Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Wed Dec 26 15:54:43 2007

> > > > > > When my hands start to go to the ball, they are a little below my shoulder. Maybe about 1-2 inches. Will this always cause my to hit fly balls. my swing looks a lot like Bill Hall's, the Brewers centerfielder, in case taht mattters
> > > > >
> > > > > Joe,
> > > > >
> > > > > IMO your hands are fine where they start. The question I would have is what they do after they start. Do they loop down and then back up? At contact do they push down or flaten out?
> > > > >
> > > > > Graylon
> > > >
> > > > They form a kind of circle path
> > >
> > >
> > > Joe,
> > >
> > > If your hands are forming a circle path that is from your rear shoulder to your waist and then back to you lead shoulder while in your swing, then the barrel will follow this same path and dip down through the path of the ball deep in the swing and then come up through the path at contact, causing you to swing up at the ball.
> > >
> > > If you can try to keep your hands at chest level as you swing, your adjustment to the location of the pitch will be done with the tilt of the shoulders and the hinging of the back knee, you will have a better chance of staying on a level plane to the pitch.
> > >
> > > A drill I like to use for this is the Epstein Enforcer drill. Some people don't like this drill but I think it has good results for certain instances and this is one of those instances.
> > >
> > > Graylon
> >
> >
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZIn77K0Z7E
> > thats a video of me in fall ball this past year. ive learned much more about hitting since then, but thats the only game video i have. Hopefully in the spring ill have much more. But, I remember hitting that pitch. It was very high, and i remember throwing my hands at the ball. The ball was hit on a pretty good line.
>
>
> Joe,
>
> Don't listen to George, you will be completely confused.
>
> It his hard to see what you are doing in your swing on a clip shot from behind. Also, since it was a high pitch there will not be the need for as much tilt and rear knee bend, it appears that you hit that ball good. I would like to see more clips from a front view.
>
> Good Luck and Happy Holidays,
>
> Graylon


Joe,

I watched your clip again and one thing I noticed is you are not getting much of a load. I will try to explain without being to technical.

When you get in the box take an athletic stance, create a good solid base, almost like you are guarding some one in basketball. Prior to initiating your swing let your weight shift back against the inside af a firm rear leg. Allow your head to stay up looking at the pitcher and let your lead shoulder turn down and in, if you keep your head up you shouldn't be allowed to turn in to far. The idea is as you start to stride the front foot and hip should start to open while the shoulders remain closed. How you do this is, as the front foot nears touch down or right at touch down start turning the bat rearward next to your back shoulder, your trying to get the bat flat. This will help create lateral tilt in your shoulders creating seperation between your lower and upper half. At this point you will be going to the ball.

To practice this I some times have my students get to there stride stance, the stance at where there front foot has already gotten down. Open up the front foot to about a 45 degree angle. Now turn the lead shoulder down and in, head up and looking out. Rear elbow up and turn the barrel rearward by raising the lead elbow and lowering the rear elbow, the bat should stop coming down next to the outside of your rear shoulder (the deltoid). As you repeat this drill feel what happens to your front side, it will open slightly in order to prepare itself for the momentum of the bat traveling backwards.

Sorry, I got a little more technical then I wanted to. This site offers some good DVDs that Jack has put together and also, Mike Epstein has some very good drills that you can get on DVDs.

If you live in Northern, California you can contact me and I can possibly help you out. You can contact me through e-mail.

Jack, I hope that is o.k. if not please edit that part.

Good Luck,
Graylon