Posted by: Joe A. (Mgtsupport@AOL.com) on Thu Aug 24 05:12:54 2000

JACK...sorry to bring this up again but after having seen some comments at another site i'm wondering if i do, in fact understand what the coaches' 1-2-3 drill was all about......please, bear with me but i would like to be quite specific in my question & your response......in the "2" position TO WHAT DEGREE were they opening their hips & squashing the bug? ....were they attempting nearly FULL hip rotation (perhaps 70-80 degrees or so)....or were they STARTING hip rotation (perhaps opening the hips 15 degrees or so)..........i guess the big difference is that if they are opening their hips a moderate amount (like 15 degrees or so)while keeping the shoulder closed, while this may be a concept that you disagree with, it nevertheless would not be an extreme, out-of-the-mainstream theory.....furthermore, it would be a concept worthy of discussion, pros & cons, here & at other sites........but if these coaches were teaching to attempt nearly FULL hip rotation while keeping the shoulder closed, then of course that notion could be dismissed out-of-hand as utter nonsense.....i would appreciate clearification..............and P.S.!!!!! saturday august 19 at 21:11:21 i made had some comments & questions...i know you are busy & probably overlooked my post....in a separate post would you please review my post of 8-19-2k & respond???? respectfully.........grc....

grc,

I read your question to Jack. In it you ask about "squashing the bug." Its is my understanding that "squashing the bug" is about turning the back foot so that it is pointing in the general direction of the pitcher. I have heard this taught to other people.

It used to be that hearing this made me very angry. Now I just shrugg my shoulders and go on. But I couldnt this time. If you turn your hips you will turn your back foot in th direction of the pitcher. If you don't you might break your leg. Its not an action that should be taught or even mentioned. Its the result of another action. Talking about it is just a lot of useless detail that people who want to sound like 'experts' throw around. Try it. You turn your hips, you squash the bug. Don't worry about it. Its silly even to discuss it.

About the degree of hip turn, again, silly details, details, details. The hips move first and pull the top of the body into the swing. There is a natural timing to this that will vary from player to player. It is true that the hips can be too far in front but this will not happen unless the player to taught that the hips and upper body operate separately. For example you talk about the to movments as something that are controled by the batter and he dicides when his hips are open enough THEN he starts his upper body into motions. This dosent happen, it can't happen. The players natural timing will decide.

IF the player(and the coach) percieves the swing as one quick, smooth (liquid) motion "unfolding" from the bottom up, the natural timing will take over. Don't muddle it up with a bunch of useless details that confuse the kids and makes the coaches sound like idiots.

The experts won't tell you thins because either they don't know or its too simple to maintain their "expert" status.

Good Luck

Joe A.