Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: Coach C () on Thu Apr 24 01:10:20 2003

Hi...I am missing something in my swing. I am a big guy (6'...325lbs...right-handed)with decent arm strength playing in a casual slow pitch league. I pull the ball severely (between 3rd Baseman and the foul line) and 95% of the time on the ground. I step into the ball properly and, even if I attempt to put the ball to the right side, I barely get it to the shortstop location.
> >
> > I'd like to get your thoughts on getting some lift in my swing without undercutting the ball as well as thoughts on opposite field ideas. As you can imagine, grounding the ball sharply to the third baseman is simply a joke for someone with my incredible (lack of) quickness.
> >
> > Thanks...
>
> >Mr Bob, With your size, rotational mechanics might be difficult, and you may have more success with a stride to a solid front side and the release of your top hand from the bat slightly after impact. Try to release the bat towards CF and finish high.
>
> Doug

My hunch and what I normally see with these symptoms is that you are extending your hands and arms to soon in the swing. For rotational swings do not pull or push the bat. Try keeping the bottom arm bicep to the chest at set-up and leaving it there through contact, that should help to avoid the pulling or pushing of the bat with the hands and arms, forcing the body to rotate better. You'll have to adjust your timing with this swing, because the ball will need to get deeper than what you are currnetly used to. By you pulling/pushing the bat with your hands and arms you are extending to soon in the swing, causing the hands to roll to soon, bringing the barrel around the ball towards the pull side. My guess is that you are pulling the bat more, because of your struggles to go to the opposite field, if you must do that, then another option would be to push both hands inside the ball (not rotational), and then release the top hand, so the bottom arm can get extended past the ball.

Try rotational first to see if you can pick up on it.

Good Luck!!!

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> Hi...I am missing something in my swing.  I am a  big guy (6'...325lbs...right-handed)with decent arm strength playing in a casual slow pitch league.  I pull the ball severely (between 3rd Baseman and the foul line) and 95% of the time on the ground.  I step into the ball properly and, even if I attempt to put the ball to the right side, I barely get it to the shortstop location.
> > > 
> > > I'd like to get your thoughts on getting some lift in my swing without undercutting the ball as well as thoughts on opposite field ideas.  As you can imagine, grounding the ball sharply to the third baseman is simply a joke for someone with my incredible (lack of) quickness.  
> > > 
> > > Thanks...
> > 
> > >Mr Bob, With your size, rotational mechanics might be difficult, and you may have more success with a  stride to a solid front side and the release of your top hand from the bat slightly after impact. Try to release the bat towards CF and finish high. 
> > 
> >             Doug
> 
> My hunch and what I normally see with these symptoms is that you are extending your hands and arms to soon in the swing.  For rotational swings do not pull or push the bat.  Try keeping the bottom arm bicep to the chest at set-up and leaving it there through contact, that should help to avoid the pulling or pushing of the bat with the hands and arms, forcing the body to rotate better.  You'll have to adjust your timing with this swing, because the ball will need to get deeper than what you are currnetly used to.  By you pulling/pushing the bat with your hands and arms you are extending to soon in the swing, causing the hands to roll to soon, bringing the barrel around the ball towards the pull side.  My guess is that you are pulling the bat more, because of your struggles to go to the opposite field, if you must do that, then another option would be to push both hands inside the ball (not rotational), and then release the top hand, so the bottom arm can get extended past the ball.
> 
> Try rotational first to see if you can pick up on it.
> 
> Good Luck!!!

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