Posted by: george stanley (saint_george13@yahoo.com) on Fri Feb 22 18:14:45 2008

> >>> Jack,
>
> I mainly disagree with statements that you've made claiming that body rotation throws the hands into their path.
>
> "Great hitters keep their hands back and allow body rotation to accelerate them into a CHP."
>
> I believe that hand path is caused by a system of combined forces that does include the body, but it also includes the arms, hands, legs, and feet.
>
> I feel that your statement about body rotation accelerating the hands is misleading. It sounds as if the hitter just needs to rotate his body and his hands will be thrown into a MLB path. Certainly not the case. Those types of statements are why I do not believe MLB hitters use rotational mechanics as defined by you. <<<
>
> Hi Jimmy
>
> Your posts have often demonstrated a closed mind to the value of rotational principles in a high level swing. Therefore I certainly do not expect the video clip below to have any impact on your thinking. However, for the more open-minded readers, the clip reveals that in a high level swing, it is the rotation of the shoulders rather than the extension of the arms that is mainly responsible for accelerating the hands around to contact.
>
> <a href="http://www.batspeed.com/media/Rose_Keys_to_CHP.wmv">Pete Rose and the CHP</a –
>
>
> Jack Mankin


hello jack!
so glad to see a clip of a real hitter.. his front foot is in front of the front edge of the plate. he is close enough to the plate so that his bat covers the outside black... how many hitters would benefit from locating themselves in that position!!! with a closed stance & his bat held very close to the perpendicular... it ain't pointed at the SS... also notice once he initiates his swing, there is no buggywhipping, no beerbelly ball windup (none of those things i say are fatal errors & you say are of no consequence) prior to launch... just FORWARD!!!! THAT MORE THAN ANYTHING I BELIEVE WAS THE SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS. the only thing i'm not in love with is his feet are not under his shoulders.. too wide. also he has his back foot open.. that is, not perpendicular to the lengthwise line of the batters's box.. it is pointed back at the catcher... this will sabotage your lower body torque.. but since he has no lower body torque, i guess it makes no difference..he is pretty much upper body with his swing.. also notice this is a BP swing, which is where most trouble starts..
i am not too fond of the arms which are straightening...straight arms make for slower batspeed. so maybe he should get a little closer to the plate so he is not reaching out to make contact.. instead he will be generating more centrifugal force to the bat. also when the ball is about 6 inches from his bat, notice that his front hand stops traveling forward, & at that point he executes a wrist snap which is
good, as it implements rotational force & accelerates the bat just prior to contact... but the bad news is his shoulders & his lower body are dead in the water at contact... he is simply all wrists at the time of contact... not so good. but then again this IS BP.
you make a point of noting that the non power hand is pulling the bat around... sorry but that is NOT GOOD!! are you seriously maintaining
that you are going to make greater batspeed by pulling with your NON POWER hand rather than pushing with your POWER hand?!?!?! HUH!?!?
THAT IS SELF DEFEATING & PUTS LIMITS ON YOUR BATSPEED..
you would be generating MUCH greater bat speed if you keep your elbows in tight to your body..& take a good look at your body & figure out what are the strongest parts of your body.. then get those parts in your swing!!!
the force your power leg, hip and hand can generate must be recognized and utilized to maximum potential in order to have a swing that can't go any faster, or be more powerful..to do otherwise is to diminish your bat speed & not realize your potential..
watch some top flight racquetball players play... they start with their back leg, hip, & keep their elbow in tight to maximize the racquet speed & in turn the power they are generating... LOOK OUT!!
better yet, get on a court & swing at the ball with one of your baseball swings, then let somebody show you how to REALLY put the crunch on a ball... there is a leeson to be learned for EVERYONE by going onto a racquetball court & learning what REAL BODY TORQUE IS ALL ABOUT..
to talk about opening up your nonpower side & start pulling the bat with your off hand rather that starting out from the ground up with your power leg, hip & shoulder is... bizarre is the nicest word for it. and not anywhere as efficient as it should be.