Posted by: () on Wed Nov 10 17:02:55 2004

4 choices are nice, but first things first. THT and BHT are usless unless you have the proper foundation with your feet. I think everyone is focusing on the hands, when the feet are just as important. If you don't think so, just look at the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series. Their BHT/THT were of no use because their feet mechanics were absent. Start with the feet and get the proper foundation and then talk to me about THT and BHT. Then talk to me about the 4 choices. Mike Matheny is a great catcher....but his batting mechanics need some radical adjusting, starting with his totally bad feet.(one example). Thanks, RJB
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> Hey RJB
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> This is a repost from last week from the very same question that I asked Jack to answer but now seems to be lost or just gone unanswered by Jack.
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> Hi Jack
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> I have a question that need quantified. In your description of the swing you spend very little time talking about the lower half of the body after the front heel plants and THT begins however in my teaching the swing I have noticed that many players have problem keeping their front shoulder in long enough if their weight is still on the back side during the heel drop. They have a tendency to turn their back foot inward which causes the front shoulder to open too soon and they cannot keep their hands back. The only way that you can keep your hands back is to transfer weight to the front foot and drive your back knee towards the middle of the stance while NOT TURNING YOUR BACK FOOT.
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> Here is the problem and question Jack. You talk about the top half of the body so much that the bottom half of the body mechanics are ignored yet in my teachng without the bottom half doing the correct motion the top half will never work. Do you not find that the bottom weight transfer and knee drive are essential to performing the BEST mechanics so working on what gets you into the postiton and then maintains the mechanics very important??
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> I have read your information about your dislike of kinetic sequenciing (I disagree with your position) and the platform of the hips under the shoulder rotation. Please do not reuse these quotes. Remember a platform is only stable if it remains in balance with the wieght and movement that is over it.
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> Dave
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I agree with Teacherman, contrary to conventional wisdom, it is the lower body that follows the upper body,it is NOT thetop following the bottom.As a matter of fact, Teacherman has stated (correctly so) that flail is the final, direct result of the upper body driving the lower body into action.In a way I think this somewhat conflicts with Jack's view, the big difference being that Jack rejects the whip action that Teacherman incorporates in his flail theory.