Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Dec 12 21:51:13 2004

(Jake)
>>> Will you please explain why very few MLB power hitters have their hands anywhere close to their shoulder? They all have their hands from 6 to 10 inches AWAY from the shoulder. I won't bother getting into why it is a poor idea to have the hands almost touching the shoulder because that is debatable. But what is not debatable is what you are suggesting.Is trying to justify top hand torque so important to you that you feel forced to concoct a gimmick such as getting the thumb almost touching the shoulder? Again, I won't try debating the pros and cons, just please explain WHO in the majors ANYWHERE in their stride have their hands ANYWHERE as close to the back shoulder as you are suggesting? <<<

(Raul)
Jack all of the hitters I have ever seen,big league, minors, college whatever have their handsaway from the body, maybe 3/4 foot, plus or minus a few inches.Are you saying that in a game the hands come close to the shoulder or is this just for training purposes what you are saying?

Hi Jake & Raul.

First of all, I just measured how long my thumb extended out – it was 3 3/4 inches. Then I went to http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/swings.html and checked frame-by-frames of Renteria, Sorino and Sosa. As their back-elbow lowered to the slot, their back-forearms become close to vertical and their hands pasted within 3 1/2 to 5 inches of the shoulder as they rotated. Some hitters like big Mac treat most pitches as outside pitches and their forearms do not becomes as vertical and therefore the hands may pass 6 to 7 inches from the shoulder.

Jake &Raul, I am not twisting any arms here. If you feel it best to have your hands 8 to 10 inches from the shoulder as you rotate, that is fine with me and I wish you the best.

PS I wonder how close to the back-shoulder “scap-loadind” is supposed to bring the hands? 8 to 10 inches away?

Jack Mankin