Posted by: THE HITTING GURU () on Fri Jul 25 10:15:17 2003

You said awhile back that taking off top hand gives greater extension like Lau method but I wasnt clear: is this good or bad? Thanks




Releasing the top hand for greater extension is good. But it may not be best for everyone. A lot has to do with your stance and how close you are to the plate. Most hitters who apply this Lau technique step slightly towards the plate. In doing so, most of them start out somewhat away from the plate and dive in to a degree. For whatever reason, this dive does not work for those who keep both hands on the bat. (Probably because without the top hand extension the hitter cannot adequately reach the pitches.) For those who wish to use the Lau principles who are close to the plate (square or open stance) they must stride forward and not dive towards the plate in order to maximize their swing.