Most batting instructors would agree that there is a correlation between the velocity of the bat and how far a hit ball will travel. Yet, I have noted that two players swinging the same bat on about the same plane with comparable bat speeds may vary greatly in the power they display. One might hit balls well over 400 ft. while the others would carry only 300 ft. This would seem to be contradictory until you take into account when the maximum bat speed occurred during the two swings.

The bat speed that really counts is that attained at (or by) contact. Swing mechanics of a great hitter allows him to generate higher bat speed much earlier in the swing than average hitters. Players with a lot of "pop" in their bat expend all of the body's rotational and torque energies before and at contact. After contact their limbs and torso are how in a relaxed and coast mode. The follow through portion of the swing is from the momentum of the bat pulling the arms up and through.

Average hitters are still expending energy to gain bat speed for 20 to 40 degrees (poor hitters past 60 degrees) of bat travel after the bat passes the contact point. Some coaches would contend that gaining speed after contact is beneficial because of the "driving through the ball" effect. --- The facts do not support this theory. --- The ball is in contact with a 35 oz. wood bat moving at 70 MPH for about 1/2000 of a sec. During this time the bat moves less than 1 in. (about 3/4 in.) --- Not much space for "driving through" or (I might add) "wrapping around" the ball.