Posted by: Melvin () on Thu Jan 27 10:30:40 2005

I haven't watched much slow motion video so I'm not sure if my eyes fool me on this, but it appears that many major leaguers rotate around their spine and their spine appears to be tilted slightly away from the pitcher.
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> > There are exceptions where the spine axis appears to be essentially straight up (i.e. perpendicular to the ground), while others like Sheffield and even ARod at times seem to have a reverse spine angle that points somewhat toward the pitcher instead of away.
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> > Is there a preferred biomechanical spine angle for rotational hitting to be most effective? Or can, what appear to be "front foot hitters" with an apparent reverse spine tilt be just as effective?
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> > Thanks.
> > Jon
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> Great post and observation. THere is much to study here. Some players actually transfer more weight than others, some launch with different axis tilts. I believe in youth ball the loopy pitches can keep them tilted and make them launch off the back foot. For this reason I believe Jacks upper body mechanics are so important for the developing player as forming a solid base and vertical axis for the 7-10 year old can be difficult at with pitch plane they face. They can however get some good pop with the hands leading the barrel and great upper body action.
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> As time progresses and the pitches gets flatter they should stride to a balanced position with the head over the belly button. Learning to get more vertical at launch and forming a solid front side base with a firm front leg is very very important. Staying on the back side spinning and getting into a tilt too quickly before launch is swing poison.
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> I like to have them stride and just at the first pull of the knob say STOP . I make them drop the bat and ask if they can rebound a basketball and actually make them drop the bat jump straight up. You will not see any NBA player rebound from an out of balanced psoition and you should not allow hitters to start their swing from an out of balance position either. Your axis will and can tilt through contact and follow through but don't let the rear leg collapse too early...remember...head over belly button early in the approach

Hi

For all good hitters, the head is the closest body part to home plate (other than hands and arms) during the stance, stride, swing and at contact. The best hitters set up with a spine tilt that juts the head closer to the plate, and keep it there, rotating their torsos around that spine angle. That accounts for the "Big C," the contact position we see so often in great hitters: hips rotated, shoulders rotated, rig cage bent and leaning, head over the plate.

No one who hits with a ramrod spine that is perpendicular to the ground will not hit very well.

Melvin