Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Thu Nov 6 08:54:14 2003

rql and PRO-

I think the sequence is that the back elbow has started to plateau/come down BEFORE toe touch in most cases.Toe touch,of course is somewhat variable because you have to sit to hit just right to get on plane for the particular pitch while keeping the hip cocked.In most cases,however,the elbow needs to be nearly slotted by drop and tilt and in the "slot" by "launch".The elbow begins dropping when the back arm externally rotates at the same time as the lead leg.If the lead foot is open at toe touch,the back elbow should have started down.

Lugo makes the exact sequence easier to see,but it is the usual/desired sequence.

Also look at the LUGO clip on the youthbaseball site that focuses on the feet.You can see he is accentuating the powerful metronomic hip cock/uncock sequence by making the inward turn with the first stride in against the back foot that is "knock kneed"/turned to the pitcher.Then when the hip "uncocks"/metronome reverses to drive the "launch sequence" the back foot TURNS BACK REACTIVELY a little.You have to look hard for this,but it is quite dramatic on some swings.These reactive leg motions are good indicators of what is happening.A particularly good example of the back foot reactively rotaing back ward when the hip uncocks is Jeff Albert's "live" clip of Nomar from the open side if anyone still has that.

More hip info as mentioned in other threads:

Science of hitting pp 45-6 as well as p40 picture caption

and Nyman on pitching (same basic motion)

http://www.setpro.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=34;t=000057