Slapping! Advantages vs Disadvantages

[SBFAMILY]

Steve Huff just curous how you test the speed. What I'm getting at , look at all the times at the NFCA camps and few are under 3.00
DD was timed at 2.84 at the Queen of Diamonds , which at 14 , three years ago, was the second fastest time at that show case. At the NFCA camps everyone's times are slower.

 

[jinjet95]

They may be timing from contact to first, which is slower than a straight start from home.

 

[cthur]

I am a little confused on how to figure the time to first base. Do you just have them run, or do you have them swing the bat and run? According to a post above the time when swinging the bat is longer than just running to first. When would I start and stop the time if she is swinging a bat and then running?

 

[FPMark]

cthur,... That's always a question. That's also why I don't put much faith in times being quoted on forums or even in conversations with fellow SB coaches or dads. I generally use times to compare players being timed by the same person, at the same time, for comparison purposes only. There are too many different timing techniques being used out there. I have seen people start the time when the bat gets to "contact zone" (whatever that is), when they drop the bat, when they take the first step after dropping the bat, without a bat at first movement (even if it was an arm), first foot hits the ground, first foot leaves the ground, and I'm sure there are more.

First foot leaves the ground would seem to make the most sence, but it is also very easy to be late starting the stopwatch. I usually use first foot down as thats the easiest one to be consistant with. But like I said, I only use it to compare girls at tryouts.

 

[softballphreak]

We have them bunt close-up soft front toss and start the time at bunt contact and stop the time at foot contact on the base. As above we are comparing our players

 

[Steve Huff]

First foot leaves the ground would seem to make the most sence, but it is also very easy to be late starting the stopwatch. I usually use first foot down as thats the easiest one to be consistant with. But like I said, I only use it to compare girls at tryouts.

I can buy into this, but there is a lot of variations in quickness and proficiency among the girls. I always used the same technique, contact to contact.

 

[Steve Huff]

Steve Huff just curous how you test the speed. What I'm getting at , look at all the times at the NFCA camps and few are under 3.00
DD was timed at 2.84 at the Queen of Diamonds , which at 14 , three years ago, was the second fastest time at that show case. At the NFCA camps everyone's times are slower.

Contact to contact. From the ball hitting the bat to the foot hitting first base. That year at Nationals I clocked perhaps 10 girls, just guessing under 3.0 I didn't see every team, and never have. That year I was restricted by academic issues with Virgina, so there were a couple of girls on Gordon's and Batbusters that never started a game that were recruited. My totals were probably about 1 girl for every 6 or 7 teams breaking 3.0 The tournament was in Visalia, CA and I think there were 82 teams that year.

Most were 2.85 to 2.95. I personally didn't think it was a particularly fast group. Only one wasn't a slapper, and she was the fastest, the super-athlete from New Hampshire. I didn't see another girl there that could compare to her physically.

I don't see a lot of difference from what your are suggesting. DD would have probably been the 2nd or 3rd fastest in that 18U group. I would be pretty pleased.

If you are going to time the girl hitting away, say left-handed, you would do contact to contact. If she was a slap hitter, you would use the same? Bunting? I just use the same for each skill, left or right.

 

[Ken Krause]

At tryouts in August, someone else from our organization was timing home to first. I was amused by the times he was coming up. We probably saw a half dozen kids with times under 3.0, and as low as 2.7, at 12U. That tells me the timing method was wrong, and you'll be awfully disappointed in games if you believe it. I think he was timing from their first step toward first instead of from contact despite having them swing the bat.

You always have to be careful with these times. It all depends on who is running the stopwatch.

As for my burn the ships comment, Steve, that is if you really want to be a slapper. I don't like them switching back and forth. If they try it and it's not for them, then of course go back to righty full-time.

 

[Steve Huff]

As for my burn the ships comment, Steve, that is if you really want to be a slapper. I don't like them switching back and forth. If they try it and it's not for them, then of course go back to righty full-time.

I can buy this! I am not in disagreement with this as stated. They would develop nothing if switching back and forth.

 

[Steve Huff]

My DD is also a freshman, about your daughter's size - 5'2.5", 113 lbs. 2.9 to first. Her goal is 2.7 by Jr Year. We switched her to leftie 1st year 12U. She just finished 2nd year 14U. She swings away and slaps. She batted .386 last year, .453 OBP. 3 HR, 6 3B and 14 2B. Whatever power she had as a rightie, she now has as a leftie, it just takes time to develop, so you have to be patient. Her 1st year as a leftie, she only batted about .200, but made contact well enough to move runners. She usually bats 1 or 2 on her summer team. She's batting 3rd on the HS Varsity.

My favoritie of all her hits last year was in a game in which her first 2 AB the coach had his fielders all come in a couple of steps. She hit doubles over the CF head both AB. Her 3rd AB, the coach played her neutral IF and moved OF back. She drag bunted down the 3rd base line for a hit.

I really liked this post, and I'm impressed! Those are very good extra base hit totals! She is similar to the girl from Montana I turned into a slapper. 5'3" and ran the 100 in HS. However, though she was explosive, she got ran down in the 200, actually by 130 yard marker. She ran 2.5+ when she was a senior and then slowed to 3.2 when she bulked up on weights. She was the fastest girl I ever timed. Too bad, but she wouldn't listen. 2.7 would be terrific.