Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Sep 28 00:51:09 2000

>>>you bring up a good point and response to the last question. but doesn't bat angle play a role in driving the ball the other way. aren't most home runs pulled or hit middle to pull fields because the barrel travels longer and has more time to accelerate than on outside pitches? i was always under the impression that the farther the ball is away from the hitter, the deeper one lets the ball get in the stance. it is harder to hit home runs the other way because the barrel never has a chance to accelerate or get to a speed as it would on an outside pitch. if the hitter continually attempts to get the bat perpendicular to the path of the ball, wouldn't this eliminate any balls hit the other way? <<<

Hi tjs

Your right, with pulled balls the barrel does travels longer and has more time to accelerate. This is why almost all home runs hit with "quick hands" or extension mechanics are pulled inside pitches. The bat is accelerated length-wise (knob first) during the first part of the swing and maximum bat speed is not reached until the bat has rotated 20 to 40 degrees past perpendicular.

By applying torque from the initiation of the swing, the rotational hitter generates good bat speed before the bat reaches perpendicular. He can hit an outside pitch straight-away almost as far as he can pull one inside. --- On most pitches the rotational hitter makes contact 8 to 12 inches farther back in the swing than the extension hitter. His back arm is far from being extended at contact. It is still in the "L" position. So the term "let the ball get deeper" has much more meaning to the extension hitter.

No, I don't think attempts to get the bat perpendicular to the path of the ball, will eliminate balls being hit the other way. Even a great hitter looking for a curve but being server one at 96 is not going to get the bat perpendicular.

PS. just another thought regarding "quick hands": As the hands are extended further and further toward full extension ... is the swing getting shorter and more compact??

Jack Mankin