Posted by: toti (tod) on Wed Nov 26 23:49:29 2003

> i see all the time major hitters leaning towards home plate, like bending the trunk and their head coming onto home plate, even with balls in. my question is: Is this really good? i see it specially in Sosa videos. does it keep your top half closed longer? why do they do it?
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> > i know when I hit it gives a hell of a more balanced position to launch my swing. i really like it as opposed to a more upright posture.
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> > what do you guys think?
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> >>>I don't see any good hitter leaning anywhere, and don't see any upright. Maybe excluding a few slowpitch guys.
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> What's called an "athletic position" (that some might call "leaning") is a mild crouch that incorporates about equal angles at the hips/waist and the knees... start from and proceed at least through launch maintaining those angles.
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> To find those angles beginning upright, loosen hips and knees and sink straight down at least til weight leaves the heels and bears onto the balls of the feet. Now think "level" through preswing moves and launch. Remember that to change any of it between visual pickup and contact will blow your eye-hand coordination system. so think LEVEL!
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> >thanks for the insight, i sure gonna use your clue "level". i think it is great. saturday when i hit the wiffles, I will think level.

in no way i thought about it as leaning but for the lack of a better term i had to use lean. what i saw, actually, it is exactly what you said, launching the swing from a balanced, lined up position. it is true, though, that some power guys do it more than others, that is, they look like they are almost sitting closed and then launch. i went back to sosa clips, and you are right, he has everything lined up at heel touch. he launches the swing from a powerful, totally perfect lined up position. no wonder he hits it that hard.

great, thanks.
toti.
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