Defending the Slap?

[Fuddrules]

Do most move their 3rd base off the line and extra step and SS a step closer to the 5/6 hole?

Who do you have cover 1st with no one on?
Who do you have cover 1st/2nd with runner on 1st?

[Sftbll4ever]

Do what you want, a slapper is trained to do many different things depending on the location of the fielders and where the offensive players are located.

I know my daughters love when the fielders move in, that is when they crush the ball.

[carolinafan]

My DDs team defends the slap as follows:

No runners on: 3B and 1B stay back about even with the base. SS and 2B move up in front of the baseline and continue to creep up according to what the batter is showing (bunt, slap) and stays back if "hit away" is displayed. Also, the coaches and catcher will relay where the batter is positioned in the box. Coach tells the SS and 2B to get everything they can get-bunt or slap.

If runner is on 1B, the same as above occurs, but the CF comes in to cover 2B on every steal opportunity. All OF are positioned closer in for a slapper......but of course, if the batter is going to "hit away", they are screwed.

Not sure if this is textbook or just what my DD's coaches use. I would love to hear what other teams employ.

Thanks!

[DonnieS]

Do what you want, a slapper is trained to do many different things depending on the location of the fielders and where the offensive players are located.

I know my daughters love when the fielders move in, that is when they crush the ball.

My daughters love that too, otherwise known as In The Park HomeRuns. What a nasty tool.

[Rounding 3rd]

One huge consideration often over looked is PITCHING to your Defense. I watched a game recently that the coach had 3B and SS play up---right side was wayback and then called change ups and inside pitches. That pitched right into the read of the slapper. She laid a bunt down 1B and was on the bag before anyone touched the ball.
If we are playing left side up and want the ball hit that way we will stay with low stuff down and away and anything inside would be off the plate as a waste pitch. With no one on base we like the slappers to pull the ball and will set our D that way. We then pitch inside and try to jam the slappers. AND yes the pitchers have to hit their spots and YES the best slappers don’t get fooled as often and can flare the inside pitches---but for the most part we have had very good success at this.
One last thing is Slap D must be practiced A LOT and at game speed---get your infielders use to the pressure of getting rid of the ball. We even pull out the stop watch on normal infield and yell out the times from ball hit to ball in 1B glove and tell the infielders to get all throws under 3.0,,,when we get that we shoot for 2.9, then 2.8

[Imperial SB Dad]

Throw lots of Change ups.

[morgan]

Certainly wouldn't be effective for older divisions, but we have tried this with some success at 12U:

3b in at bunt depth and off the line
2b way in, on either 1b or 3b side of circle, depending on hitter tendencies
ss regular depth and toward line
1b up a few steps
lf shallow, cf edge of grass (covering 2 if necessary), rf almost a deep 2b

Agree that the pitching is critical, FBs up & in, best scenario is to induce a pop-up, 2nd choice is grounder to the '1st line' of 2b-p-3b. As I said, a slapper with power could murder us here, but that's a rare combo at 12U. Change ups are good too, many girls are out of box when they contact, whether PU sees it is the question. I always do, unless it's our team.

[Imperial SB Dad]

I have seen a slapper run out of the box and hit the ball because of a change up on several occasions and get called out. A good change up is a slappers worst nightmare, but I agree you have to work in some fastballs up and in and also a rise ball to induce pop ups.

[Gone in 2.6]

Throw lots of Change ups.

An elite slapper will bat .800 against change ups. The easiest pitch in the world
to place.

As far as defense, the best answer to a top flight short gamer is dominant pitching.
Gimmick defenses will not work.

[morgan]

2.6 what you say is true; however, your statement could be generalized to say:
The best defense against anything is dominant pitching. If you have one, why work on "D" at all? Unfortunately, I see that too often at the lower levels.

BUT, I just called Dominant Pitchers R Us, and they are out of stock (again) , so I guess we'll just have to keep defending the slap.... and shifting your fielders to where you believe they will most likely hit is not a gimmick defense. Good hitters adjust, the defense adjusts, the beat goes on...