Posted by: Joe A. (Mgtsupport@AOL.com) on Fri Aug 25 05:25:10 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..<<<
> >
> > Hi grc
> >
> > I agree with Joe and Terry that the opening of the shoulders should be a natural progression from the rotation of the hips. There is naturally a few degrees of shoulder lag caused from overcoming the inertia of the upper-torso and bat. But many coaches teaches mechanics that disrupts this natural timing by purposely holding the shoulders closed as hip rotation begins.
> >
> > In the "1-2-3" method I spoke of, the hips are nearly fully opened while the shoulders are held closed. Grc, you are right in stating - "of course that notion could be dismissed out-of-hand as utter nonsense", but you would be amazed at how many coaches teach it.
> >
> > Jack Mankin
> > I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK OF STRIDING EARLY AS IN COCKING AND STRIDING WHEN THE PITCHER BRINGS HIS ARM BACK THEN WAIT ON THE PITCH WITH A LITTLE HAND MOVEMENT MAYBE LIKE A SMALL CIRCULAR MOTION WHILE WATCHING THE PITCH COME IN THEN START THE HANDS AND HIPS INTO THE BALL FOLLOWED BY THE SHOULDER ROTATION.ITS NOT LIKE OPENING THE HIPS THEN STOP THEN TURN THE SHOULDERS.MY SON SEEMS TO BE MORE BALANCED AND GENERATING MORE BAT SPEED SINCE I HAVE STARTED THIS WITH HIM .HE IS ONLY 5 BUT I DONT WANT TO MESS HIM UP WITH FLAWED SYSTEM.

ROLBBAL,

The first one third of the distance a pitch travels after being released a good hitter is calcualting a gerneral place the pitch it going to be when it get to him. The secnd third is for refineing the placement. The third third, if for getting the bat in motion to get it on the ball.

The step should be no later then the first third. AFter that, it is in the way

Joe A.