Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Jun 28 14:07:20 2000

>>>I don't understand pulling the top hand to the catcher. Wouldn't that make the swing long and therefore less quick? Maybe I don't understand what should be done to perform this correctly.

Could someone please explain exactly what the hitter should do to perform this correctly?<<<

Hi Dustin

Just before you start your swing, the bat-head will be pointing behind your head away from the plate. At contact it will be pointing across the plate. This means the bat-head must arc around through 180 degrees or more. The sooner the batter applies forces to the bat that will cause the bat-head to come around, the shorter the swing and the greater the bat speed that he can develop by contact.

Pulling back toward the catcher with the top hand as the bottom hand pulls toward the pitcher (generating torque) causes the bat-head to start accelerating around through those 180 degrees very early in the swing. --- Note: Extending both hands in the same direction (toward the pitcher) will accelerate the knob of the bat but will not cause the bat-head to come around.

Dustin, there are a number of pages on the site and many post on the "discussion board" where myself and other coaches tried to explain how to perform this mechanic correctly. But there is only so much you can do with words -- that is why I made the instructional video -- there I spent a lot of time showing you in detail how to perform this and other rotational mechanics correctly.

Jack Mankin