Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Feb 3 14:50:25 2005

>>> The front leg acts as the HAND and stops the momentum of the movement forward(now the head stays at center = rotation). Now the energy is then transfered up through the body out to the hands and into the barrel of the bat ( same as cracking the whip ).

Hi Swingbuilder

I have read similar descriptions of how the body’s linear momentum in transferred into bat speed by the blocking action of the lead-leg. However, this blocking action takes place as the batter is preparing his launch position, before the swing is initiated. This means that the bat is still cocked behind the batters head as the supposed forward momentum is being “transfered up through the body out to the hands and into the barrel of the bat ( same as cracking the whip ).”

One of my questions would be, why would the transfer of forward momentum to the bat cause the bat-head to accelerate rearward. With the bat still cocked behind the batter’s head, if momentum was transferred to the bat at this point, it would seem more logical that the bat-head would be accelerate forward toward the pitcher instead rearward.

One could claim that momentum is not sequentially transferred all the way up the kinetic chain to the bat. It is only transferred at this point high enough to rotate the hips. This makes more sense, but raises more questions as outlined in my post below from the Archives.

Jack Mankin
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>>> Jack, I would be interested in Bagwell's 1994 stance (.368, 39HR, 400AB, 750SLG). His other years, while good, pale in comparison. <<<

Hi Mike

I do not recall Bagwell's 1994 stance. I would assume your point is that he had his best year while taking a forward stride instead of his present backward stride. I have no problem with your conclusion. Some hitters may very well perform better with a forward stride.

I do have a disagreement with thinking hitters like Bonds use the stride to obtain momentum for the swing. Linear momentum is the product of mass and velocity. Mass with little or no forward movement has little or no momentum to transfer. Hitters like Bonds may pick up the foot and place it five or six inches forward, however, there may be little or no forward movement of the axis (body mass). Therefore, there is little or no linear momentum to be converted into rotational momentum – if that were even possible.

Even with hitters like Brett who take long strides with a lot of forward movement, I do not believe the transfer of momentum plays the major role in their hip rotation. The major part of their hip rotation comes from the pelvis being thrusted around by the muscles in the thighs, hips and back – not the transfer of momentum at toe plant.

Try it for yourself. Stand up and take a long stride with your hips closed and see how much the hips tend to rotate without using the muscles to thrust the pelvis around.

Jack Mankin