Posted by: Bart () on Mon Apr 28 17:34:28 2003

>>> I'd like an answer to a question that has been asked several times but never answered.
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> Where does the batspeed come from, when Arod is fooled and hits a ball low and outside, way off the plate, 390 feet. He basically throws the barrel at the ball. There is no tht in the swing, there is no bht in the swing and there is no chp. Where does that bat speed come from? <<<
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> Hi Teacherman
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> I am afraid your assessment is wrong on two counts. Not only does Arod maintain a CHP on outside pitches, the radius of the hand-path is greater and for a given rate of angular displacement, the bat speed gained is greater than with a shorter radius. He is able to retain the rate of angular displacement of the hands by applying top-hand-torque over a greater portion of the swing.
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> As he applies the THT required for an outside pitch, the bat-head accelerates back toward the catcher in a wider arc and the back-elbow does not lower directly to his side as with an inside pitch. It also sweeps out in a wider path. This trajectory sends the hand-path (and bat-head) into a wider radius and allows him to generate greater bat-head speed back toward the catcher before he turns and directs his energy toward the ball.
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> You are correct regarding BHT. On outside pitches there is less shoulder rotation and thus less BHT being applied. But it is made up for by the added THT.
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> Jack Mankin
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Jack: you have said that BHT is “A swing mechanic that applies torque to the bat by pulling the bottom-hand back around the top-hand -- as opposed to driving the top-hand past the bottom-hand.” And THT, in your view (I think this is your view) is initiating swing by starting top hand towards the catcher.
So...what you just said, "On outside pitches there is less shoulder rotation and thus less BHT being applied. But it is made up for by the added THT" could be re-stated as follows: on outside pitches there is less shoulder rotation and thus less PULLING THE BOTTOM-HAND BACK AROUND THE TOP-HAND, but this is made up by additional pulling of the top hand towards the catcher in the iniation of the swing.
Come on, Jack, you gotta admit this doesn't come close to explaining anything, much less how to hit an outside pitch!

You are right in many of your theories, but explaining what and why things are happening can at times be mighty deficient.

This biz about pulling the the bottom hand around the top hand is questionable. Pulling the top hand towards the catcher in the initiation of the swing is technically correct, although saying there is "acceleration" resulting from this is highly questionable. But to then in effect say that somehow less of the former is made up by more of the latter....well, sorry, but you are going to have a difficult time even explaining this connection, let alone proving it.

As I have said, Jack, yopu are on the mark on a lot of topics, but there are some weaknesses you need to work on. I think you have a tendency to try and make everything fit into your model, even if it won't fit....better to try and understand better what doesn't fit than to try and "force" it into your model.

With the greatest amount of respect, Bart