Posted by: Coach C () on Sun Jun 13 17:57:38 2004

Coach C and Marcus,
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> Thanks for your reply, i went out to practice today and worked on initiating rotation simultaneously to my stride towards the pitcher. The result was a little dip in my consistency, but i hit the 3 farthest balls of the entire team BP. The power i felt upon contact was remarkable, and i also felt like my swing plane was better, perhaps this has to do with the earlier flex in my lower halfand consequent ability to adjust my upper half. Anyways, my point is that the weight shift deffinently helped my power, and i think the momentum does help your bat speed, just as long as you dont get carried away and lunge. Pujols is a great example, i would also site A-Rod as the other superstar who shows this technique the most.
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> Coach C, as for your point concerning the "trunk" i think that makes a lot of sense as whenever i try to swing with my legs i get a choppy snapping motion. I am a little confused about exactly what part of the body you are reffering to, i would assume you mean more the torso then the shoulders abs and chest but i could be wrong, could you clarify?
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> I too await what others think on this topic.
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> SRJ

In truth the body most only make a 1/4 turn to the ball.....That's it!! This basic concept implies that it be a forward turn to the ball. By having the legs be active participants in this little quarter turn to the ball.....we all risk counter-rotating away from the ball, therby bringing the shoulders/knees/hips/arms and hands at the same time to the ball.......this would not lend itself to a proper coiling or as Tom would say "the X-factor". X-factor can not be manufactured without the proper move to the ball, this I believe to be true.

To clarify what I think you asked......the linear component of the swing (if done properely) can create a tremendous amount of X-factor elasticity in the coiling upper half...the trunk. However, with all of that said, the most important thing above all else....is the time factor. In learning these moves you will have to retrain your mind that you have way more time than you used to. Timing is the critical component in all of this. This is why a ton of big leaguers don't swing in the cages any higher than 50 mph and for many of them spring training gives them time to find there timing. Big leaguer hitters are trying to time there moves, not the pitchers moves. They groove a stroke that is geared to feel the rhythm of the stroke and one that is never rushing. Fast pitching geares us to want to hit hard (this is the not the correct brain lesson, and yet 99.9% of kids do this). They never create this simplistic move to the ball. High octane pitching to an untrained hitter creates explosive, jerky, lunge or spin type mechanics (zero balance). Rhythm is king and power comes from rhythm. Not the other way around.

From your posts it seems clear to me that you are on a new quest and I would encourage you to see it through. Timing will be your biggest culprit......understand when the timing is off and don't misjudge the swing mechanic. One move to the ball.....I think it's much simplier than we all realize. There is no backswing in golf and in baseball.........sorry to ruffle some feathers on that one!!

Coach C