Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat Sep 2 23:39:56 2000

>>> What are your thoughts of the overlap grip for slow-pitch softball. More than 75% of the major players use some form of it. Your thoughts. Thanks <<<

Hi Dave

Welcome to the site. -- I'm sure Tom is more qualified than I to discuss slow-pitch softball grips. But I am finding many problems with the baseball and fast-pitch softball grips that cause the angle between the wrist to be very small. Many coaches have the batter place their hands on the bat so that if the forefingers are extended they will point in the same direction (very small angel between the wrist). This would be the proper wrist angle for a bat at the contact position, but like I said, it causes problems if the batter has that grip as he initiates the swing.

In many videos sent to me for review, I am finding the batter's back-side really breaking down. The lead elbow rises and the back-shoulder drops. As the body rotates, the back-elbow is driving inward under the lead arm almost to the bellybutton. The spine is twisted over and the results is a weak swing. --- I have found that much, if not most, of the blame can be placed on a grip that brings the elbows closer together with little angle between the wrist. -- As the bat-head arcs downward into the plane of the swing, the back-elbow is forced inward toward the batter's body. It should rotate in arc with the back-side and allow the spine to stay straight during rotation.

The key to solving this problem is to take a grip with a much wider angle between the wrist and DO NOT grip the bat tight with the top hand. The top hand must be loose enough to allow it to turn on the bat as the angle between the wrist goes from wide at initiation to narrow at contact. -- Hey guys, this is tough stuff to describe, so cut me some slack - ok ?

Jack Mankin