Posted by: mpf (mford@uab.edu) on Thu Aug 3 17:45:44 2006

I have a son who has what many describe as a "beautiful" swing. He was born with it (rotational swing). He gets hands back and leads with his front side and rotates to contact. I have done motion analysis on his swing and from the point of "slotting" bat to contact he looks very much like Griffey. Most noticeably, his right arm is flat against his chest w/ hook in the hand path at contact. He uses THT and BHT, but does it more with his arms. His arms and trunk are creating the path, his hands are just connected to the bat. In contrast to a David Ortiz or Ryan Howard. As far I can see their hands don't move as far posterior (linearly) as someone like griffey or my son.

If he has a hole in his swing it is when the bathead gets below his belt (back behind him) and then rises to meet the ball. By creating THT and BHT more with his arms I think there is the tendency for the bathead to drop down low. Another way to look at it is perhaps he waits a bit longer to begin substantial BHT, so THT brings bat down too far. He is also right hand dominant so that is likely contributing to what I describe as well.

Of course he loves the low ball and can hit it to any field. Now, we have just starting machine pitch baseball and he can hit very well. So, why touch what is not "broken." I have talked and showed him how to create what we call a "tight U" with the bat (similar to the recent pics of Joe Mauer on ESPN.com). He can do this and understands that he has to create the torque more with his hands and less with arm movement. It is a "quicker" swing, a "tighter" swing and looks more like the aforementioned Ortiz or Howard vs. Griffey (note: I don't think my son is any of those players, just the best visual I can give). But it is not natural and you can see him struggle with it and slowly "lengthen" his rotational arc with repetitions.

I could teach him to have a "tighter" rotational circle and the bat path would get to the ball quicker and he could probably hit the high ball better, but does that matter??? I have heard people who can just hit and those who are less able. I think most would categorize my son as a hitter, so why touch it. Just curious to hear any perspectives.

I appreciate peoples time in responding.

mpf