up hitting from the right side once they make the switch.

She was a decent hitter from the right side but asked to try slapping because of her speed. She wasn’t told by anyone that she should consider it. I found her a great slapping coach and she picked up on it quickly. She never gave up on working from the right side either. It actually made her very attractive to college coaches during the recruiting process.

 

[Vertigo]

To be proficient at both sides of the box would double the amount of training time needed.

Would never split time to only put 50% to either.

What about pitchers who hit? They have to split time or put in a lot of work on their own. Some players have the desire and drive to do it.

 

[benjey]

what I’m learning from posters on here, a switch hitter is a rarity in SB and they don’t think a lefty slapper can hit well from the right side.

I think you are also learning that many "baseball guys" get big mad about slapping because it doesn't exist in baseball so should not be a part of softball.

 

[Vertigo]

I think you are also learning that many "baseball guys" get big mad about slapping because it doesn't exist in baseball so should not be a part of softball.

Ha! I’m a big “baseball gal” and I wish my ds would slap because he’s so dang fast and they’d never see it coming. He always teases dd because she slaps.

 

[Nuwin]

You would think old school National League guys and gals would love the small ball slapping approach.

It's those AL people with their silly DH that are were doing it wrong.

Having never faced a fastpitch pitcher, I asked a few people I knew that played. They said it never mattered if the pitcher was a righty or lefty. It didn't seem like the tactical advantage of being able to "hide" the ball longer was a thing.

Also, do girls get bored and just try hitting the other way? My DD did, but it was at the end of a cage session at my suggestion. It wasn't pretty, but she made consistent contact. There are just things I don't see girls doing that me and my buddies did as kids.

Some athletes are just more naturally ambidextrous and can adapt to different patters easily. So it isn't really double the work. If it is...yeah might be time to punt on the idea.

 

[RADcatcher]

I think you are also learning that many "baseball guys" get big mad about slapping because it doesn't exist in baseball so should not be a part of softball.

Ohhhh BAZZZINGA... and there's that!

 

[RADcatcher]

What about pitchers who hit? They have to split time or put in a lot of work on their own. Some players have the desire and drive to do it.

( to be clear I was talking about a batter who started splitting their time if they were to be a switch hitter. Say taking 2 hours a week they used to apply to being a right-handed hitter and splitting that in half and only training each side for one hour. That would be splitting the same time)

To be proficient at both sides of the box will double the amount of training time needed.
Would never split time to only put 50% to either.

*I would not split the time.

my example,
Being a catcher with the Technical Training needed to be a catcher, Specifically Defensive Mechanics and throwing from behind the plate
definitely dedicated time for catching. Also dedicated time for hitting.
Two technical sets of mechanics.

*Going to practices alone to get the training I needed/wanted would never have been enough to reach my goals.

 

[Vertigo]

( to be clear I was talking about a batter who started splitting their time if they were to be a switch hitter. Say taking 2 hours they used to apply to being a right-handed hitter and splitting that in half and only training each side for one hour. That would be splitting the same time)

Sure there are those that don't put in as much time as others. Do you think 50% time will produce equal results as to if they put in 100% time?
Example~ Do one hitting workout a week & do one pitching workout a week.
Vs Doing two of both each week.
Would training twice as much produce a different result?



*I would not split the time.

my example,
Being a catcher with the Technical Training needed to be a catcher, Specifically Defensive Mechanics and throwing from behind the plate
definitely dedicated time for catching. Also dedicated time for hitting.
Two technical sets of mechanics.

*Going to practices alone to get the training I needed/wanted would never have been enough to reach my goals.

(Sigh)……I know you were talking about batters splitting their time. The point of my post was that many pitchers (especially in college) go PO to only work on that aspect of their game. Some start being a PO at a young age. However, there are the pitchers who are also still successful hitters, even at the collegiate level. They find and make the time for it to work. Why limit their game if they are successful at both? Same goes for switch hitters. You, yourself, even said you’ve seen switch-hitters in SB.

Just because one person can’t do it doesn’t mean another shouldn’t do it.

 

[RADcatcher]

(Sigh)……I know you were talking about batters splitting their time. The point of my post was that many pitchers (especially in college) go PO to only work on that aspect of their game. Some start being a PO at a young age. However, there are the pitchers who are also still successful hitters, even at the collegiate level. They find and make the time for it to work. Why limit their game if they are successful at both? Same goes for switch hitters. You, yourself, even said you’ve seen switch-hitters in SB.

Just because one person can’t do it doesn’t mean another shouldn’t do it.

Yepsome pitchers don't put in more time to be hitters because they work on pitching which maybe enough for them. Generally, Some people don't put in as much time as others. However there are pitchers who put in the time for both and can hit and are good at it!

Simply goes back to how much time is a switch hitter willing to put in!