Too much slapping

[A&&hole Coach]

Watched a ton of games this spring/summer. WAY too much slapping going on compared tot he college game. Are coaches doing right by the players having so many of them slap? There is that fine line between winning all the time and preparing your players for the next level. I heard multiple ASA officials (not umps) saying things like "damn another slapper" and "doesn't anyone hit anymore". I know that ASA officials aren't the end-all-be-all, but most of those ladies are ex players at the highest levels.

What do you all think? Win now - pay for it later by not being able to hit in college where defense will kill your slap unless you are sub 2 - 2.5 seconds to 1B? Or will the game change so much by the time your DD gets to college that she will be ok? food for thought...

[rbi]

Dont know any "sub 2.5 girls" but your stock at the next level increases dramatically if you are multi-dimensional. Can bunt for a hit, slap, power slap, AND hit for power. I think some less experienced people get caught up in having girls only slap. I know in our area, we have girls that have been only allowed to slap last couple years and now that they are getting older and trying to swing away as well, its been a rough road.

My thing is the more ammo you have when you get in box the tougher to defend you!

[Goldcoloredglasses]

Slapping was designed for those who couldn't hit but could run. Always some exceptions.
I think the infield should be bigger with 65'-70' bases. Yall can fight over pitching distance. I think moving to a 11" ball would make for a more exciting game

[90066DAD]

This thread needs to be moved to Fastpitch Discussions so that it will be noticed by more members. Great topic.

[rbi]

Not so true, I know some very gifted softball players that were "handcuffed", and only allowed to slap. Now I have heard it first hand where so and so big time college coach wants to see Suzy "swing it", and it ends up in a train wreck. Dont handcuff your kids is my point, let them develop a WELL ROUNDED OFFENSIVE GAME.

[CFBFAN]

I think are three kinds of slappers. Ones that bunt while running through the box. Ones that swing away more times than not while running through the box. And the third one is, those kids that have the ability to lay a bunt down and hit for power all while running through the box.
Obviously that being said the third type is hopefully what all slappers want to be, and coaches hope they can find. If a batter does the same thing over and over, a good team is going to that away from them and it wont matter how fast she is.
To quote rbi "a well rounded offensive game" makes a batter much more of a threat

[watchtonsofsoftball]

Yes to much slapping IMO. Rather than talk about players slapping, I really dont like teams that feature more than 2 slappers in the line up. To me it makes for an unbalanced lineup. I think late in the game, especially if they arent the "3rd" type of slapper and they come up in a spot where you need a hit out of the infield and the game is on the line, it can really hinder you. This is more prevalent in TB as college slappers by in most part are alot more polished (and stronger). I've seen TB teams throw up 5 and 6 left handed slapper types and it just makes you one dimensional. If you have a poor fielding team they will eat you up, but a team like I described wont make it far in a National tournament. If you have 2.6 speed your OBP will always be high no matter which type of slapper you are. Its the 2.79-2.9 kids that wont make it as a slapper at the next level.

[ForumFools]

what about rotational slapping?

[Skooter]

Dont know any "sub 2.5 girls" but your stock at the next level increases dramatically if you are multi-dimensional. Can bunt for a hit, slap, power slap, AND hit for power. I think some less experienced people get caught up in having girls only slap. I know in our area, we have girls that have been only allowed to slap last couple years and now that they are getting older and trying to swing away as well, its been a rough road.

My thing is the more ammo you have when you get in box the tougher to defend you!

Unless you're a 'jack of all trades and master of none'...Great point though!

[Skooter]

What do you think of coaches who have righties slap?