Posted by: THG () on Tue Jan 29 12:16:33 2008

> Bob,
>
> My take on swinging down has always been swing straight down like chopping wood until contact. That is the shortest distance to the ball and allows for more time to pick up a pitch. Once contact is made the bat stays in a level plane finishing level. I would never teach a hitter to hit the bottom half of the ball but to hit the ball "right on". Swinging down until contact causes a slight backspin on the ball and causes for a slight lift while hitting line drives. You should not continue your swing downward after contact is made.


Bob. If you can get a copy of the "Mike Schmidt Study" he preaches how to incorporate the theory of swinging down/level in a productive swing.