Slapper defense

[MikeP]

Being a baby 12U team, I've still not seen a successful slapper in real life. Seen plenty in videos and it can be effective. But in 10U and 12U it's just an easy out. Glad to see them trying to learn the skill. These years I'm happy to see a slapper come to the plate against us. I'm sure that will change soon.

You must be seeing some really bad ones or your defense is really solid. DD has only been doing it for 2 full seasons now. She's 11 playing on a second year team that plays pretty solid competition and she has a really good ba and obp. In my opinion she is only an average slapper at this point with slighty above average speed. Those drag bunts seem to just cause teams problems at this age.

 

[MikeP]

You must be seeing some really bad ones or your defense is really solid. DD has only been doing it for 2 full seasons now. She's 11 playing on a second year team that plays pretty solid competition and she has a really good ba and obp. In my opinion she is only an average slapper at this point with slighty above average speed. Those drag bunts seem to just cause teams problems at this age. Granted we don't see a ton of great slappers but they are definitely out there. Played one last fall and she subbed for us once that had phenomenal speed. If she put the ball in play she was getting on base. Fun to watch, sucks to defend.

 

[uncdrew]

You must be seeing some really bad ones or your defense is really solid. DD has only been doing it for 2 full seasons now. She's 11 playing on a second year team that plays pretty solid competition and she has a really good ba and obp. In my opinion she is only an average slapper at this point with slighty above average speed. Those drag bunts seem to just cause teams problems at this age.

Yep, pretty good defense. Slap one to 3B and you're out. Slap one to SS you're out. Bunt, you're most likely out.

The 11 year olds we play can't pound the ball into the dirt and get the huge hop that leads to singles for many slappers. And they just can't seem to place the ball well enough (yet) to avoid the fielders. And some just aren't there yet and can barely get the footwork right.

However, playing a really solid Mojo team from out of state last weekend, one slapper did lace a nice line-drive to left center for a single. I can't tell if it was really nice hitting or just a hit. Know what I mean? Most girls at 11 aren't really placing the ball. They're just swinging and it goes somewhere.

 

[uncdrew]

At that age, most slappers are "quick righties" that got turned around because they couldn't hit. Don't worry, that will change soon enough especially if you are playing true "A" level travel. You'll run into elite slappers that will fillet your defense, regardless of what you do. You'll see speed that, once they reach first base, they will be on 3rd base two pitches later, and there is nothing you can do about it. You'll see that "little slapper" that laces one into the gap when you were playing her to "tap and go". It's truly fun watching elite level slappers do their work, especially when they are in your batting line up.

So true.

I know probably 6 girls who couldn't hit much righty so are becoming slappers. Too early to tell if it'll work or not.

 

[Micohiba]

An experienced slapper wins every time if your fielders are slow and/or your pitching isn't exceptional. That's why good slappers eat uo defenses in 12 and 14U. For 18U we bring LF almost to the dirt for flares, SS comes inside the baseline to cover slow rollers, 2B comes in almost level with the pitcher for the drag bunt. Our pitchers look to throw hard inside until ahead and then work up and down in the zone outside. The K or put out often comes down and outside. The best slappers catch us slow footed with bunts toward the right of our LHP

 

[MikeP]

So true.

I know probably 6 girls who couldn't hit much righty so are becoming slappers. Too early to tell if it'll work or not.

It won't. I don't understand the thinking behind that. If you can't hit how is adding movement going to fix that?

 

[Long Baller]

It won't. I don't understand the thinking behind that. If you can't hit how is adding movement going to fix that?

Some girls pick it up rather quickly, and some never do. My DD actually swung away better left-handed than she did right-handed, after only about one month. It all comes out in the wash around 14U.

 

[uncdrew]

It won't. I don't understand the thinking behind that. If you can't hit how is adding movement going to fix that?

That's what I think too.

And one of the girls was a good right-handed hitter. She's been working on slapping for two years now and I can't help but think she should have just stayed on the right side.

 

[Strike2]

A good slapper is a real pain the butt. Yeah, there are defensive shifts that help and defense generally gets better with age, but runners also get faster. The best slappers can repeatedly foul off good pitches before getting on with a hit, error, or a walk. I've seen slapper ABs go a very long time, and then end with a fast runner on 1B...very aggravating. Pitching high/inside might work, until the slapper decides to let that pitch go by. If the ump won't call a strike on anything high that's over the plate, you're screwed. Most of the pitching I've seen defeat slappers is low and outside...a miss or an out at 1B. At a minimum, bring your defense in a bit and compress the OF towards LF.

The downside is that slappers are often one-dimensional. That's what they do, and if they can't put the ball where they need it, they're out more often at the higher levels and age groups. The most dangerous slapper is one that can also hit away without tipping it off. I know a kid who was ALWAYS told to slap in HS games, but could also hit away very effectively. In that case, it was the coach that was one-dimensional.

 

[MikeP]

That's what I think too.

And one of the girls was a good right-handed hitter. She's been working on slapping for two years now and I can't help but think she should have just stayed on the right side.

I wish mine had stayed on the right. She was a good, contact hitter that always hit 1 or 2. It was her idea and she took to it immediately so here we are.