Posted by: SAbrams (WEGLBOY@aol.com) on Thu May 25 08:18:47 2000

Jack-
> > I am trying to better understand the swing sequence for the outside pitch and how it differs from the inside location.I understand that the circular handpath is wider on the outside pitch with relatively less shoulder turn and more torque.Is this because the torque begins at the same time in the preswing regardless of location but initiation of shoulder turn is relatively later or is this because shoulder turn starts without any delay followed by the back elbow coming further away from the side with shoulder turn being less at contact for the outside pitch?Does it matter?Is this question understandable?Thanks.
> > imo, with all due respect, i think you have it backwards...the circular hand path on an outside is narrower, not wider....this is because, in order to create the bat angle needed to hit the os pitch (to the opposite field, of course) you need to draw the hands in , closer to the body (which allows the hands to stay ahead of the bathead)...actually the hand path for the os pitch is not really circular, anyway...very little arc, more of a straight line......one must always keep in mind that mechanics for hitting an os pitch differ greatly from hitting the is pitch...this site has a tendancy toward rotation regardless of the pitch and hitting.com seems to favor weightshift, "inside the ball" "fence drill" mechanics regardless of pitch location.....is pitch = r....os pitch = ws...middle pitch = "hybrid" (as mike schmidt calls it)...one final thought...schmidt's book is a "must" book to read...

Thank you,grc,you hit the nail on the head. Pitch location influences both hitting styles so much that a hitter wiil change styles mid-swing. All these film clips of players and the surronding arguments about style are silly unless you bring in pitch location into the discussion. In the 40's,50's players would use one bat for a pitcher known for a good fastball and use a different bat(longer) for the pitchers that didn't have a great fastball and threw mostly curves,offspeed. Hitters must adjust the movement of their lead shoulder to pitch location.If not, the rotation guy can kiss off the outside of the plate and the weight shift guy can't avoid being jammed inside particularly once they get to the higher levels. It kinda like Griffey; he thinks of weight shift yet everybody says he is rotational.Go figure.