Posted by: joe () on Tue Jul 13 10:36:07 2004

"He keeps his hands above the ball"
> >
> > Morgan said this tonight about a couple of guys during the HR derby.
> >
> > Does that make any sense? Is that just his way of promoting a level swing?
> >
> > Would that be good mental cue to use to avoid uppercutting too much?
>
>
> I wouldn't pay too much attention to what TV announcers say. Even if they are ex-players. They have to talk so they talk. Because they are ex-players they think they have to provide what sounds like "inside information" or the TV or radio people would use professional announcers.
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> I once heard Tim McCarver, the all time greatest talker, say that this batter "likes to go deep in the count." Now what do you suppose that means?
>
> The problem is that someone will hear this "Hands above the ball" stuff and try to teach it to a kid who will then go 0 for 2004, 5 and 6 trying to do it.
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> Ralph Potts
>
This is somewhat in Morgan's defense, he was referriing to Berkman's swing, a guy who actually does "stay above the ball", swing down and get backspin, like linear coaches teach. I had never noticed it until last night. Not the prettiest looking swing. His lefty swing is probably more conventional. Sheffield and Randall Simon are the only other two I can think of with similar technique. Goes to show that timing and coordination are as inportant as swing path.