Posted by: Scott (stwinton@netzero.net) on Tue Apr 26 10:08:11 2005

> >>> What gets you to the correct contact point sooner on a inside Fastball: CHP or an A to B extension swing? <<<
>
> Hi Scott
>
> A swing with CHP accompanied with BHT and THT requires 4 to 4 1/2 video frames (Bonds and Pujols) from initiation to contact for pitches middle-in. During that time, their hands travel about 22 to 24 inches. The hands of the average pro hitters with a straighter hand-path travels 6 to 10 inches farther and requires 5 to 5 1/2 frames.
>
> Great hitters use THT to generate early acceleration of the bat-head (first rearward toward the catcher) and then apply BHT to accelerate the bat to contact. This allows them to bring the bat to contact before the back elbow extends out of the "L" position. Average hitters extend the hands (more A to B) to generate bat speed out in front of the shoulder. Their hands and back-elbow are nearing full extension at contact -- 6 to 10 inches past the "L" position.
>
> Scott, as the linear (A to B extension) batter's hands are extending out farther and farther toward full extension -- is their swing getting shorter and more compact?
>
> >>> What pitch location using a CHP will your hands remain inside the pitched ball? <<<
>
> Have you ever seen Bonds' hands go 'outside' the pitched ball? Name me one pro hitter whose hands do go outside any ball in the strike zone.
>
> >>> Is there a different CHP for different pitch locations...or is it the same? <<<
>
> Scott, I can't believe you are actually asking these questions. Of course the hands take a wider path for outside pitches and a tighter path for inside pitches.
>
> Jack Mankin

Equating the hand speed of Bonds with anyone in the major Leagues is unfair, attempting to use his hand path and speed as a teaching model for little league, jr. high, high school and college players is in my opinion is very unsound and wrought with swings that any trained eye will see as long, casty, loopy and filled with holes...what Bonds can do hand speed wise has never been seen or equaled in the history of the game.

Bonds stands virtually on top of the plate, so it stands to reason that a pitch on the inside black with a CHP would at some point (his hands) be outside the baseballs path...? From his starting position on this pitch how far away do his hands get from his chest (especially if his first move is perpendicular to the flight of the ball)...if he is as you say 'never outside' the pitched ball, then this path is by far much more angular (A to B) than rotational or circular.