What Constitutes a Hitting Slump?

[uncdrew]

What's a slump (to you)?

My DD went through her first one this year, on her travel team. Hit well in Feb and March, but then May was a disaster. Came back strong in June and even stronger in July (as the travel year concluded).

That May was ~30 at bats, and she just was off. Had some hits, but just not hitting the ball hard or well, things looked wrong, confidence was down. We pretty much all called it a slump.

 

[_MIA_]

I had one which lasted about 3 years..I started swinging better my Soph year in college and then promptly quit..I couldn't handle the success

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

Time or plate appearances...more than 2 bad weeks in a row...so, 3 bad weeks? More than 20 PAs? Feels about right.

 

[radness]

What's a slump (to you)?

My DD went through her first one this year, on her travel team. Hit well in Feb and March, but then May was a disaster. Came back strong in June and even stronger in July (as the travel year concluded).

That May was ~30 at bats, and she just was off. Had some hits, but just not hitting the ball hard or well, things looked wrong, confidence was down. We pretty much all called it a slump.

Was there any difference in the competition level during May?

 

[GIMNEPIWO]

" Slump ? I ain't in no slump ... I just ain't hitting. " Yogi Berra

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Assuming the same level of competition if you aren't hitting in consecutive tournaments you are in a slump.

 

[uncdrew]

Was there any difference in the competition level during May?

Fine question. Not that I know of, no.

But with 12 year old kids, who knows? Perhaps she was sick one weekend, tired the next, or having personal issues at school. She came out of the slump gradually, not like a 3 HR game or anything. I don't recall any hitting lesson or new concept that helped. Like most, we just keep grinding, swinging hard, and know/hope/pray the slump will end.

 

[radness]

Fine question. Not that I know of, no.

But with 12 year old kids, who knows? Perhaps she was sick one weekend, tired the next, or having personal issues at school. She came out of the slump gradually, not like a 3 HR game or anything.

I don't recall any hitting lesson or new concept that helped. Like most, we just keep grinding, swinging hard, and know/hope/pray the slump will end.

This is such an important thing that you comment because sometimes people start to see a difference in performance
One weekend or two or three weekends and immediately try to change, altar or tweak they're hitting mechanics. Unnecessarily so.
Sometimes just grinding through it is the best thing.
Keep trying what you know works!

 

[Rolling Hard]

Pressure and anxiety start and perpetuate slumps. When a hitter has anxiety, they peek. The faster the pitcher the more they over swing and peek. They are generally not seeing the ball well. Work on seeing the ball better. Go to a cage and turn the machine up to 75 mph. Get in the box and just try to tract the ball. Over and over. Turn it down to 65 mph and bunt. Practice seeing the ball better. Over and over. When you turn it down to 58 mph the ball looks like a beachball.

 

[TheGuru42]

What's a slump (to you)?

My DD went through her first one this year, on her travel team. Hit well in Feb and March, but then May was a disaster. Came back strong in June and even stronger in July (as the travel year concluded).

That May was ~30 at bats, and she just was off. Had some hits, but just not hitting the ball hard or well, things looked wrong, confidence was down. We pretty much all called it a slump.

Not hitting during an at bat that I am filming.