Posted by: Mister X () on Thu Jul 31 20:05:52 2003

Hi Jack,
> > >
> > > Thanks for the great video, also still having fun
> > > with the bat speed indicator.
> > >
> > > I'm wondering if you find alot of people having problems with contacting the ball too far out in front when trying to learn these new mechanics.
> > >
> > > I practice on a heavy bag per the tapes instructions, but when I go out to hit off the tee I find my self moving toward the back of the box for what feels to be a more comfortable
> > > hitting position. ( Linear mechanics trying to creep back in ? ) Hope this is just a common part of the learning process.
> > >
> > > Any and all help appreciated. Thanks
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > I believe that Jack shows the heavy bag WAY too far out front in the video. In the perfect situation, contact should be made even with the front knee. If I'm correct, Jack shows the heavy bag in front of the front foot. The only ball you will hit at that contact point will be pulled way foul.
>
> First, I don't believe that the perfect situation means you should hit the ball even with your front knee. It depends on where the pitch is, so I don't see one, single perfect situation. Every hitter has their own perfect situation.
> Second, I find making contact more out front is easier, because if you wait till the ball is even with your front knee or whatever, you have to follow the ball with your head, moving your head in towards the body. Less head movement allows more visibility of the ball, hence better contact.
> But..like I said everyone is different. If you can hit with the ball even with your front, then by all means don't change that. Some players may hit the ball in front of their knee and pull it foul. Others, like myself, I can hit the ball in front of my front foot for a single over the middle infielders.



Contact point does depend on pitch location. Perfect situation = fastball right down the middle.

If you think making contact out front is easier, you must be facing some bad pitching. Think about it. What do all hitters want. More time to decide. Think of Rivera's cutter, Johnson's slider, etc. Those pitches are difficult to hit because of their deceptiveness and late break. If you try to make contact out front, you are decreasing you time to decide if the pitch is a strike or not, and therefore increasing you chances of being wrong and getting out.

I don't see how less head movement = better visibility. That's a correct statement, but a batter's goal should be to track the ball as far as possible. And if that means the head rotates to follow the ball, then how is that bad?

And as far as you hitting the ball out in front of you knee and hitting it up the middle, somethings wrong. Either you really don't know where you make contact, or your using linear mechanics.