Changes

Hot Bats now you're talking??

Worms a roaming.

 

.600 batting average for a slapper?

I know players that only slap in high school and their numbers are off the charts..on N.C. preps.com...a couple have over a .600 batting average and reported over 40 hits in 19 games...but when I see them in travel ball they don't come close to those numbers...So what are the factors that constitute a hit...is someone fudging the numbers?

 

Taking the scenario I laid out above, where a slapper swings, grounds out, but moves "any" runner and it is deemed a sacrifice:

Slapper

20 PA
7 Hits
5 "Sacrifices" (Ground Outs)
AB = 15
H = 7
BA = .467

Right Handed Batter (Swinging or slapping)

20 PA
7 Hits
5 Ground OUTS
AB = 20
H = 7
BA = .350


Taking this even a step further with the "a slappers job is to force an error on the play" thereby making a RE a "hit"...

Slapper

20 PA
7 Hits
5 "sacrifices"
3 RE reflected as HITS
AB = 15
H = 10
BA = .667

Right Handed Batter

20 PA
7 Hits
5 Ground OUTS
3 RE
AB = 20
Hits = 7
BA = .350

Far too often I see where a stats for the lefty slapper are afforded sacrifices when, again, a swing signifies an attempt to hit, not intent to sacrifice. Couple this with the "a slapper receives a hit when they RE because they are 'supposed' to force errors" and the discrepancy becomes even wider.

Failure to adequately know the rules causes the vast majority of these discrepancies, while another minority yes, utilizes these "exceptions" to inflate stats of the lefties.

 

Slappers

The problem is not the slapper or the play on the field, it is score keepers or coaches who do the stats. The slapper, just like the right hander, the slugger, the bunter, etc. is trying to help their team win, is that not what you want? Their strength is speed and if they do not use it, they hurt their team, please understand if your girl is good, communicates with college coaches, attends quality tournaments, her skills will be noticed and nothing the slapper or score keepers does will harm that option! I am always amazed at the depth people go to these days! Help all the kids and appreciate them for what they bring to your team. Softball is a TEAM SPORT and a game, it is never life changing.

 

Scorekeeper

agree with the one who keeps the stats...that's why high school parents of the slapper or the one who doesn't know the rules and in charge of keeping the scorebook...will hurt the moral of the team when other teammates question the stats of a slapper being honored with unjustified awards..Your right... softball is a team sport

 

I am by no means talking about the player here. There is nothing I love more than to watch a good slapper in the batter box. I have helped several girls learn the skill. It has TREMENDOUS value and impact on the team (in a positive manner).

I was stating that if I were to change something it would be simply the way things are erroneously recorded

 

Stop hating on slappers! It's not their fault your daughter is to slow to get them out. It is their fault when your daughter moves up they put it over their head!

 

Yes, someone is fudging the numbers on those "record breakers". The reason they don't slap in travel ball is because they can't. I don't know why they even keep high school stats because they are not worth the paper their parents write them on. Sometimes it actually hurts the player at the next level to pad their stats. Look back on some of the players that have been hyped in High School. Some of them can't handle not being the "star" anymore and don't even make it to see their first college season and most of the ones that do won't come close to putting up the numbers they did in High School. Playing competitive teams and daddy not doing the stats will make those big numbers do a nosedive. Padding those stats are the worst thing you can do to a player, you are setting them up for failure. Newspapers and message boards that make kids that play against weak competition out to be something they are not are not doing the kids any favors either.

 

I just wanted to clarify a couple of earlier points regarding emphasis on speed and assessing "accurately recorded" player stats. There is an emphasis on speed in most sports. IMO, there is an extraordinary emphasis on running speed in softball since the bases are only 60 ft apart. Teams should take maximum advantage of the 60 ft basepaths within the rules and I have no ill will against slappers. That is an integral part of the game of fastpitch. I have not studied the game like others have, so please excuse me if I am off a little on the following assumptions and feel free to correct me. Assuming the batter makes contact with the ball 5 ft in front of the back corner of homeplate and can run from home to first in 2.8 seconds, if my calculations are correct, it would take that same batter approximately 3.05 seconds to reach first if the bases were 65 ft apart. That is a HUGE difference and is a game changer. Regarding Sportsbuff comment on holding the defense accountable, consider something like this: Assuming the ground ball is on the ground for 1 second before it is first touched by the 3rd baseman, the 3rd baseman would have to have a “pop time” of 1.7 seconds to throw the runner out by a half-step. That is the nature of the game we play and why there is such a huge emphasis on speed. As Sportsbuff said, it is called FASTpitch for a reason! That being said, I wonder how many coaches out there actually roll ground balls to their 3rd baseman and SS and check their “pop time” to first base to see whether or not they can defend the short game. I’ll bet many do! By the same token, if you moved the bases IN to 55 ft (or allowed the slapper to hit the ball 8' in front of home plate), it would be nearly impossible to defend a fast runner. I guess those dang expert rule makers probably got it right at 60 ft!

Regarding my suggestion of “weighted stats”, I recently learned that colleges actually do this with “power rankings”. Difficulty of opponent is a factor in calculating stats! I think that is the way it should be and I feel it is a more fair way to assess players.

LBlues 1, I too enjoyed our discussion. If I had a choice, half my team would be slappers and the other half would be power hitters, but all would have SPEED!

 

I had to go back and check to see if i was in the right thread. i thought i had went to What do you think of slappers thread instead of the Changes thread