Hitting and Hitters Discussion slapping and left handed hitting

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Watching the USA play , I think you will find out they all slap. They made a big deal this summer of one girl being a very good power hitter from the right side and she learned to slap last year. ?I don't recall her name, but she was effective batting from both sides. I think only Crystl was left as the only true power hitting ?batting as a right handed hitter. ?I could be wrong. ?Hitter - Howard Carrier, if he reads this know more ?about this subject than any of us. ?I ?would be curious if he is training team China to be a ?slapping- ?fast team like the USA.

 

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Exactly---basically she's always given the swing-away sign ?(mostly 4th-5th in the line up). ?

Well, guess we won't worry too much about the short ball ~ unless the coaches want to throw in the random bunt and ?really ?mess with the opposing team. ? Go Turtle!!! ? ;D

 

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One advantage slappers have, pitching coaches tell pitchers not to throw the rise ball to a slapper. So if you are facing a pitcher that uses this pitch as one of her main pitches , you gain some advantage knowing what type of pitch you may see.

 

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I'm still trying to learn... what is a power slap, and what do can right-handed hitters do?

 

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Why would a pitcher avoid throwing a rise ball to a slapper? Wouldn't it be as difficult to hit as another pitch if thrown properly?

 

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High and inside is the place you want to pitch a slapper. The likely result is a pop up if there is any contact. The last place you want is low and away..

Does anyone else think this way?

 

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A left handed pitcher that I have watched alot has had very good success against slappers with both her curve and drop curve, pitches that are away and down and away. She has also been successful throwing high and tight to slappers.

 

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Peco Bill talk to any pitching coach. Bill Hillhouse. A slapper is out in front of the plate. They catch the ball b-4 it has a chance to break. ? The above post is corect. ? For those that might be interested here
is the site that tells you what to pitch to throw. www.windpitch.com/pitchercatcherchart.html Must read for anyone calling what pitch to throw.

 

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SBFamily
Which post above is correct?
I can't get your link that you posted to work. I would like to read it.
Just a point of clarification on your point about hitting the ball before it breaks. A movement pitch such as a drop is breaking all the way from the release from the pitcher. By moving up in the box, much like a slapper does, the hitter is hitting the pitch further up on the pitches arc of motion. If viewed from the side, one can see that the difference in where the ball is hit is a few inches. The balls downward motion is greater farther back in the box.

I believe the reason the left handed pitcher I mentioned has success with movement pitches down and away is that some slappers tend to move toward first base and away from the pitch as they start their slapping footwork. Better slappers may tend to move directly toward the pitcher keeping themselves in better position to hit the drop curve.

 

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SBFamily
I found the site you mentioned. Thanks. Good summary to give to pitchers and catchers and coaches for discussions on how to pitch to batters and how to use their pitches.

 

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I have worked with Natasha Whatley doing clinics and her method is not to move until the ball is released and to have her foot on/ against/ even over the front left edge of the batters box. She can do this blind folded and hit the exact same spot. She drives the ball down and tries to make it land within two feet in front of her. I have always tried to stay in a semi circle of no more than eight feet and she has convinced me to tighten it up more.

Larry Ray has a great way of putting it...the umpires job is too call balls and strikes and watching where the front foot is landing is another burden on umpires and he wants them to be making choices all the time. He also pointed out most high school or select games don't even bother to lay out a batters box or it is usually not a regulation size box.

Also if you have seen any ISF/ NPF games a lot of teams are pulling the right fielder over and stacking the defense to center/ left and throwing away from the great slappers to induce the direction towards the defensive positions and alignment.

Any slapper will tell you some pitchers like to give you the chin music and that is part of the game and you will get hit!

Larry Ray pointed out to watch the corners to see if they crash the corners when you show bunt and where did the second baseman move? If they moved towards first, attempt to put the inside pitch behind her into right center field. They will even have a right handed batter show bunt to gain more information to use later in the game as to coverage by the defense.

 

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Howard is correct on how good slappers ?are taught.. ?My dd was taught at ? ? Wright State to step on the top corner, as Howard ?stated above. ?We do not start moving till the pitching is about to release the ball. Then its too late to change the pitch.. Same with the cross over step bunting. ? ? We are now hitting for power , so if they defend the slap she can hit away. She was called once for outside the batter box, but the umpire had the rule wrong. .. You can step on the line, the entire foot must be outside the box. ?It is rare to have an umpire call it, since they are ?watching the ball. My dd loves to watch Natasha play. Both play short and she is trying to learn how to hit for power so its harder to defend her.

 

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My daughter says the hardest pitch to hit as a slapper is the Change Up. Reason is she runs at the ball and times the pitcher up. When they throw a change up at her, just like it is supposed to do, it throws off her rhythm. Not sure if a low ball is better than a high one. You can definitely hit it, but usually it is going to be a drag bunt instead of a good slap. Of course, most pitchers don't want to throw you good pitches now do they?

 

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SLAP HITTING

An offensive weapon

M.A. SCHIRO, Ph.D. FORMER HEAD SOFTBALL COACH BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE

BLOOMFIELD, NJ

BASIC PHILOSOPHY

Slap hitting is an offensive strategy designed to place stress on the defense and provide more opportunities for our offense to score runs.

The slap hitter must be concerned with getting on base anyway she can. Thus, on base percentage is much more important to her than batting average is.

WHAT IS SLAP HITTING?

A batting technique that is used to hit a medium to weak ground ball to the farthest point in the infield (the 3B/SS hole) from first base. Using this technique, the batter first begins by running in the batter?s box and then contacts the ball. RUN FIRST, HIT SECOND!!!!

WHY DO TEAMS USE SLAP HITTING?

The more things a defense has to consider or do to gain an out, the more difficult it is to get that out. By making use of team speed through slap hitting, pressure is placed on the defense, especially the SS and 1B. Hurrying a throw after fielding a slowly hit ball, trying to catch a throw on the run and find the base, and not knowing if the batter will slap, bunt, or swing away, usually will produce more base runners and thus more opportunities to score.


WHAT PLAYERS BECOME SLAP HITTERS?

Left-handed hitters or right-handed hitters who learn to hit from the left side and who can reach first base in 3.00 seconds or less.


HOW IS IT DONE? WHAT ARE THE MECHANICS OF THE SLAP?


RUN FIRST - Toward pitcher as the pitch is delivered. Not peeling off

toward first base.

Front foot pivots (may use jab step when advanced)

Rear foot crosses over (aggressively) the front foot

Land on the front line of the batter?s box

Hips open toward pitcher/front shoulder remains closed

HIT SECOND - INSIDE OUT SWING

Hands held high and close to body.

Hands come forward with the crossover step

Throw knob of bat inside path of the ball

Head of bat remains back (toward the catcher)

Contact is made deep in the strike zone ? as the ball reaches

the middle of the body

Slow easy swing, slightly downward

Follow through ? release top hand to help with running start


VARIATIONS

Slap

Drag bunt ? use same hand positions as the slap

Plant feet and hit away

Hard slap ? through the SS/3B hole in to left field or over the

heads of the infielders


SELECTING THE OPTIONS

Infield and outfield back = Drag bunt or slap

Infield in/ outfield back = Hard slap or punch over infield

Infield and outfield in = Plant and swing away

STEPS IN LEARNING TO SLAP HIT

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT

COMPONENTS COACHING POINTS

1. SPEED -3.00 TO 1B (SLOWER FOR YOUNG PLAYERS)

2. FOOT WORK -FRONT FOOT PIVOT OR JAB STEP

-CROSSOVER STEP (AGGRESSIVE)

-LAND ON FRONT LINE OF BATTERS BOX

3. INSIDE/OUT SWING -HAND HELD HIGH AND CLOSE TO BODY

-HAND COME FORWARD WITH CROSSOVER

STEP/ BARREL OF BAT BACK

-THROW KNOB INSIDE PATH OF BALL

-SLOW, SMOOTH SWING AT BALL

-HIPS OPEN/ FRONT SHOULDER CLOSED

-SWING SLIGHTLY DOWNWARD

-CONTACT DEEP IN STRIKE ZONE

DRILLS AND ACTIVITIES

1. WALL DRILL -PLACE KNOB OF BAT ON HIP WITH BARREL

AGAINST A WALL

-CROSSOVER STEP PARALLEL TO WALL

-INSIDE OUT SWING


2. BATTING T -HANDS COME FORWARD WITH STEP

-CONTACT IS MADE EVEN WITH BODY


3. PITCHING MACHINE -USE PLAYERS GLOVES

FIRST ? CATCH BALL WHILE STILL

SECOND ? CATCH AS LEFT FOOT

HITS THE GROUND. CATCH

EVEN WITH LEFT SHOULDER

THIRD ? CATCH ON THE RUN AND

CONTINUE TO RUN FOR A FEW

STEPS. DO NOT CATCH BAD

PITCHES

4. THE SLAP ITSELF -PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE


NOTE:

DEDICATED SLAPPERS PRACTICE!!!! JUST AS PITCHERS AND CATCHERS MUST PRACTICE EXTRA TO BE AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME, SO MUST THE SLAPPER. NO WILL THINK YOU ARE NUTS IF YOU PRACTICE ALONE OR ASK SOMEONE TO WORK WITH YOU. IF YOU STAY WITH SLAPPING AND MAKE THE EXTRA EFFORT, YOU WILL SUCCEED. WITHOUT PRACTICE, YOU WON?T!!!

IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER


PHYSICAL POINTS


Stand in the same spot all the time, do not tip off when you will slap, bunt, or hit

See the ball from the release by the pitcher

Run straight toward the pitcher; do not peel off before contact

Knob of bat comes forward with the crossover step

Inside out swing

Break for first base on contact, not before

Run with a slight lean forward, pump your arms. Touch the front of the base and continue down the line lowering your center of gravity to slow down after
you pass the base.

8. Learn the strike zone. If the ball is out of the zone, DON?T SWING!!!!


MENTAL POINTS


Develop a routine. Doing the same thing each time will tell your body you
are going to hit. A cue word may help you to relax

Develop a strategy. Decide what you will try to do.

Visualize the desired result. See it work perfectly in your mind

PRACTICE TIPS

Practice your slap in front of a mirror. See what you look like as you slap.
Make corrections yourself.

Do the wall drill. 20 swings with your eyes open. 20 with your eyes closed.
Swing as hard as you would in a game.

Get a partner and practice short toss with wiffle balls from about 15 feet.


Good way to start learning is watching video of the best slappers in the world. The U of AZ. Takes me about 3 months to teach a girl to slap from practice to the field.


Elliott.

 

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Thanks for the great tips Elliot! I haven't been on lately to check posts and found a gem.

Mark

 

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Mark,

Glad to be of assistance. Good luck.

Elliott