Posted by: JJA (jjanagnost@worldnet.att.net) on Fri Apr 23 09:44:22 2004

Hi All
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> Last year I taped the 2003 Home Run Derby. Alex Rodriguez was not having a good day. Even at full speed, I noted that his swing did not have that smooth fluid motion I would normally see. A frame-by-frame analysis of his swing clearly showed he exhibited serious wrist-binds and waves in the swing plane.
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> I have stated many times on this site that when applying Top-Hand-Torque, it is imperative the batter not accelerate the bat-head back in a too-vertical direction. The bat must be allowed to sweep in an arc behind the head and into the swing plane. When the bat is accelerated too-vertically, its trajectory takes it down through the correct swing plane resulting in wrist binds, a reverse wrist roll and an inconsistent swing plane.
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> This flaw in his mechanics was exactly what caused Alex to have problems in the 2003 Home Run Derby. When I heard this year that he was batting below 200 in 60+ trips, I had a hunch he may have the same problem he exhibited in the Derby. This evening I taped the Yankee and White Sox game. What I suspected was true, as he exhibited this flaw in all six swings I analyzed.
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> Once recognized, this flaw is not that hard to correct. Alex Rodriguez is surrounded by the best of hitters and coaches that money can buy. I am sure he and his coaches have spent a great deal of time studying his swing with the best equipment that money can buy as well. However, one can only wonder why this problem has been allowed to persist for as long as it has. – I will let you supply your own answer.
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> P.S. If anyone would like to show one (or more) of these clips on their site for all to see, I will send you the tape.
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> Jack Mankin
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Jack,

After a poor first half of the year, including last year's All-Star game, A-Rod went on a tear and won the American League MVP award. Did you notice in your studies that in the succeeding months his swing improved? Is it a case of his swing being poor in early July, back to normal in Aug-Sept, and now back to his early July swing?

Thanks - JJA