Posted by: () on Tue Jan 6 14:08:53 2004

Hi Doug
> > >
> > > In a post last month you made a reference to all bat-heads first arcing back toward the catcher. That is an important topic and I will bring the post forward and address it in the next few days. Thanks for being patient.
> > >
> > > Jack Mankin
> > >
> >
> > This is an average swing. Hitting is hitting and there are many ways to swing or many ways to produce force in the swing.
> >
> > I get a little tired of hearing about rotation and this is or isn't a rotational swing. It's more how he is using the body to swing, he is trying to rotate.
> >
> > You might not like what coach C is saying but there are some flaws in this swing.
> >
> > "In a post last month you made a reference to all bat-heads first arcing back toward the catcher. That is an important topic and I will bring the post forward and address it in the next few days. Thanks for being patient."
> >
> > I could agree with this statement. In the swing being discussed rotation sucks his elbow ahead of his top hand. You don't see this in a ML swing. You do see this in amateur hitters regardless of their prowess or success.
> >
> >
> > Shawn
>
> Shawn, I have hundreds of clips of major league hitters, and about 7 out of 10 will have their elbow ahead of their hands at "connetion", with the hands then moving ahead of the elbow as they approach contact. The rest will have their hands right above their elbow at connection. I feel that you have made an incorrect statement when you say that you won't see this in a ML hitter. How about Bonds, Giambi,Kent, Ordonez, Piazza and Glaus. I have them all on film making this same move.
>
> Doug


Although this batter may have some of the pre-launch movements similar to a Bagwell or Bonds, there is a defining difference that makes this just another average swing. Bagwell and Bonds keep accelerating the bat-head as they bring their hands up toward the back shoulder and keep it accelerating right through the normal launch position. But instead of keeping the bat-head sweeping into the swing plane, this batter brings the bat to a complete stop behind his head before initiating the swing.

This difference would be similar to him racing Bonds in a 20 yard dash – but allowing Bonds to come flying by before he took off.

Jack Mankin