Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Tue Apr 20 13:53:33 2004

Hi Jose and Teacherman,

Although this might suprise you, I advocate using not only using the longest bat possible, but the heaviest bat as well.

According to Newtownian physics, "a body in motion tends to stay in motion," and goes on to posit that, the heavier the object, the more difficult it is to decelerate. This means that if the bat is accelerated in an angular fashion, it will continue to accelerate in an angular fashion.

This will help the batter mechanically, because, to borrow a thought of Jack Mankin, the hitter will "experience the centrifugal pull of the highly accelerated bat-head," which will turn the batter's body around a stationary axis.

On the other hand, lighter bats are easier to decelerate.

In fact, the batter might not experience the same "pull," and choose to correct by creating an "illusion of power"--pushing the bat through the strike zone.

As a general rule, we want the bat to keep on accelerating throughout the swing, and reach its maximum velocity at impact.

The aforementioned batspeed.com concept can be enhanced by working hard to swing the heaviest bat that one can possibly handle with the greatest acceleration. Pulled balls will travel great distances since the mass of the bat increased.

When working on pull hitting, one should work hard on gearing the batspeed for a fastball. Then they should work on delaying the iniation of the swing should the ball be an off-speed pitch.

This time, I have anecdotal evidence to support my claim. Babe Ruth swung a bat weighing roughly 50 ounces, but, according to "How to Play Winning Baseball," could "pole-ax" practically any pitch out of the ballpark. When he hit home run number 60 off Tom Zachary, his hands "changed flight" instinctually. In fact, A and E footage shows him walking up to meet to the pitch, which according to "How to Play Winning Baseball," was a screwball down and in.

Yes, he struck out more than many hitters, but his statistics are incomparable.

Therefore, when using a heavy bat, one should gear for a fastball.

Instinctual learning will allow one to wait, and turn on the offspeed pitches.

Sincerely,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com

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Re: Heavier Bats and More Time Jack Mankin [ Tue Apr 20 19:53:15 2004 ]

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> Hi Jose and Teacherman,
> 
> Although this might suprise you, I advocate using not only using the longest bat possible, but the heaviest bat as well.  
> 
> According to Newtownian physics, "a body in motion tends to stay in motion," and goes on to posit that, the heavier the object, the more difficult it is to decelerate.  This means that if the bat is accelerated in an angular fashion, it will continue to accelerate in an angular fashion.  
> 
> This will help the batter mechanically, because, to borrow a thought of Jack Mankin, the hitter will "experience the centrifugal pull of the highly accelerated bat-head," which will turn the batter's body around a stationary axis.
> 
> On the other hand, lighter bats are easier to decelerate.
> 
> In fact, the batter might not experience the same "pull," and choose to correct by creating an "illusion of power"--pushing the bat through the strike zone.
> 
> As a general rule, we want the bat to keep on accelerating throughout the swing, and reach its maximum velocity at impact.
> 
> The aforementioned batspeed.com concept can be enhanced by working hard to swing the heaviest bat that one can possibly handle with the greatest acceleration.  Pulled balls will travel great distances since the mass of the bat increased.
> 
> When working on pull hitting, one should work hard on gearing the batspeed for a fastball.  Then they should work on delaying the iniation of the swing should the ball be an off-speed pitch.
> 
> This time, I have anecdotal evidence to support my claim.  Babe Ruth swung a bat weighing roughly 50 ounces, but, according to "How to Play Winning Baseball," could "pole-ax" practically any pitch out of the ballpark.  When he hit home run number 60 off Tom Zachary, his hands "changed flight" instinctually.  In fact, A and E footage shows him walking up to meet to the pitch, which according to "How to Play Winning Baseball," was a screwball down and in. 
>   
> Yes, he struck out more than many hitters, but his statistics are incomparable.
> 
> Therefore, when using a heavy bat, one should gear for a fastball.
> 
> Instinctual learning will allow one to wait, and turn on the offspeed pitches.
> 
> Sincerely,
> BHL
> Knight1285@aol.com

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