Posted by: () on Thu Oct 26 17:04:30 2000

>>>Jack....buried in the september archives is the following question that apparently was overlooked by you....i would appreciate a response....thank you....."jack....i've reviewed thevideo as well as your material several times & i still have a problem starting the top hand toward the catcher.....i think it's a mental thing....it's human nature that someone direct a striking object toward the target....therefore, mentally i have a problem initially taking my top hand AWAY from the target.......................can you think of any possible mental cues i could use to overcome this mental hang up?............ also, one other very important question.....should the taking of the top hand toward the catcher be AFTER decision to swing has been made?....i assume this is the case....hard to imagine taking top hand toward the catcher, then decide, then swing/not swing......respectfully, grc....." <<<

Hi grc

I can fully understand how hard it is to reverse old muscle memories and accelerate the bat-head in a completely different manner. It seems to be much easier for the younger players that for the older ones.

grc, below is another way to think about starting the top hand back toward the catcher. It's part of a e-mail I sent to Tom Querry -- I don't think he will mind -- hope the thought helps.
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Sorry for the delay in my reply. It's been a busy week for me. --- Tom, although I can't think of a better term at the moment, I see your point that using "throwing" the bat was probably a bad choice for the reasons you outlined. But the throwing action with linear mechanics takes place with the back elbow down at the batters side and the palm of the top hand pointing up. Throwing the bat-dead with top-hand-torque would have the palm pointing downward through much of the swing - till the elbow lowers to the side.

When comparing the action of the top hand in linear mechanics as opposed to rotational mechanics, I picture linear mechanics more like that of a "shot-putter" while the top hand action with rotational mechanics more as that of a catcher throwing a baseball. Both would bring the ball (or shot) up next to the ear. Linear swing mechanics and the shot-putter would have the top hand drive straight out or back toward the pitcher. -- With top-hand-torque and the catchers throw, the hand would also start near the ear but would be accelerated back toward the umpire before arcing around and fired toward the second base. I see a similar throwing around of the bat-head with rotational mechanics before the elbow lowers to the side. This is one reason why greater bat speed can be developed with top-hand-torque.

I would agree that instructing batters to have proper palm up/down relationship at contact is important. But I do not think just stressing that point will solve the wrist-roll. The mechanical problems that caused the wrist to prematurely roll occurred during initiation and that is where the problem should be attack.

Whenever I do video analysis of a swing, I always use the batters position (legs, arms, shoulder rotation, etc) at contact as indicators of how the swing was initiated. -- You cannot effect corrections to a problem in the frame they become obvious. The correction must be made in how the swing was initiated.

You have written some great post Tom and I have learned much from them.

Best regards,

Jack Mankin