View Full Version : Slap the midget hitting cue.
baseballplaya92
02-22-2009, 11:33 AM
Anyone ever heard of it? I know a guy whoes the hitting coach in the giants organization and he uses it. Ever heard of it? Opinions?
Anyone ever heard of it? I know a guy whoes the hitting coach in the giants organization and he uses it. Ever heard of it? Opinions?
I heard this 35 years ago on a tv special when Tommy Davis of the Orioles advocated it. Good cue-it works. He was talking about the bottom hand.
baseballplaya92
02-22-2009, 11:40 AM
Correct. It does involve the bottom hand
baseballplaya92
02-22-2009, 12:10 PM
No one else has any opinions?
Jake Patterson
02-22-2009, 12:23 PM
The version I am familiar with involves the top hand coming down slapping the midget in the head at the front of the plate.
PS: To be politically correct the drill is now called slap the monkey.
baseballplaya92
02-22-2009, 12:26 PM
This version is the bottom hand more so back hand slapping the "monkey"
dominik
02-22-2009, 02:47 PM
doesn't that promote hitting down?
mudvnine
02-22-2009, 04:13 PM
The version I am familiar with involves the top hand coming down slapping the midget in the head at the front of the plate.
PS: To be politically correct the drill is now called slap the monkey.
There's no way in heck that I'm gonna tell a bunch of 14-year olds to "slap the monkey", the lessons would be over before I could get them to all stop giggling and laughing . . . :laugh :D :laugh :D
kylebee
02-22-2009, 04:32 PM
The backhand slap to the midget sounds like a PCR-term analogous to "get the lead arm up in the swing plane."
Jake Patterson
02-22-2009, 04:37 PM
there's no way in heck that i'm gonna tell a bunch of 14-year olds to "slap the monkey", the lessons would be over before i could get them to all stop giggling and laughing . . . :laugh :d :laugh :dlol..........
conky149er
02-22-2009, 05:55 PM
hahahaha ive never heard of this one before
baseballplaya92
02-22-2009, 06:08 PM
well.. laugh all you want.. but if the giants use it.. it obviously is good for something..
conky149er
02-22-2009, 06:09 PM
well.. laugh all you want.. but if the giants use it.. it obviously is good for something..
haahaha im laughing at its name, not nessicarilly the concept
kylebee
02-22-2009, 06:12 PM
well.. laugh all you want.. but if the giants use it.. it obviously is good for something..
Appeal to authority can be pretty dangerous. Just because the Cubs had their pitchers use the towel drill over and over didn't stop some of their pitchers from suffering debilitating injuries, despite their belief in it.
hitnpeas
02-22-2009, 06:23 PM
There's no way in heck that I'm gonna tell a bunch of 14-year olds to "slap the monkey", the lessons would be over before I could get them to all stop giggling and laughing . . . :laugh :D :laugh :D
I think it is more of a spanking action anyway....Maybe that terminology would work better! :laugh
we need --------------> :hp
baseballplaya92
02-22-2009, 06:24 PM
haahaha im laughing at its name, not nessicarilly the concept
haha i know what you mean lol
jofus
02-23-2009, 06:03 AM
Wouldn't this imply that your top hand palm is facing the pitcher when you "slap" whatever you're slapping?
Jake Patterson
02-23-2009, 08:15 AM
Wouldn't this imply that your top hand palm is facing the pitcher when you "slap" whatever you're slapping?All versions of slap/spank the monkey/midget has been the top hand slapping/spanking the head of the monkey out in front of hr plate.
FiveFrameSwing
02-23-2009, 11:41 AM
Interesting cue.
It would help if someone would show a GIF highlighting the action they are attempting to emphasize.
tip184
02-23-2009, 10:17 PM
It's discrimination. The correct term for people born with dwarfism is "little person". The word "midget" means "lesser". Nobody is inferior as a person because of their height. How do you think a little person would feel about people making fun of them like that? Why not just say "slap the tee" or "slap the target"?
Jake Patterson
02-23-2009, 10:27 PM
Ok lets not get carried away....
The drill as I have seen it used over the years, has the batter with the top hand facing out parallel to the sternum as if taking an oath. The goal of the drill is to tilt slightly and rotate moving the opened hand to the contact area. The term midget/monkey was used to give the approximation of contact height.
I have used it successfully with some batters, however it is not one of my favorite drills and use other more effective drills to teach the desired motion and rotation. Turtle Thomas has a few drill that are similar.
jacksimpk
02-24-2009, 01:06 PM
It's discrimination. The correct term for people born with dwarfism is "little person". The word "midget" means "lesser". Nobody is inferior as a person because of their height. How do you think a little person would feel about people making fun of them like that? Why not just say "slap the tee" or "slap the target"?
Slap the "little person" then .... in fact you could get a tee baller for demo purposes.:hissyfit:
straightleg
02-25-2009, 05:14 AM
There's no way in heck that I'm gonna tell a bunch of 14-year olds to "slap the monkey", the lessons would be over before I could get them to all stop giggling and laughing . . . :laugh :D :laugh :D
Now thats funny!!
Straightleg