Posted by: Jack Mankin (mrbatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Apr 18 00:32:44 2004

>>> Let’s go back to rotating the shoulders back to about the 65-degree position. If my arms and wrists are frozen when I rotate back, my bathead may be 10+ inches farther out, BUT THE BATHEAD IS NOW TRAILING MY HANDS. This contact position would be “hitting the ball late”, or “inside-outing”, or “hitting to the opposite field”.

Again, the example you gave (shoulders to 105 degrees, back arm in “L”) is for a pitch from the middle-in.

Try your example (shoulders to 105 degrees) for a pitch on the outside in the black. Hit that pitch even with the lead knee. What did you have to do? Even pull back to 65 degrees. <<<

Hi Ray

Obviously, if you rotate the bat-head away from the contact point, it will be behind the hands. -- I will need to draw you a more complete picture. Take the contact position I outlined for pitches middle-in. Back-shoulders at 105, back-arm in “L” position, bat perpendicular with “sweet spot” of the bat (contact point) against a post or bag. Now, rotate your shoulders (around a stationary axis) back to 65-degree open position while keeping the bat against the post. The bat stays perpendicular to the ball and slides out along the post as you rotate back.

As the back-shoulder rotates back around toward the post (to the 65-degree position), it shoves the lead-arm and lead-hand about 10+ inches toward the post. This causes the sweet-spot of the to slide 10+ inches out past the post for outside coverage. As you rotate toward the 65-degree position the lead-arm will cast farther from the chest.

The shoulders only rotate 65 or so degrees while the lead-arm cast away from the chest to reach outside pitches. Keeping the lead-arm across the chest and rotating to the 105 degree position pulls the hands into a tight path for pitches middle-in.

In my first reply to you I stated, “I sense that there is no prove I could offer that would satisfy you. Therefore, I suggest we just say as gentlemen, that we agree to disagree and let it go at that.” I am sure this post or the next ten post will not bring our position on the swing any closer. – Therefore, I say again, let us say as gentlemen, that we agree to disagree and let it go at that.

Jack Mankin