Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Fri Feb 6 20:34:21 2004

Dear Jack,

Thanks for the response. You have provided transparent explanations for both a and c, but you reasoning on b seems a little translucent. Therefore, I am willing to dedicate my time discussing this topic with you, due to its ability to enhance a rotational swing. My main reason for making this a topic of discussion is that sometimes individuals open the front foot to the proper 45-degree angle but, once they drop the heel, the hips do not move. These individuals tend to exhibit a condition where their back foot is supposed to move reactively to the proactive movement of dropping the front heel, but, instead, just stays on the ground. I noticed that some players—such as M. McGwire, M. Williams, and Jr., Ripken—exhibited the same tendency that I was talking about when they went into slumps. As a result, I think we would both concur that some cues need to be given to such players to assist the backside release, thereby ensuring rotation around a stationary axis, not the backside. Since you were thoughtful enough to respond to my questions, I figure I owe you the dignity of an explanation as to why I advocate these methods.

First of all, both of us cannot dispute that, on inside pitches, the front foot, landing at a 45-degree angle, will open up to about a 90-degree position at the point of contact. Nor can we deny that the front foot will roll over eventually, and the weight will be on the outside part of that foot, near the heel, at impact. Even in your DVD, John Elliot’s foot position at contact with the inside pitch illustrates this undeniable point. Now, some players can stride, drop the heel, and do this automatically. On the other hand, some individuals land on the front heel, but it stays pasted in the same landing position throughout the swing, even on pitches middle-in, which cuts their hip rotation short. In order to remedy this problem, these hitters must be instructed to roll to the outside part of the heel consciously.

These hitters may also cut off backside rotation, and have their back foot on the ground throughout the entire swing, much like former Brewers player Dale Sveum. If they are told to squish the bug simultaneously as they roll the front foot, the back foot will rotate, but will not come off the ground enough to allow backside release. To fix this bio-mechanical flaw all that needs to be done is to instruct the hitter to lift the back heel slightly as he or she rolls the front heel.

Another problem affiliated with failure to amass significant backside rotation is the back knee’s inability to turn down and in. Once again, until muscle memory sets in, or is re-established, these hitters must be told, in addition to rolling the front foot, and dropping the heel, to turn the back knee down and in a little bit.

Finally, if we are to establish rotation around a stationary axis, it makes sense that the front hip should rotate around its axis at the same rate as the back hip. If the back foot does not move, and stays planted on the ground—rather than rotating on the ball of the foot or toe, which is quite different than squishing the bug—the front hip will actually rotate around a posted back hip. Now that we understand the panacea, we need a cure, and that is a remedy that will allow both hips to rotate around the spine evenly. Thus, a person who has difficulty initiating the proper backside hip movement because it fails can take precautionary measures by doing the following: rolling the front foot, lifting the back heel slightly, turning the back nee down and in slightly, and, as an added measure, can rotate the back hip around its axis (i.e., the spine, not the front hip).

Once you understand the problem I am talking about, it becomes clear why I instruct a player—especially if they land on the ball of the front foot at a 45-degree angle, drop the heel, but do not get natural backside release—to incorporate these movements into their attempt to develop rotation around a stationary axis:

1. Drop the front heel.
2. Roll the front foot slightly to the outside part of the heel.
3. Take the back heel off the ground slightly (no squishing).
4. Turn the back nee down and in a little.
5. Rotate the back hip around the spine slightly (to prod it to rotate)

Remember, these cues, borrowed from Mike Epstein, are de rigueur to initiating proper rotation for individuals struggling with their backside release. This is a full-fledgesd explanation as to why I do not understand why you do not believe these are good cues. I await your response eagerly!

Sincerely,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com