Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Jan 13 00:26:56 2008

>>> The opening of the front foot and knee is desirable, this gets your front hip opening allowing seperation between the lower and upper body.

>>> The statement "let rotation open it" is the problem this will cause you to power the swing with your shoulders which can cause you to cast your hands away from your body creating an outside in swing which will make you swing outside in slicing through the ball and keep you from squaring the bat to the ball. <<<

Hi Graylon

I must disagree with your assessment of shoulder rotation in the swing. Far from your conclusion, I would say that the rotation of the shoulders is essential to transfer power in all high level swings. I would further state that video analysis of the best hitters does not support the negative consequences you attribute to shoulder rotation.

You also state, “The opening of the front hip along with keeping the front shoulder closed and turning the barrel rearward and then turning the bat around your hands to the ball will help you to square the bat to the ball.”

You seem to imply that the energy from hip rotation can somehow provide energy that generates bat speed with out inducing shoulder rotation. That concept is not bio-mechanically possible. The arms and leakage to the bat is connected at the shoulders – not the hips. Therefore, hip rotation’s contribution to the swing is its inducement of a stronger rotation of the shoulders.

Below is clip of Bonds’ swing that addresses your contention that the front shoulder should remain closed during the opening of the front hip and rearward acceleration of the bat. Note that the bat moves rearward very little before the shoulders start their rotation. From that point on, it is shoulder rotation that powers the hands around to the contact zone.

Bonds hip/shoulder comparison

Jack Mankin