Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Feb 20 19:10:25 2003

>> The first movement of the hands should be a result of shoulder turn. In a good swing the top-hand is still pulling back (THT) as shoulder rotation begins. So the hands (as a unit) stay back at the shoulder and allow rotation to swing them into a circular path. From a good inward-turn position, rotation will propel the hands first movement more parallel with the catcher’s shoulders. --- I first noted this in the early 1990s while studying swings that were shot directly over the batter’s head in the Astro Dome. I have seen batters filmed from high vantage points, but the Astro Dome shots are the only ones I found that looked directly down the batter’s rotational axis.

Jack Mankin <<

>>> Would Ken Griffey Jr. be a good model to emulate this move? <<<

Hi Mb

Launching the hands into a circular path is a must to generate great bat speed. Therefore, all Major League hitters at the top of the performance chart will exhibit a circular hand-path. No batter, not Ken Griffey Jr, or Barry Bonds, can generate a productive CHP if their hands are first directed parallel to the ball. – Below is a section of a recent post I made on this subject.

### Mikeyd, stated, “ And on Epstein's fence drill, if you watch it on video and go try it yourself the KNOB goes parallel to the fence for about 8 inches before you can really start going circular.” – I agree with you, that is what it shows and that’s why I am so against using the fence drill as a teaching aid. --- If the hands start off parallel to the fence (and to the incoming ball), where are the hands heading when they “really start going circular?” That’s right, the hands must start arcing away from the strike zone and over toward 3rd base well before the bat-head comes through. – In “Epstein's fence drill”, note where the batter’s hips and shoulders are facing when the bat-head does come through."

Jack Mankin