Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat Apr 16 16:36:59 2005

>>> Jack, I am entering a fastpitch softball league. I am currently working with a pretty good pitcher when I take batting practice. I have recently started to get my timing. I am hitting line drives to all feilds. However, one of the problems I am having is with elevating the ball. This may be because I am used to the pitch dropping more from 60'6'' away in baseball. With an oncoming pitch coming at a closer distance there is less drop and that's one of the adjustments I need to make.
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> The question I have for you concerns front side mechanics. When I have worked on a tee recently, I have been pulling my front knee around to a stiff front leg like you suggest in many of your posts. However, as I do this, it feels like my front shoulder is pulling to hard and I am having trouble keeping my balance. When facing live pitching I have trouble keeping both hands on the bat on the follow-through. I also notice that my back leg hasn't rotated to it's L position as I finish. As a result, I am having trouble pulling the ball with any authority (jamming myself). This practice has also caused me to pop up pitches low and away (this location has alway been a weak spot for me, I like pitches up and in).
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> Am I stressing my front side too much? Do you know any drills to properly use my rear side? Please reply with any help you can give me and it will be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks, Meathead <<<

Hi Meathead

I am getting mixed signals from your description of your swing. Normally, having to let go of the bat with the top-hand to complete the follow-through is caused from the lack of shoulder rotation and extension of the led-leg. It sounds to me from your description, that you have a more linear swing with the bat still on a down-slope at contact. However, I would need to study a video of your swing to give you a definitive analysis and recommendations.

Jack Mankin