Posted by: ray porco () on Tue May 13 21:28:36 2003

Doug,

“…what do you do before you get to the point where the heel comes down…?”

1) should’ve already scouted the pitcher. Watch him in warm-ups, see what’s working for him (can he get his curve over today?), what his “go-to” pitch is, delivery, hand position for different pitches, tip-offs, speed, etc.
Watch him during the game (situation, count, and pitch selection).
Ask other batter’s for input.
Time swing to delivery in on-deck circle.

2) Hitter should start getting back before the release of the ball. When the hitter gets back (coil) depends on how long it takes for the hitter to get his front foot down (high knee cock vs. small stride vs. no stride) An old hitting coach used to tell us, “when the pitcher shows you his back pocket, show him your’s”. When I was coaching, I used to tell the kid’s to first start getting back when they would see the pitcher’s hands separate (in windup) and adjust up or down from there. The type of stride (direction, elevation, distance) dictates when it starts. By direction I mean - up first, then out vs. just out. “up first” will set your weight and balance (I personally prefer 60-40). Can’t say for certain, but my belief is that the stride should not be used as a speed adjustment. It is a timing mechanism. It is to get you to the point where you can apply speed adjustments.
Going straight out will take your head with it. Elevation and distance are obvious for length of time it takes to accomplish task. There are basics to stride, but 3 things dictate - style, comfort, and performance (nomar, tino, sosa, bagwell, etc.)
A word about coil -
Again, style has a great deal to do with it. I got through to the kids with “turn your shoulder away, and show your cleat”. Naturally you must temper this move. I believe there are 3 absolutes about the coil.
a) don’t turn your head away from the pitcher. BOTH eyes level and on the ball.
b) the bat barrel must cock inward.
c) the hands go back to the exact spot each and every coil.

3) Toe lift-off (stride foot, if your taking a stride). For me (normal stride) this should happen when the pitcher is at “high-cock” (just before release). And I don’t like to tell someone to take their hands back as they’re striding forward (personal preference). Rather, just - “walk away from the hands”. Again I emphasize, the hands going back (during coil) to the same spot each and every coil. Starting the hands from the same spot and going after a pitch low and away, or high and inside, low and in, high and away, right over, is tough enough BUT if you start at a different spot each time and then have all these different final locations, well…….. “CHAOS THEORY”. Don’t believe me? Try taping your kid, or players from behind with a stationary camcorder at the cages. Watch a few swings and then place a piece of tape on the screen where their hands usually locate just before starting forward. You’ll be able to distinguish the guys/gals that are dialed in and rhythmically hitting (what your supposed to do in the cage) and those that ain’t.

4) Focus totally on the ball. Don’t merely try to see the ball, but look at it in the highest possible detail. This get’s into the whole vision thing - get the range by focusing on the cap logo and then switching to the projected release point, imaging a strike tunnel, different size rip zone according to count, etc. Could spend a day writing here.

5) Toe touch down(or rather, ball of foot touch). There’s only one thing, no - two, wait three, er…check that four, things you gotta’ know.
a) if the ball of your stride foot ain’t down by the time the ball is halfway in - your late.
b) come down softly.
c) come down with a flexed knee.
d) stride timing (from pitch to pitch) does not change.

Well that takes me up to the heel down part, Doug. Now comes decision time. But I’m startin’ to nod.

One last note.
Timing is “king”. I started researching “timing” and “the swing”. Started to get into (at tom guerry’s suggestion - many thanks tom) motor learning and that’s where I’m at now. I had some (I thought, anyhow) pretty good questions/observations on the subject but the posts were lost in the “Message Board Disaster”. Shame.

There’s so much more! I mean, I’d really like to sit down and have a beer or twenty with you guys and talk nothing but baseball.

ray porco