Posted by: ssarge (ssarginson@earthlink.net) on Wed Jan 21 16:54:06 2004

Started my then 11-yr old son about 6 mos ago on the rotational program advocated by so many. He started out as a good contact hitter, but little power... the victim of several (!) flaws in his swing.
> > >
> > > Now, his swing is completely "retooled" and he has gained a great deal of power and batspeed. He's also completely eliminated the stride, to the point where he pretty much just lifts the heal and drops it as he initiates hip rotation.
> > > Thus far, it's a huge improvement in his hitting, but one thing we're noticing is quite a few line drives and hot grounders as oppossed to hits with a little trajectory to them. Granted, we don't want high fly-balls, but we would like to see a few more long drives instead of hot singles...
> > >
> > > Ideas? Comments? Suggestions? I know it's tough without seeing the swing, and I don't have access to filming (a'la Sandman and his wonderful graphics!), but if we assume his swing is largely correct, what typically causes grounders and liners?
> > >
> > > Hey Dittoz,
> > Glad to hear you made the switch. first thing i'd look at would be to see if his rear elbow is leaving his side prior to contact on middle in pitches. and second i'd look at his launch position... 1) are his hands back near the armpit area. 2) is he starting the movement of the bathead back behind him at heel touch, allowing the bat to arc around into the plan of the pitch. 3)keep his hands near his armpit during the initial rotation of the shoulders... droping them perpendicular to the flight of the ball. not towards the pitcher.
> > use a video to detect these. best of luck, Rich
>
> Thanks Rich, toti, et al;
>
> Tim hits the ball well and more than likely IS ahead of the pitch. I suspect that has something to do with it, since when using one of the ultra-light bats he hits a lot of hot shots, and when he takes Whiffle BP with a wood bat, they tend to be more of the "trajectory shots". A heavier bat WOULD slow him down a little.
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> He's gotten in the habit of starting his stance in the #1 position of Epstein's numbers drill, with the bat against his rear upper bicep. He drops the heal and the hands stay in as he pulls the bat thru with the head trailing. Extension occurs out past the plate, and I don't think at this point that he -ever- has his arms completely extended. He does a good job naturally of locking the front leg and the rear leg hits a good "L" at contact witht he hips not quite at the full open point. Seems like he is maximizing the concept of the hips leading, but his eyes have to get used to the new and improved hands...
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> Haven't yet video'd him as I don't have Sandman's dream digital film rig and vast production studio, but I will 8mm-film him this spring. At 12, I don't think this is a huge issue, and as toti said, in 6mos, he's come a LONG way. Believe me, we've done a lot of work over the winter!


You are on good pace w/ your improvements. I think the next 6-12 months may be very dramatic.

Video is always good, and you should do this. But where hits go offer a pretty solid clue for "connectedness." If the hitter covers the plate and hits balls gap-to-gap, he's almost certainly connected w/ a circular hand path. A lot of balls near either foul line (or pulled foul), and you may still have some fairly significant mechanical flaws.

If your son is starting w/ his bat along the bicep (a la Epstein), I think it is premature to worry about vertical trajectory of the hits. Once he gets confortable scap-loading, then slotting the elbow, I think different trends may appear. And obviously, he isn't yet using THT from such a position. There are many benefits of THT. I think you will find it facilitates a consistent swing plane in addition to permitting adjustments for IS / OS pitches.

Regards,

Scott