Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Thu Jan 12 20:50:53 2006

> Hi Jack,
>
> Do you have software that allows you to sync hitters to contact?
>
> It is pretty easy to see when one hitter is starting their swing before another. I don't always save amateurs swings, but I will try to find a swing that shows a long swing and quick (short) swing.
>
> Hi Shawn
>
> I do not have that type of software. The Motion Studies computer software I worked with could give very accurate data but we did not have any high-level rotational transfer hitters in the pool that was available to study. A couple of the college players were fair but far from the major league caliber clips we like to use.
>
> When it comes to video analysis, I found video shot from directly overhead to be the most useful in studying initiation to contact timing (especially at 60 fps). I taped a hundred or so games played in the old Astro Dome and copied all the overhead clips onto a separate tape. From that view, it was much easier to identify pre-launch movements and when shoulder rotation (and THT) begun to initiate the swing.
>
> Jack Mankin

Hi All:

Dissent exists between those that believe batspeed and bat quickness are synonyms for one another, and those that do not. My sympathies lie with the latter group precisely because, as Jack points out, it takes acceleration over time to generate batspeed. (One should also note that Jack's belief in steady acceleration over time is oxymoronic, since speed that is steady does not accelerate.) The quickest path to the ball is a bunt (or a swinging bunt), but this type of quickness will usually not generate enough batspeed to hit the ball past the infield. Contrariwise, a hitter taking a full swing at a fastball runs the risk of reaching peak velocity after the ball crosses the plate. Imagining an arc that starts further back in the swing might counteract this tendency by making the longer swing more effective, but, since this measure makes the swing longer, it is not an indication of swing quickness. Jack, if your point is that a longer swing is more effective than a shorter swing when used correctly, I concur with you. Nevertheless, for the reason described above, this should make it even more obvious to you why swing quickness is not the same as batspeed.

Best Regards,
BHL

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Text:

> > Hi Jack,
> > 
> > Do you have software that allows you to sync hitters to contact?
> > 
> > It is pretty easy to see when one hitter is starting their swing before another. I don't always save amateurs swings, but I will try to find a swing that shows a long swing and quick (short) swing.
> > 
> > Hi Shawn
> > 
> > I do not have that type of software. The Motion Studies computer software I worked with could give very accurate data but we did not have any high-level rotational transfer hitters in the pool that was available to study. A couple of the college players were fair but far from the major league caliber clips we like to use.
> > 
> > When it comes to video analysis, I found video shot from directly overhead to be the most useful in studying initiation to contact timing (especially at 60 fps). I taped a hundred or so games played in the old Astro Dome and copied all the overhead clips onto a separate tape. From that view, it was much easier to identify pre-launch movements and when shoulder rotation (and THT) begun to initiate the swing.
> > 
> > Jack Mankin
> 
> Hi All:
> 
> Dissent exists between those that believe batspeed and bat quickness are synonyms for one another, and those that do not.  My sympathies lie with the latter group precisely because, as Jack points out, it takes acceleration over time to generate batspeed.  (One should also note that Jack's belief in steady acceleration over time is oxymoronic, since speed that is steady does not accelerate.)  The quickest path to the ball is a bunt (or a swinging bunt), but this type of quickness will usually not generate enough batspeed to hit the ball past the infield.  Contrariwise, a hitter taking a full swing at a fastball runs the risk of reaching peak velocity after the ball crosses the plate.  Imagining an arc that starts further back in the swing might counteract this tendency by making the longer swing more effective, but, since this measure makes the swing longer, it is not an indication of swing quickness.  Jack, if your point is that a longer swing is more effective than a shorter swing when used correctly, I concur with you.  Nevertheless, for the reason described above, this should make it even more obvious to you why swing quickness is not the same as batspeed.
> 
> Best Regards,
> BHL

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