Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Jan 6 00:55:22 2008

>>> Hi Jack
I have noticed A Rod, gets his hands in the launch position as he starts his stride. at toe touch he is ready to initiate his swing. That would be his style. Barry Bonds and many others have perfected moving their hands after the release of the ball and they can still time the pitch. It allows him to be quick and it allows him to wait on the off speed pitches. A hitter hits with his eyes, and his anticipation of the type off pitch he is expecting or location.

I have talked to major league hitters and they will tell you if you are facing a good pitcher if he makes a mistake they get a good swing. If he hits his spot, you go sit down. Henry Aaron said he was guessing most of the time. All of the mechanics in the world won't help us if he hits his spots. I can tell you from experience, a ninety five mile per hour fastball is a blurr. Yet it can be hit if he gets it out over the plate, or if it straightens out. My conclusion the best hitters see the ball sooner than the rest of us.

Best regards <<<

Hi Bob

You may be right, and maybe the reason great hitters go into batting slumps is because they are not seeing the ball as soon. However, my work with video analysis shows that in many cases, there were changes in their mechanics – especially with mechanics involving flaws in the swing plane. Great hitter’s slumps may occur because of a change in their eyesight. But I find developing a flaw in their mechanics is more likely the problem.

Jack Mankin