Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Fri Nov 21 08:26:32 2003

>>> When the legs action is excessive, pre-launch bat-sweep normally is excessive as well. When the legs are quiet pre-launch is less severe. I think Gwynn, Carew, Boggs and Rose were quiet hitters......quiet with what? The legs. Could this be why great hitters often times express the need to feel fast hands. But what they are really feeling is slower legs. Slower legs shortens the swing, thus making us quicker, but not necessarily faster. There is a trade off Jack....more leg/hip/torso action more bat sweep (normally). Less/leg/hip torso action more consistancy and higher average. George Brett had very minimal bat sweep and today is still the best hitter I ever saw (after Bonds of course). <<<
> >
> > Hi Coach C
> >
> > Your first statement, “When the legs action is excessive, pre-launch bat-sweep normally is excessive as well. When the legs are quiet pre-launch is less severe.” This statement is quite puzzling to me. We refer to the mechanic as “pre-launch torque” because it occurs prior to the full initiation of the swing and body rotation. Therefore, the legs have not yet been triggered to drive rotation. They would obviously be “quiet” during the pre-launch phase.
> >
> > You also stated, “George Brett had very minimal bat sweep and today is still the best hitter I ever saw (after Bonds of course).” I agree that George was a great hitter, but disagree about his having minimal bat sweep. As George took his stride, he wrapped the bat behind his head to where the barrel pointed between the shortstop and second base. He certainly did not initiate his swing with the bat still wrapped. George swept the bat back through the launch position, but started with the bat low behind his head instead of more vertical like Bagwell.
> >
> > Jack Mankin
> >
>
> How about excessive bat sweep equals more active legs? This would be a more accurate description. Just like in running where faster arm arm swing equals faster legs. There seems to be a connection between the two.
>
> Coach C

I think of the coordination/synchronization of upper and lower body as being the important thing just as it is in throwing.This gives the most efficient overall loading/unloading(Nyman's total body eccentric to concentric muscle action,muscles working at ideal length,tempo,without overstretch,understretch,interruption and with maximum "degrees of freedom").

The key in the overhand throw according to Hodge,is that the throwing hand comes up when the stride thigh turns over (synchronized external rotation).

In hitting,the back arm hitches(some degree of hand drop,elbow out.NO interruption) as the lead knee turns in(synchronized internal rotation with hip cock),then

the back scap loads("pinch and lift",as opposed to Nyman's "lift and pinch" in throwing)as the legs ABduct (stride leg goes out),cocking hands/bat,then

the back elbow plateaus and starts down to the slot while the back scap stays loaded and the back arm stays extended(therefore has to move to slot primarily via externl rotation synchronized with lead leg as in throwing) as the front leg opens some without loss of hip cock.

Weight shift energy can be harnessed to boost rotation as the muscles can transform some linear momentum to rotational momentum as the stride foot bears weight/resists/blocks/forms a base.(Pujols,Aaron-?how far does the head/center of gravity come forward in the pre-swing,independent of having to do so as an axis adjustment for the high ball).

In the absence of much weight shift boost,you can also create
boost by sitting and coming up,or more rarely standing and sitting down,or by accentuating the upper body/lower body twist(Bagwell,to a lesser degree Edmonds).

All hitters are a mix,but should coordinate the upper and lower body motions.One thing to consciously make note of is matching the scap load to the width of stance/length of stride.