Even having 2 out of the 3, hitting and slapping for example, can cause headaches for the opposing defense, due to the fact they can't play in one spot. Playing a power hitter is easy, back everyone up and expect a deep fly ball. With a power hitter who also slaps, you can't assume a hard hit all the time, you also have to defend a high bouncer, by keeping the infield in. A shallow infield and a regular depth outfield creates a larger space between them, allowing bloopers to fall more often. A shallow infield also makes it easier to hit grounders past the infielders who have less time to react. Probably the most important and valuable aspect of slapping is that it moves the defence and makes them think. Showing slap in early at bats opens up for hits later in the game. Even an unsuccessful slap, makes the defense aware of it and they will position themselves accordingly for next time. It sure makes life easy when a defense is expecting you to slap when your plan is really to hit instead.
As mentioned before, anyone can slap! Just as anyone can hit, bunt, catch and throw. Much of slapping successfully comes from being able to read the defense and choosing to slap at appropriate times. These times would include, when the middle infield is playing deep, and the corners are playing in. Leading off an inning with a slap could also be effective when the defense isn't expecting it. If there's a fast runner on first base, a slap will hold the shortstop in their position for longer, allowing for an easier steal. As well as if there's a runner on third with less than 2 out, a high chopper with the runner going on contact can yield an easy run.
An ideal slap is one which first bounces close to the plate, because bouncing closer to the plate makes for a sharper downward angle, and therefore a higher bounce in the air. The higher the ball bounces in the air, the more time you have to run to first base. A good slap will take 2 seconds from the time it first hits the ground to travel its maximum height and fall back down again. Then, we have to add in the time it takes the shortstop to field the ball, transfer and throw (approx 1.4sec). This gives a total of 3.4 seconds which is generally a slow time from home to first, especially with a moving start. Therefore as a general rule, if you can make the ball bounce twice before the shortstop can field it, you have a pretty good chance of getting a base hit.
Many of the same concepts applied to hitting are the same for slapping, except the goal is different. Slappers want to hit the ball into the ground, and hitters want to hit line drives. Therefore, it is a good idea to teach slappers to have a split grip with their bottom hand a little bit choked up from the end of the bat and the top hand just above the grip. This gives them a different feel than that of a regular swing, keeping them from trying to hit the ball too hard. Remember, a slapper is trying to SLAP the ball down and make it bounce as high as possible so they have time to run to first base.
A major difference between slapping and hitting is that slappers move through the box. It is important to move through the box SLOWLY, and DO NOT RUN. Remember, a well slapped ball will give you plenty of time to run to first base. You do not want to run through the box for two reasons, it increases the relative velocity of the ball, and it takes too much momentum towards the pitcher.
Relative velocity is like vector addition, the faster you move at an object moving at you, the faster it seems to be going. In fact, if you were running 3 mph at a pitch going 65 mph, its relative velocity is 71 mph, adding double the velocity you're running at. Like if you were riding a train, looking out the window you see another train flying by, it seems to be going pretty fast. However, if you were standing at the train station and saw the same train go by, it wouldn't be seem to be traveling as fast.
Momentum is also a vector quantity, mass times velocity. The more velocity you have moving through the box and at the pitcher, the more energy and steps it will take to overcome your inertia to run to first base. These are the slappers that make an "S" curve to run to first. An average home to first time is 3.0 sec, and an average female runner will take 14 steps to run to first base, making each step 0.21sec. Therefore, the two extra steps to run in an "S" instead of a straight line will increase your home to first time by 0.41 seconds, which could be the difference between a base-hit and an out.
A good slap in real time should look something like this. Analysis of it is to follow.
Footwork should start at the same time as the pitcher starts her motion. The front foot steps back to make a 90 degree angle with the back foot, lining up the front heel with the back heel as shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. This 90 degree angle starts to open the hips and shoulders just like hitting.
Figure 1: Side view. First step back by front foot, toe pointing forward with heels lined up making a 90 degree angle. Click to enlarge image
Figure 2: View from behind of first step back as pitcher starts motion. Click to enlarge image.At the same time as the front foot steps back, the top hand slides up the bat just above the grip as shown in Figures 1 and 2 above. Notice her hands also move over the plate and off of her shoulder. This puts her hands in the right position to hit the ball to the shortstop. If her hands stayed by her shoulder, if would cause her to pull the ball.
Next the back foot comes forward with heel to toe step (important) to the front corner of the batter's box closest to the plate as the pitcher releases the ball. This step is quite big because the slapper wants to stay low to be able to slap the low outside pitch, where slappers are often thrown. Just as the front foot lands, the ball should be just about to the plate. And since the slapper's hands are already over the plate, they have a short distance to move to slap the ball into the ground. From here, you just need to make contact with the ball and start running! This is why the heel to toe step is important, it allows a smooth transition from making contact to running to first base in a straight line.
Note: It is unnecessary to hit the ball hard when slapping. The whole idea is to bounce the ball close to the plate so it bounces high enough in the air to be able to run to first base.
As discussed in an earlier post, the reasons for opening up to the pitcher to hit the ball are the same for slapping. Completely opening up your hips and shoulders to the pitcher will yield better results in hitting the ball to the shortstop by giving you the biggest window possible to hit the ball, much like extension.
Being able to slap the ball to the shortstop while being completely open to the pitcher and hitting the ball out in front of the plate is achieved by proper hand, and bat position. Your top hand's palm should be facing up with your wrist cocked back, so the bat is always angled toward the shortstop. Just like hitting, having your hips and shoulders open to the pitcher allows your top hand to keep from turning over and hitting it at the pitcher. A good drill is to go through the motion of a slap without a bat but instead a ball in your top hand. Practice "slicing" the ball into the ground at the shortstop, like skipping a rock. Make sure your top hand is always facing upwards as shown in Figure 3 below, so your hand always stays under the ball. As you release it, the ball should spin with a vertical axis in the clockwise direction. The drill is shown here.
Figure 3: Proper hand position for slapping. Palm is facing up and underneath the ball "slicing it". Keeping your wrist cocked back keeps the bat angled towards the shortstop.
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