Small ball or swing away?

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I know a player that has 2.7 speed down to first base. She can slap and bunt pretty well from the left side. She played spring ball and hit .340 from the left side mostly. She also has good power and has hit some out over legitimate fences. She played summer ball and hit .370 from the right side. The question is do you use her from the left side or the right side? Or do you teach her to drag bunt from the right side so that you can use the speed, but not give it away that she may be bunting? What are your thoughts on this one?

 

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My thoughts is to put her on my roster......It may all depend on the pitcher.... if she can own the pitcher on one side and not the other, then use it where she is most effective. Obviously the defense should be a factor. The other factors may be who is batting behind her and how much are they putting the bat on the ball. A high batting average doesn't do much get if she ends up stranded on base.
What do you want, a single or a possible double or more?? Depending on the stage of the game, utilize what works best in the situation.

 

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A problem every coach would like to have! ? I would have her do both, just as the above stated. ?It would depend on many ?different things. ?Bases loaded. ? ?Runner only on Third no outs. Pitcher. ?You play to score runs and get on base. I can give you a good example and I'm sure one of our OFC members can give you the name. Did you watch the USA girls play. They had a power hitter that learned to ?slap from the right side. I think Bustos was one of the few that only batted from the Right. ? That ought to tell everyone what coaches want at the next level.

 

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My problem was my dd just learned to slap this past year. Coach only had her slap and bunt left, she gets to first in 2.81. However, he never had her do anything else so they always moved into position for a slap. Hence, her batting average went down. This lowered her self-esteem and then he didn't have her slap anymore, only bunt, never hit away. She is a decent hitter, in HS average was .310. As a parent, I sat and stewed and complained to my husband, but it wasn't my place to complain to coach, I don't play for him, dd does. She finally said something and he started to let her hit. So do you let her slap and maybe get on or bunt and maybe get on, or hit away? BTW she can hit from the left, the right, bunt left or right as well as slap. Should she continue to only slap or work left because of her speed? I would have her do both if nothing else to mess with the other teams head. She is 15 playing up with 18U.

 

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I would have her do both. Watch college or the USA National team play. Small ball dominates the game.
With that kind of speed to first, no one should get her out on a good bunt. She would be a great weapon to have on any time. Slapping the ball into the gaps or into the ground causing a high bounce , she still should always get on with that speed. I feel for you, as my DD does the same thing. She bats right or left depending on what is best for the TEAM. It doesn't always reflect in your batting average.

 

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Bustos was one of the few that only batted from the Left. :-?

Umm...Bustos bats rightie

 

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Thanks for the advice. I think we'll work on the dragging and slapping from the right side of the plate. With her speed this would be the best for her I think. We can take into account the situations as Fast stated. Thanks M! I feel that once she lines up on the left side they know what is coming. She has worked on swinging away from that side but can't generate a bunch of power. One game she had a grand slam and then next time up they moved back and she bunted on for a single from the right side. That was just a riot!! ;D ;D

Thanks again to all of you for the help!

 

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I think depending on her age you should talk to some college coaches and see what they say. I know a girl with similar traits and the college coaches I talked to said let her hit. This is because she was a contact hitter with homerun power as well. They will play deeper and give her the green light to "read" the defense and let her bunt if the situation is warranted.

Ask some college coaches.....

 

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Wolfpack I will do that. We kind of did this last year. We always told her if she thought that she could lay one down and get on depending on the defense, "Go for it!". Thanks for the help!

 

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Any other schools of thought on this one? :-? :-?