Posted by: Mark (mbhurley77@hotmail.com) on Wed Jul 23 20:22:03 2003

When I get up to the plate I think about nothing really other than all the mechanics of my swing. I also use a really heavy 34oz bat. I own a 26, 28 and a 32 but can not hit well at all with either. I've been told bat speed is the key and I've tried to work my game around that with no luck. I use a 28, think "quick swing, quick swing" and really concentrate on wisking the bat at the ball. It might make it to the left fielder.
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> I can hit them out on occasion with a 34oz but every time I do it's about 1 ft within the foul pole. If I use the 34oz they go deep but really are less than warning track.
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> I've been starting to wonder what other people are thinking when they are up. Are they just trying to get the bat through the zone as fast as they can, no matter the cost? Do they think "swing it like a ???" (axe,golf club,sword etc etc)
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> I just want to make sure that there isn't some recipe out there I don't know about for making the swing. If there is a good mental approach that will allow a good balance of using weight in proportion to hand speed then I'm all ears.
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> It could be strength but I'm a fairly strong guy, 5'11 250. I've seen tiny guys hit the ball a mile, you can just see that they have the swing down pat because the ball travels way faster than everyone elses.
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> Just thought I'd ask...

Well first of all you want to swing the bat your most comfortable with and/or the bat with the most mass that you can swing with the most batspeed. Example: if you can swing your 26 oz. 85 mph, your 30oz. 83 mph and your 34oz. 75 mph swing the 30 oz. the ball will travel further if you have the same contact on all swings.

When you get to the plate DO NOT think of your swing mechanics. Think of nothing but the ball, see the ball, focus on the ball.
Your swing should be so ingrained in your muscle memory all your job is to time the pitch. I bought Jack's video last month, practiced all the drills, switched from hands forward (linear) to a circular hand path and hit my first homerun (ever) to dead center with many more to come.
I swing a 28oz. 81-82 mph even higher with more practice and I'm 5'10" 220 lbs.

I'm not doing a comercial for Batspeed.com but buy the video and the hitting bag or make your own. Practice, Practice, 1000 swings and you'll be ready.