Posted by: Jack Mankin (mrbatspeed@aol.com) on Sun May 2 15:59:35 2004

>>> Jack-

Thanks for the descriptive detail.

There are lots of caveats like more frames per second is nice and bigger pictures/better resolution is nice and cause and effect are very difficult to assess,and the comparison is between 2 different players and its just one swing.etc.,etc.,(it would be nice to see a "non slumping" Arod with similar location),but even so I would personally agree with you that there is a swing plane related flaw.This is,of course,my pure personal speculation from a theoretical video analysis/webgeek standpoint.

The model I have in mind would say the 2 likeliest culprits would be either 1-"rushing"-meaning Arod's shoulder/scap/arm/hand link pushes ahead rather than waiting for middle up untwisting to turn/pull the shoulder link. This means he drops the bat in an arm plane(top hand dominance/pushing swing at intiation) that is different from where the power plane of the torso is being developed,then has to compensate later.

OR 2- he is cocking and uncocking the bat in a way (perhaps in a misguided attempt to shorten up) the the bathead gets too far out too soon which then prevents the desired sequencing to take place/forces shoulder link to unload prematurely.

Grip placement or tension could also be a culprit.

If you watch the Sosa clip you can see the torso turn/pull things in sequence as compared to Arod where the shoulder turn starts/handpath pushes before the torso turns to pull it.Would a nonslumping (is he even slumping?) Arod show the same "improved" sequence ?

One way to approach a fix is to keep the bathead in,experiment with grip and avoid rushing(keep hands back more/keep back scap pinching as bat uncocks to sweep better),then check yourself with results and video.<<<

Hi Tom

I agree with you that comparing this clip of A-Rod with a clip when he is hitting the ball hard and consistently would be of great value. I’m sure Nick will probable keep this clip, so we should get the chance.

Tom, you stated, “The model I have in mind would say the 2 likeliest culprits would be either 1-"rushing"-meaning Arod's shoulder/scap/arm/hand link pushes ahead rather than waiting for middle up untwisting to turn/pull the shoulder link.” – I had the same thoughts. But normally when the hands (as a unit) are pushed forward as the batter accelerates the bat-head back (THT), wrist binds will occur along with the reverse roll. I could not say definitely that binds were evident in the six swings I saw. However, wrist binds occur very early in the swing and are hard to see from this camera angle the hands of right-handed batters. – The grip could be a factor.

Jack Mankin