Posted by: Teacherman () on Fri Feb 14 10:58:44 2003

I have reviewed the clip as well. Mark's swings in not exactly the model swing you want athletes to try to duplicate. That doesn't mean that Mark was not successful on this swing, in fact it was probably a home run to left field based upon the rotation of his hips/chest, the location of the pitch, and the point of contact (out in front of the plate after he reach the point where hips and shoulder vertically align).
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> > Mark's hip rotation is premature, and as a result loses his balance. However, at the last instant befcre contact, Mark takes the weight which has been stopped by his stable, firmly planted front side, is transferred to his back leg and very quickly he applys an equal amount of force from his back leg. This helps the hips to finish their rotation and stop. as the begin the stop, his shoulders catch up and both belly button and chest are pointing in the same direction at contact. Because the bat is rotating around his body, the path of the ball (if he is on time with his bat, which Mark appears to be.) will travel slight to the inside of the mid point of the torso (chest).
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> > Mark gets away with the early back leg rotation, instead if true hip rotation because is his big and strong, and at the last second use that strength to his advantage, but it can have a negative impact on his consistency, and this technique, places a considerable amount of stress on the back of the athlete performing it. It is not what you want to teach a young athlete.
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> > Remember, just because an athlete is a MLB player or star for that matter, does not mean they have good mechanics or can teach others how to hit or throw.
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> Hi Zig-
> comments on your comments:
> "Mark's hip rotation is premature, and as a result loses his balance."
> Don't see it. His hips rotate his front foot into heel down. Looks an awful lot like other good hitters. Ted Williams does this noticably. Is that a flaw in his swing as well?
> I see no loss of balance. Where? He shifts his weight toward his front foot, lands and loads the front side. You will have to describe this 'loss of balance'
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> "at the last instant before contact, Mark takes the weight which has been stopped by his stable, firmly planted front side, is transferred to his back leg and very quickly he applys an equal amount of force from his back leg."
> are you kidding? he shifts from back to center - ie the firm front side, then in the blink of an eye shifts his weight back to his back leg and applies force from there?
> Impossible. He'd have to vibrate to shift weight like that.
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> "Mark gets away with the early back leg rotation, instead if true hip rotation"
> his rotation starts off his front side. If you look closely you'll see his back hip start turning toward the camera BEFORE his back thigh starts to turn over. The knee follows the hip, not visa versa. In fact his back foot never fully turns over before it starts dragging.
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> Comments?

You're the man, Dan! I had the same feelings and didn't have the time to post at that moment. When I got back you had said it all. I'm looking forward to his answer. And I can't stop chuckling about your "vibration" comment.
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