Posted by: Dave (cdpaetkau@telus.net) on Wed Feb 12 18:20:27 2003

Phil C posted a question about how to get is daughter swinging up at the ball. The discussion got off topic. There were several responses but I really didn't get the sense of answers to my question.
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> > > Do you really want an upward swing? I agree that you'd rather drive the ball than hit ground balls. AND you are more likely to hit the ball in the air with an upward swing. BUT that does NOT mean that an upward swing plane is preferred.
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> > > My thoughts (assume a pitch not too high or low): An optimal hit is where the bat contacts the ball just below the center (with ragards to the flight path of the ball). In fast pitch the flight path of the ball can be rising, dropping or level. With baseball, the flight path is always dropping.
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> > > With a level or slight downward swing plane, this optimal contact point results in a slight backspin allowing the ball to carry farther. Also, the contact zone is larger when the swing plane is the same (or nearly the same) as the plane of the ball (favoring a level swing).
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> > > While an uppercut may result in better hits against a medium high to high dropball, a level swing should produce the best overall results.
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> > > Ok experts, bring it.
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> > My first thought is I think it's been proven that all pitches go down, even the rise ball (it just goes down less). I don't remember if that was talked about here or on another site. But I still think the slight upswing is the best to match the plane even in softball.
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> Don't talk about up or down. Talk about matching swing plane to pitch path in the contact zone. Everyone agrees that, with some argument over the rise, all fastpitch pitches go down through the hitting zone. Not as steeply most of the time as baseball, but still down. If in fact the elite pitchers can actually make it go up and still be in the zone for a strike, you aren't likely to hit it anyway. And you certainly can't match swing plane so just look for something down in the zone with less than two strikes, figure it's going to be dropping, and drive it. Most high pitches of any type are sucker pitches anyway. Sit on something low, have good mechanics, and you will carry a pretty good average. Tell her to look belt buckle down with less than two strikes.
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> Mark H.

You are right Mark that some pitches do go up. Teacherman is in correct in the fact that all pitches go down. This is true for baseball only. Because of the underarm motion a fastpitch ball can go either up or down. The rise ball will not rise as much and if the spin rotation of the ball is too slow in comparison to the speed of the ball this ball will go down. The drag of the ball, the spin and the initial speed of the ball are the determining factors that regulate the movement of the ball.

Now that we have the physics of pitch movement we can now talk about bat plane and and swing type. It is true that when hitting a ball that is from the waist down a slight uppercut is the most desirable swing path as the ball moves up in the zone a flatter swing plane in needed to be able to hit the ball consistantly. A rise ball has biomechanical advantages for the hitter if they can hit the ball. The spin gives the hit ball a natural spin and motion that will propel it farther then any ball that is going down so if you can learn to hit this pitch it is to your advantage. A swing plane from just slightly above the waist is already a naturally flatter swing and it is the ability of your mind to focus on the ball not the swing that I would preach.

If you can bet to a batting cage where a pitching machine will throw a consistant riseball try this little exercise. Do not focus on the ball but look at the top of the ball or just slightly over the ball and this exercise allows you to focus on a point where the ball should be when you swing. Just like basketball players who are not to look at the rim but over the rim. Most hitters will start hitting line drives instead of pop ups by just doing this one simple thing.

Hope this exercise helps.

dave