Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon May 24 15:03:25 2004

Hi All

This is a continuation of the “Existence of Torque” thread below – Sun May, 16

(Teacherman)
> Get in your stance, cock the bat over your head toward the pitcher, do not apply tht, slot
the elbow and rotate. What happens to the bat head? <

(tom querry)
> The bathead accelerates toward the catcher because of torque applied by the external rotation of the back arm in the shoulder socket plus the internal rotation of the lead arm in the shoulder socket while the torso continues to twist and the back scap continues to load. Hands stay back as knob hooks. There is a push/pull type action provided through the hands, not generated by the hands. <

Hi Tom

As I have said before, I am certainly not as well versed with Kinesiological terms as you, but I think we are very close in how we view what constitutes good swing mechanics. I would like to get your opinion on a few thoughts I have in your field of expertise.

I agree that torque is being applied “by the external rotation of the back arm in the shoulder socket plus the internal rotation of the lead arm in the shoulder socket while the torso continues to twist and the back scap continues to load.” To me, this would occur as the swing is being fully initiated and the elbow lowers. At this point of the swing, would it be safe to say the back-shoulder has fully adducted (toward the back midline) and the lead-shoulder is beginning to abduct (moving away from the front midline)?

The other thought I would like to bounce off of you involves torque applied during pre-launch. For this discussion, let us use Bonds as the example. In his stance at the plate, the bat is cocked forward with his hands close to center of his body (close to the front midline). From this position, would not the pulling of the forearm (and top-hand) back toward the launch position be caused from the abduction (moving away from the front midline) of the back-shoulder and the slower adduction of the lead-shoulder? The resulting acceleration of the bat-head would therefore occur well before shoulder rotation or the lowering of the back-elbow begins. Your thoughts.

Tom, we are running off the page with this thread. I will start our discussion as a new thread.

Jack Mankin