Posted by: Dr. David Chambers () on Fri Jul 25 15:33:49 2003

If your bat is cocked or centered at toe touch as it should be then the top hand is weak in this position. I believe that some people do things so well that it is unconsciece. I believe Ted Williams bottom hand loaded and unloaded with the shoulder perfectly and he probably didn't have to focus on it. His mental key was probably his top hand which I would not teach. I say Gwynn is right based on video work done in this era. Some players say they key on hitting their top hand through the center of the ball. If that action can really happen then it occurs late in the sequence after the bottom hand has loaded back and lead into the zone. OR they might be getting rear elbow extension at impact.
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> > "If your bat is cocked or centered at toe touch as it should be then the top hand is weak in this position."
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> > sorry, this is incorrect info....whether top or bottom hand is dominent depends on which side of the plate you hit from and i you are a natural lefty or righty...natural right handers hitting right handed = top hand dominence...natural right hander hitting left handed = bottom hand dominence...
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> There are no absolutes. In the case of Ken Griffey Jr. he is a natural lefthander but his right hand is more dominant through flat hands during his extension. And through this extension at the point of contact he has power to all fields. The same can be shown through the extension and one arm release of Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez.

I believe that teacherman and bart are both correct on this issue. examples of what current players do or don't do should not be used to determined the most efficient way to perform. An athlete's use of one hand or the other has more to do with what they were told by their most influential hitting coach and that technique is what they have mastered. However, take into consideration one fact. If you asked to take the bat in your batting stance and throw it as accurately at a target 30 feet out in front of you, how many of us would choose our non-dominant hand. my "guess" would be none of us. I don't know of any natural right handers who believe they could throw a ball better in a baseball-swing-like-manner with their left hand, pulling the bat through. Also, both hands pull together the top had does not "push the bat through the zone". A push occurs when the center of mass of the object is in front of the force being applied against the object. good luck!