Posted by: Art () on Mon Apr 5 07:11:26 2004

>>> I have read the arguments pro and con about the above. Some say the ball stays on the bat 1/2000 second and hitting through makes no sense.
> > > What happens if the player misjudges the exact contact point which most surely do? Is it possible to reach max acceleration to the exact contact point? Not likely..The mental cue of hitting through the ball might make no sense as judged by pure physics but accelerating through a wider zone does make sense in real life. Telling the players to "replace the shoulders" seems to get this done for me. Any comments? <<<
> > >
> > > Hi Donny
> > >
> > > I agree with you that few (very few) hitters reach maximum bat speed by contact. This is especially true when hitting the ball straightaway (bat perpendicular). The swing mechanics used by the vast majority of batters do not reach max until the bat has rotated 50+ degrees past this point. That is why most of their longest hit balls are pulled foul and they have very little power to the opposite field.
> > >
> > > Donny, I have nothing against “driving thru the ball” at contact -- as long as we understand that “thru” is only ¾ of an inch. That is how far the bat moves with the ball before the ball is gone. I think you would agree that reserving energy to accelerate the bat after that point is wasted energy. Would not that energy have been better used to accelerate the bat-head earlier in the swing?
> > >
> > > The reason a few hitters (the great hitters) are able to generate maximum bat speed by contact is because, at initiation, their swing mechanics start accelerating the bat-head around the swing plane instead of driving the knob at the ball leaving the bat-head trailing behind. --- While doing hundreds of video swing reviews of young hitters, I find that most rotate their shoulders just fine. The problem is, their transfer mechanics does not efficiently convert that shoulder rotation into bat-head rotation. --- Obviously, timing is a critical element to good hitting. That is why we require countless hours of batting practice.
> > >
> > > Jack Mankin
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Driving through the ball to me has more to do with the direction of the force as opposed to the distance through the ball.
>
> My understanding of Jack's theory is that there is ideally not only maximum batspeed at contact,but no deceleration before contact.This is necessary for a quick swing with low timing error.I agree that optimum transfer mechanics are required to accomplish this.The torso has to get well loaded.Then there must be efficient reversal/unloading with rotation around a stationary axis and a circular or tightening handpath from launch to contact.
>
> In addition,I think the bathead must not be fired out prematurely (extended beyond the arc of the handpath or overshooting the developing power plane) or premature unloading will be triggered.
>
> The typical flawed "linear" swing may have acceleration characteristics as reported by Zig in this batspeed thread from March '03.
>
> http://www.batspeed.com/messageboard/output/10571.html
>
> see also
>
> http://www.batspeed.com/messageboard/output/10593.html
>
>
> In the typical case,poor transfer mechanics (among other things) limit the efficiency of the rotational component of the swing.Torso loading is inadequate/prematurely interrupted(either torso is not loaded/stretched well enough to power the bat with torso turn all the way to contact, or loss of connection, or over-extension of the bathead prematurely interrupts loading).Therefore,soon after launch,deceleration starts(rotational component of the swing is inadequate),then the batter compensates with arm extension and even wrist roll to reaccelerate the bathead depending excessively on the torque component of the swing/time consuming force production via small muscles.This reacceleration then peaks well after the usual contact point(maximum batspeed after contact),and for the inside location at a bat angle that will not keep the ball fair.This lessens swing quickness and increases timing error as well.
>
> The heavy bag drills are a very good way of learning the feel of maximum batspeed AT contact and are likely to encourage a swing without deceleration prior to this if transfer mechanics(stable axis/circular-arcing handpath/good bat position) are sound.

Someone said Driving through the ball to me has more to do with the direction of the force as opposed to the distance through the ball.It has nothing to do with direction of force, at least not as taught by me and most other instructors. It has everything to do with DISTANCE, "through" meaning aiming for a point shortly beyond contact so that the bat doesn't start to slow down prior to contact. Teacherman, if you are ever in the Dallas area I'll be happy to show you what I mean.