Posted by: Jack Mankin (mrbatspeed@aol.com) on Sun May 16 13:15:42 2004

Hi Teacherman

You stated, “Now, stand in the box in a very relaxed state, bat on your shoulder if need be (similar to a pepper stance) and try to contact the ball by simply playing pepper. Forget about generating batspeed. Just make solid contact. Making contact is easy. Making solid contact is possible. Why???????????????????????????”

Common sense should tell you that everyone discussing this topic is saying there is no difference between “bat speed” and “bat quickness” from a batters normal launch position.

Questions:

(1) Are you saying that from your pepper stance, a bat can get to the ball “quicker” without also increasing “bat speed?”

(2) Are you saying a bat moving 64 mph at contact can hit a ball farther than a bat moving 80 mph (both in the sweet spot)?

You stated, “As far as THT is concerned, I don't have ability to post clips but I can swing and create the bat movement that you label THT and not do it with my hands. It comes out of efficient rotation, not any torquing in the hands. The pressure felt in the hands, that you are labeling THT, is simply a reactionary force to the efficient rotation of a well trained and mechanically sound hitter.”

You do have the ability to view clips of many great hitters. If you would take the time (and have an open mind), you would note that there is bat-head acceleration taking place well before rotation takes place. Therefore, only the arms and hands are moving to apply force to the handle of the bat – no reactionary force from rotation.

Let us use Gary Sheffield as an example. As he prepares for the swing, he keeps his bottom-hand fairly stationary at his back shoulder. He bobs the bat-head up and down at the pitcher by pushing and pulling with the top-hand. He then accelerates the bat-head from a nearly horizontal position in an arc up and over the knob back toward the launch position.

Teacherman, the shoulders remain motionless – there is no reactionary force from rotation. The bottom-hand remains at the back-shoulder – there is whip effect. The bat-head was accelerated from a static position (no momentum), up against gravity by the top-hand pulling up and over the bottom-hand. (Note: The cocking or un-cocking of the wrist also apply forces from opposing directions at the handle.)

(3) What force, other than torque, could have been applied at the handle that caused the bat-head to accelerate up and over the knob?

With your answers to these three questions, we may be able to come to an agreement and move on.

Jack Mankin

P.S. HBL, Milt and Bill made good points regarding this topic. However, I did not OK them as I do not want Teacherman to be distracted from my question to him.