Posted by: Coach C () on Sat Oct 11 00:29:25 2003

We can lead a horse to water, but........... we have countless major leaguers that advocate the use of quick hands and while I'll agree they are not linear, it is their feel that the hands create energy. Not long ago I spoke to young kid who plays in Triple-A, had the pleasure of watching him hit as well (2nd best stroke I ever saw I told him). Asked him specifically does he feel his hands need to be quick. His answer was yes and in fact it was when he quit trying to use his body, that he discovered the key for his stroke. This kid was the minor league batting champion last year and will be in the bigs next year. I realize that most of you have a particular feel in your own swings that needs to be maintained for success, but I can only say, that not everyone can relate to that. Jack has said previousely that the same tranfer mechanics used for the baseball swing, also works in the golf swing. That being said, Tiger Woods has been quoted as saying that most amateurs he has seen are over active with the body and the arms often lag. In Golf, using hip and shoulder turn first creates an over the top move, there by creating a slice (a lagging clubface). Tiger also conducts a drill where he locks his legs rigid and hits balls to feel his hands are in sync with his torso. Hitting a baseball is really not that hard when things are put in the proper order, but to say that it's feet, hips, shoulders, arms, hands and then bat, is entirely to much work. This is not what works at 95 MPH in on the hands. I'm guessing most of you have not seen this in person. We agree to disagree, but sooner or later one of us will come around......my swing don't need changing.

Someone mentioned in one of the posts, that the body must go to the max. I would not say Manny Ramirez, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire or Ken Griffey use their body to the max.

The ball on the end of string doesn't work when location of a moving object is involved, becasue the hands must be able to redirect the path.

Sandman's boy....bless his heart....is way to active with the feet, hips and shoulders, thus his hands lag and must go linear to catch-up. Linear hitting often times is not a result of the hands, but a body that has cleared too soon so the hands go straighter to catch up. This is why he chicken wings at contact, when he should be nearly connected with the lead arm......especially on a tee. One should never chicken wing on a tee or weather vain as Epstein describes it.

Let's have Jack and I prescribe a recipe for Sandman's boy. Jack get's two weeks (via E-mail) to give that boy the swing he (Sandman) desires. If after two weeks, there are no changes, then I will get two weeks. Let's see who wins. I will change that boy in two weeks, guaranteed and we can all see. Then we all see if we teach what we really see. If anyone else wants in.....say so, or forever hold your peace. Any takers? How about you Sandman, would you be willing to give it try, you can always go back to his current style.

The measure of a good hitting instructor is how the student does.......let's do it, it'll be fun!!!!!!!

Sandman will be the judge!

Coach C