Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatSpeed@aol.com) on Fri Sep 10 12:18:01 2004

>>> Thanks for your interest in helping Jack. At the batting cage I go to, there is a red dot that blinks about 1 second before I the ball is released. I'm able to develop a good rythm using that. One fault in game situations is I've never been able to time the pitcher properly so I start my swing after the release and the result is a weak swing just to make contact. I think the big thing for me is that I don't know when to stride or what to look for in the pitchers delivery. Thanks a lot for your help, lookiing forward to your response. <<<

Hi Ryan

I have received numerous e-mails from players having the problem you describe. It seems nearly impossible for most hitters to hone their game swing practicing with a pitching machine (especially those using pre-launch torque). Using the machine in the off-season to work on mechanics is fine - if the machine is set at a speed that does not cause the hitter to tense up and jerk into action during initiation.

However, as you prepare your timing and rhythm for the season opener, there is no substitute for many of hour of work against a live arm. It takes most pros a couple of months (thousands of swings at live pitching) to become game ready.

Jack Mankin