Posted by: marlin () on Sun Oct 24 22:27:03 2004

> Hi Marlin, RQL, Tom and all.
>
> I thank you all for your input on “bow-arch?E “flail?Eand our earlier discussions on “scap loading?E It appears to me that Paul and I possibly agree on the important principles of the baseball swing. Basically, it sounds like we are describing the same mechanics using different terminology. I define mechanics by the forces that are applied at the handle to accelerate the bat-head. Paul’s terms concentrate more on muscles and body structure that supply those forces.
>
> Findings from my study of the baseball swing (late 1980’s & early 1990’s) concluded there were substantial differences between the mechanics exhibited by the top hitters and the mechanics being taught at all levels.
>
> (1) Teaching of the baseball swing was based on the theory that the energy for the swing came from the forward movement of the body (Ted Williams being the lone dissenter at that time). --- My findings showed that the great hitters developed their energy from “Rotation around a stationary axis.?E
> (2) Batters were taught to drive the knob of the bat back toward the pitcher by extending the top-hand. --- My study showed that top-hand of the best hitters was actually being ‘pulled back?Etoward the catcher at the start of the swing.
> (3) Batters were taught to extend their hands in a straight line (A to B) toward the pitcher (or ball). --- My study showed that the mechanics of the top hitters produced a “Circular Hand-Path.?E
> (4) Batters were taught to cast their weight upon a firm front leg and extend the bottom-hand toward the ball. --- My findings showed that in the swing of the great hitters the rotation of the shoulders, the extension of the lead-leg and the “un-shrugging?Eof the lead-shoulder was actually pulling the bottom-hand back toward the catcher at contact.
>
> Note: I might add that I could find NO ONE (in the field or discussion boards) that agreed with the above findings until years later.
>
> At that time, I had little understanding of exactly how these batting mechanics generated bat-head acceleration. Therefore, over the next couple of years, I took the information I had gathered to a number of Physics Labs. They all agreed that there are two forces at work in the baseball swing that induce angular displacement of the bat.
>
> (1) The body’s rotational energy is transferred into the angular displacement of the bat by the angular displacement of the hand-path
> (2) The second force that generates angular bat displacement is “torque?Einduced from the hands applying force at the handle from opposing directions.
>
> I then used these findings to form my model for “Rotational Transfer Mechanics.?EThe four corner stones are: (1) Rotation around a stationary axis. (2) THT ?Etop-hand applying torque at initiation. (3) The CHP ?Ecircular hand-path. (4) BHT ?Ebottom-hand applying torque at contact.
>
> As I stated earlier, it is my opinion that Paul and I possibly agree on the important principles of the baseball swing. He concentrates more on the muscles and body structure to define his terms.
>
> (1) Rotation around a stationary axis --- Basically, I think Paul agrees but feels there may also be a forward component.
> (2) THT --- Since he does not think torque is a factor in generating bat speed, he refers to the pulling back of the top-hand as “scap loading.?E
> (3) CHP --- I think he refers to the angular displacement of the bat from the CHP as a “flailing?Eaction.
> (4) BHT --- It is my opinion that Paul uses the term “bow-arch?Eto identify the body movement that pulls the bottom-hand back at contact.
>
> I have no problem with coaches using those terms they feel most comfortable with. However, this site has defined the terms by the forces a mechanic applies to the bat ?Enot the muscles that supplied the forces. Therefore, our readers will better understand your post if you use our terms. If you choose to use other terms, make sure you clearly define them.
>
> Jack Mankin
>


Hi, Jack
I respect your opinion. And, as i wrote in my home page, i appreciate your observation which support my thought.

I also divide MLbatters into four groups according to the force applied to the bat.
The batters of the group which i divided into A and B apply force to the bat with top hand. The force is applied along CHP(tangentially). The batter pulls the bottom-hand back toward the catcher at contact but does not apply force backward. Push-pull torque is used for keeping the bat on the swing plane.
More than 60% of MLbatters are thought to be in this group. Of course, there are some batters who use push-pull torque.

Thank you