Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Sat Jun 18 08:32:23 2005

Ed-
Great question !
(that just means a question I have already thought about,not necessarily that this is a good answer)

My speculation is that hitting parallels at a macro level some of the more micro findings of motor learning/motor control literatutre,but this may well be a bogus connection.

The macro level theory would be that the main goal of the power rotational swing (as opposed to any more placement oriented swing) given the constraints such as reaction time/structure of strike zone in MLB,is to minimize timing error.Spatial error optimization is of secondary importance. This would fit with the traditional 'truism" that hitting is timing and pitching is upsetting timing.

Motor theory would predict that the greatest source of error is programming and executing the DURATION of the swing from "launch" to contact,all of which would be nice to define/agree on definitions.

What I would propose is that to minimize timing error there needs to be an optimal combination of the path of the bathead being as short as possible (center of mass of bat should displace as little as possible from moment it leaves arc of handpath until contact)
and that this path be traversed as fast as possible,reaching escape velocity at contact (apply these requirements to the "ballistic" type motion of the bat).The ultimate goal would therefore be in lay terms a "quick" swing,which also has the advantage of allowing more
time for pitch recognition and adjustment before "launch".As Jack points out,adjustment becomes less and less possible as the swing proceeds.This approach would then lower swing duration error and minimize overall timing error while spatial error remains acceptable.

This would then mean that trying to lengthen time in the zone will excessively degrade swing quickness and consistency if the goal is power,not placement.It would be better to have a specific goal in mind,power vs placement,a specific plan in mind for a given swing
and as important,good self knowledge-what are my strengths and weaknesses and how do I handle different locations and situations.

I think slumping would be greatly minimized if the goal was clear for a given swing and in the case of a power swing,the player focussed on executing mechanics that optimize quickness NOT trying to blend batspeed AND length of time bathead is in zone.Bathead in
zone becomes important for placement swings which are best thought of as a separate skill to execute (think of baseball as requiring a LONG LONG list of fairly separate skills that must be mastered over a career/lifetime).

Most traditional analysis of hitting is then inaccurate because the goal of the skill is unclear and fixes for placement are confused with fixes for power.Power hitters will focus,for example on keeping bathead in zone longer which then greatly reduces swing quickness which then greaty increases swing timing error which then greatly reduces performance.In more specific terms,I personally think the power hitter needs to focus on getting better dynamics of body coiling/uncoiling and the upper body mechanics (chp/bht/tht/"transfer mechanics" as jack cals them) that promote/permit this. Instead,most schools of thought will as a result of faulty analysis,try "fixes" that dgrade arm action and
inhibit body coil.Trying to be short to AND long through instead of focussing on being quick (how to be quick is the complicated thing described here),for example, usually means a long handpath,interruption of coil prematurely and loss of swing quickness.