Posted by: Sandman () on Thu Jan 8 15:35:31 2004

"In your swing, I see no appreciable hip cock or load with your bottom half. I then see a stride of about 10"-11". After toe touch I see your head moving another 4"-5" forward before stopping and going back. I see your bathead centered over your spine half way through your stride and then see the bathead straight up at footplant. Your hands at footplant are much too far from your body to create much power along with the straight up bat.......all that is left is a push with your hands and arms from a less than powerful position. You shoulders are a little too level in the swing, not giving you a chance to swing into the path of the ball........If you want to use your hands as your primary force, I would have them closer to your body and have the hands cocked so that you are closer to having the bathead centered over your spine at footplant. I feel this would be a much more powerful approach than what you have now. Try punching someone from the position your right hand is in at footplant. I am not trying to be tough on you, I just read what you say about your swing and then when I look at it, things look a little different."

Doug

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Doug,

EXCELLENT assessment of this swing, Doug! Though he manages to keep the hips moving ahead of his shoulders, there is no knee turn, no hip cock, and no shoulder movement (I'll refrain from starting up yet another resounding chorus of the counter-rotation vs. scap load debate) - IOW, no load other than what he started with. It's almost like he starts his forward movement from a standstill. Toggling between frames 53 and 54 several times really shows the forward push of the hands instead of a continued fluid turning of the body propelling the bat into contact. With the raising of the rear shoulder during the swing, perhaps the forward/down hand push is necessary just to make contact?

Ya know Doug, w/ such accurate scouting ability, you could even work for a pro team?! ;-)