Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Sun Jan 13 18:01:13 2008

> >>> Jack,
>
> I'm sorry but I couldn't get that clip of Bonds to play, but I have seen hundreds of clips of Bonds hitting. The seperation is created by a couple of things;
>
> the inward turn of the lead shoulder
> the lead hip clearing
> the resistance of the hips rotation from the shoulders
>
> Now I hear what you are saying but as the front hip is clearing or opening, I agree the shoulders will start to move but what I see is the lateral tilting taking place. Saying that the shoulders rotate IMO is somewhat misleading. They may rotate but not horizontally, not parrelel to the ground. They are rotating vertically, they are then rotated diagonally.
>
> The hips rotate parrelel to the ground independent of the shoulders and the shoulders rotate vertically but can only go so far until they connect to the hips, now they are turned diagonally through the zone. This rotating vertically (tilting) adds to the stretch and allows you to keep your shoulders closed longer. <<<
>
> Hi Graylon
>
> Is it just this clip you have not been able to play, or all the clips that I have posted? If you have not been able to see my clips, it could explain a lot of our disagreements. I will post another clip where I discuss the difference between “tilting” and the shoulder rotation about a tilted axis. Let me know you cannot play the clip. You may need to install software that can play wmv files.
>
> <a href="http://www.batspeed.com/media/Bonds_shoulder_tilt.wmv">Bonds shoulder tilt</a –
>
>
> Jack Mankin


Jack,

Thanks, that clip played. The point I am trying to make with shoulder rotation is that the shoulders have to get on a diagonal plane. Do you agree that the shoulders are not rotating parralel to the ground?

The back shoulder going down and the lead shoulder going up allows for the hips to turn while the shoulders are not opening. The shoulders are turned on a diagonal plane.

When I was discussing slicing the ball with shoulder rotation is what I see happen with kids who rotate there hips and turn hard with there shoulders, flying open with the lead shoulder which causes them to drag there hands and bat through the zone. They tend to pull off of the ball.

We may very well agree on the same thing but I do not emphasise shoulder rotation. IMO kids will pull hard with there shoulders and never let there hips power the swing. If they think about turning the shoulders vertically coupled with the barrel being turned rearward and then turned around the hands into the hitting zone, once the shoulders and hips become connected the barrel is fired through the contact zone.

Graylon