Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Wed Sep 15 12:40:44 2004

Here is the clip you requested:
>
> http://webpages.charter.net/nickkio/Anderson/

Thanks Nick,that is a beautiful clip !

As far as the changing direction of force application (lots of other things to consider her too like ?"counterrotation" ?timing of the "sit to hit,etc.)is concerned,I think of it as follows.

The arm action involved in loading/coiling the body proceeds with the same arm action sequence to apply forces at the handle with the main difference as far as in/out adjustment being when the lead arm pull interrupts the arm/scap load.

I believe in this case the location is inside,so you would want to adjust by turning more quickly on the ball with a shorter swing radius and a "lower load" situation.

You would start your generic/consistent arm action which can be interpreted visually as how the bat is cocking/moving.

The "handcock" or "loading of hands as for punch" or "back scap load" or scap pinch" happens as the stride foot goes out,cocking the bat toward the pitcher as the weight/center of gravity starts forward and down.See the back elbow appear behind the back as this happens.

Then just before/at toe touch(if you could see the feet) there will be "rotation into toe touch"/coiling/bow forming action of both arms as back elbow starts down to slot (externally rotates down while back scap stays pinched and back arm keeps pointing back/staying "extended")while lead arm coninues to stretch (swing radius lengthening adjustment) then internally rotates in front shoulder joint in preparation for tight connection,lifting front elbow up into developing swing plane.Watch how bat begins to "uncock"/"sweep back toward catcher" at this point BEFORE the forward shoulder turn starts ("pre-launch THT",body coiling/stretching/loading/twisting/sitting.Watch the wrinkles forming in the uniform.Something good is going to happen/be possible because of this excellent loading.

He then needs to quickly "turn on the inside pitch",so the front side firmsup and the lead arm connects early and starts pulling the "arm box" around before the swing radius has lengthened much(once swing radius lengthens to right point,"box" configuration stabilizes it there so there is no "slack"/"drag"/Extension when the swing starts.This "low load" permits a rapid turn and a short swing radius which gets the bathead to contact quickly in front of the body,with or without some handpath hook on the approach to contact(watch front shoulder action just at/after contact which shows how much all energy has gone into arm/shoulder/bat link with cessation of body/torso rotation.

If he were adjusting(or anticipating) for outside location,the back arm external rotation/slotting action would slightly longer with more stretching of the lead arm before the front side /lead arm pulls the forming "box" around (More "THT").This would create a slower turn/"higher load" situation with more bathead extension before contact to get the nbathead to the otside location.The hands would have loaded slightly more back/in around the body so the direction of force application changes slightly when the lead arm pull starts slightly later.The elbow tends to be further away from the side in the outside case as mnoted by "rql".

This clip is an exceptionally good demonstration of arm shoulder action for the middle in location.