Posted by: Coach S. (steven@ars-inc.com) on Wed Jan 2 18:32:14 2008

Hi Jack,

I don't think the axis of rotation has to do with stride at all. In fact, you can have plenty of weight shift with no stride whatsoever. Load / unload is less of a stride and more of strech / unstrech muscles during the load process which shifts the COG or axis of rotation. The COG in elite swings of today and past (supported by video) show the axis of rotation at an angular (shifted forward) position, and NOT a straight line in the dirt from the head through the spine and out the butt. Some are more forward than others, but I will submit there are plenty of videos where you almost see the back foot lifting off the ground all together (i.e. Griffey, Aaron, etc.) the axis is shifted forward.

If you have the (Merry go Round Syndrome) -- spinning like a revolving door, AND the hinge angle of the cocked hands are kept fixed through contact (as they should) then the bat head will never get off of the Merry go round and cut across the ball. Whereas if the axis of rotation is shifted forward, the "hook" as you describe will naturally unhinge through contact and the bat head will power through the ball....it is un-natural to stay on the "Merry go Round" with the swinging gate.

Thanks for listening.

Coach Steven

> >>> The other thing to check is if his axis of rotation is like a revolving door, or like a swinging gate. The revolving door would mean he is just spinning and the bat is along for the ride cutting across the ball. Many youngsters turn rotational hitting into this. In order to correct this, there needs to be a weight shift onto the front leg, then the axis of rotations is head - spine - through the front leg. The back side rotates around this forward shifted axis = swinging gate & NOT a revolving door. <<<
>
> Hi Coach
>
> Your contention that batters should rotate about a posted lead side, “like a swinging gate,” may be true for batters who were taught to make a strong aggressive stride (Charlie Lue style). However, video analysis shows that it is not the case with today’s batters who move forward very little. They rotate about the center of their body (the spine) more like a “revolving door.”
>
> Jack Mankin