Posted by: Jack Mankin (mrbatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Feb 22 17:33:48 2004

>>>This is the statement you made:

"While doing swing reviews I have noted that most of the young hitters rotate their hips just fine, but they fail to rotate the bat-head and it is left dragging through the zone."

If the bathead is dragging, then where would be the arms.....I'm supposing that they too are also dragging? Could you clarify what these swings reviews are telling you about the hitters? During these same reviews, what percentage of hitters have long loopy swings? <<<

Hi Coach C

For good rotational mechanics the hands (and arms) should remain back at the shoulder and allow body rotation to accelerate them. Most great hitters will bring the bat to contact, on pitches from the middle-in, with the lead-arm still back across much of their chest. I think this is far better described as a good contact position than “arms dragging.”

All good hitter’s mechanics will bring the bat to contact as the shoulders finish rotation. Average hitters complete shoulder rotation with the bat dragging 20 to 40 degrees from contact. Poor mechanics may leave the bat 70+ degrees behind. That is what I was referring to in the swing reviews. – With linear mechanics, the bat can still be dragging behind the hands with the arms at, or near, full extension.

Coach C, I have heard coaches say A-Rod and Big Mac have long loopy swings. Would you mind defining what you would call a “long loopy swing?” Also, could a batter who keeps their lead-arm across their chest as they rotate produce a long loopy swing?

Jack Mankin