Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Thu May 15 16:46:49 2008

> > I know Tony Gwynn was an outstanding hitter but his analysis, IMO is way off base in the video clip that you provided.
>
> > IMHO,
> >
> > Graylon
>
> Epstein's mantra is, "Do we teach what we really see?" Therein lies the great question because whether it is Joe Morgan on ESPN, who seems to contradict himself in his hitting analysis on an almost daily basis, to Mankin to Epstein, or Mr. Graylon, there is disagreement on what we really see. What intrigued me about the Gwynn analysis was his focus on "POP" in the bat. I'm sure you'll agree many "rotational" hitters lack that special POP that Bonds displays. From a recruiting standpoint, I know POP is a discernable attribute scouts look for during their evaluations. Not every hitter has POP, or as Gwynn says "serious torque". Torque seems to be described differently, and I agree with the Mankin explanation of "bat torque" as others address "body torque" which my orthopediac surgeon confirms as existing but eludes me. Epstein also acknowledges "bat torque" but it is not given as much prominence as does Mankin. At what point in the swing do you then think Bonds is applying force with the bottom hand? In order to level off the bat as his rear shoulder dips, does he not begin applying the forces Mankin describes as BHT/THT in a CHP around his body as Gwynn describes? If not, what do you think gives that extra POP that moves an average rotational hitter a notch up?
>
> JLB

JLB,

To answer your question about BHT. IMO The bottom hand applies torque through out the swing, but not in a pull on the knob way. IMO if you are pulling on the knob, you are always, until the very end of the swing, making the knob out run the barrel creating bat drag. I agree with Jack on PLT, the top and bottom hand are applying tourque to get the bat flat or to the lag position. After the bat is done arcing rearward the arc is continued forward through the hitting zone. To pull on the knob would stop the continous arc, unless you were to aggressivly rotate the shoulders which would IMO pull the barrel out of the zone. As I said IMO the bottom hand is appling torque throughout the swing but after the bat is sent forward it is a more passive type of tourque, more of a holding its ground, while the top hand is being sent around it.

As for what gives that extra pop is a long explanation but to try to keep it short it is the lower and upper body working against each other until they finally overlap sending, no LAUNCHING the barrel forward through the zone.

Graylon