Posted by: Jimmy () on Mon Dec 17 13:18:40 2007

> Hi Jimmy & Graylon
>
> I would agree that there are good hitters (like Sosa) who move the torso forward during stride. I would further agree that an across the plate view of their stride would show their hands remain fairly still as their body moves forward. However, at the same time, a frontal view would show that their hands are also being rotated inward behind their heads (“inward turn” – “hiding the hands from the pitcher”). – We really need to look at both views to get a full understanding of their mechanics.
>
> Jimmy states, “The hands should not go back at all, they actually stay in space where they are and the torso floats away from them.” – Video shows that is not the case with many good hitters. There are hitters (like Bonds) who have little or no forward movement of the torso during their strides. Their hands do move back (and inward) as they prepare their launch position.
>
> Jack Mankin

Here is the clip of Bonds

http://www.teachersbilliards.com/cgi-bin/i/Hitzone/BondsSide.gif
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Jack,

You state..."There are hitters (like Bonds) who have little or no forward movement of the torso during their strides. Their hands do move back (and inward) as they prepare their launch position."

Not one hitter has NO forward movement with their torso within their swing, not even Bonds. Maybe little, but NEVER none.

You will see that Bond's hands do not move backward at all either. They move downward and back up, but not backward. His torso does float forward creating separation between it and his hands.

As far as what the hands do or appear to do, you are splitting hairs.
The point to this thread is that every hitter shifts weight back, and every hitter has a forward float with their torso. The natural loading of the hands happens as a result of the build up of energy and momentum with the lower half. This directional energy helps to throw the barrel into a directional path through the hitting zone and through the ball.

The difference between hitters and pitchers is this...

Pitchers let go of the directional projectile and hitters hold on to it.

Pitchers load up to the back leg and float forward and the front leg firms up as they release the ball into a linear path.

Hitters load up to the back leg and float forward (much less than pitchers) and the front leg firms up as they make contact. The barrel at this point is trying to fly out of the hands and travel linearly but the hands holding on to it causes the path to become more circular.

If a hitter with a proper swing were to let go of the bat as it flew through the contact zone it would travel in an obvious linear path toward the pitcher. The linear path of the sweet-spot through the contact zone is desired by all MLB hitters.

Jimmy