Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Sat Jan 20 15:38:15 2001

Hello Jack,
>
> I would like to get your inputs on something that I've read from one of your post.
>
> I would like to furnish a visual reference to compare the amount of lead arm barring that you feel is acceptable. You'll find the replies (and the replies in part) that I originated my question from below the dashed lines.
>
> Your thoughts/input would be appreciated.
>
> The visual reference is located at http://www.geocities.com/texas_softball/Edgar/Edgar.htm
>
> Thanks, Terry Shaw
>
> ----------------------------------------
> ----------------------------------------
>
>
> Regarding the lead arm:
>
> Jack wrote in a previous post (in part):
>
> I do not mean to say the lead arm must be locked
> or ridged. But if given the choice of having the
> lead elbow bent 20+ degrees or locked -I would
> take locked every time.
>
> and
>
> Did the batter develop a circular-hand-path by
> keeping the lead arm fairly straight across his
> chest during rotation - or did the lead elbow
> bend (elbow at the pitcher) and allow the “hands
> to come thru” on a straighter coarse.
>
>
>
> The original post is pasted below.
>
>
> Re: Re: Re: bent lead arm at contact
>
> Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on
> Mon Jan 15 12:28:31 2001
>
>
> Maximum wrote:
>
> >>>So should we have our front arm extended so
> the elbow joint is locked, or should it
> just have a slight bend to it? Ted Williams has
> some pictures in his book showing a
> slight bend in his front arm, but somehow he is
> the best hitter ever! <<<
>
>
> Hi Maximum
>
> I do not mean to say the lead arm must be locked
> or ridged. But if given the choice of having the
> lead elbow bent 20+ degrees or locked -I would
> take locked every time.
>
> Too many coaches and players think that having
> good lower body mechanics that
> cause the hip and shoulder to rotate around a
> stationary axis defines a hitter as using
> rotational mechanics. This is only a half-truth.
> Most hitters rotate their hips and shoulders. The
> number one factor that defines a rotational
> hitter is his “transfer mechanics”. -- Did the
> batter develop a circular-hand-path by keeping
> the lead arm fairly straight across his chest
> during rotation - or did the lead elbow bend
> (elbow at the pitcher) and allow the “hands to
> come thru” on a straighter coarse.
>
> Good transfer mechanics requires that the
> rotating lead shoulder is constantly
> supplying a strong pull (linkage) to the knob end
> of the bat. ---This would be true
> whether you are a Little Leaguer or Ted Williams.
>
>
> Jack Mankin

Terry-

This is a great way to look at mechanics,just as in Paul Nyman's sequential still shots of Nolan Ryan.I wanted to comment briefly on the lower body/upperbody/axis of rotation.He keeps the axis back so nicely.What is the time interval between frames?

In Edgar you can see how the torso stays back while the lower body starts rotating forward.The last bit of this stretching(what Epstein calls torque)happens as the back ankle has rolled and the back knee has turned.The torso only whips forward as the front heel comes down.The back elbow is down,but the bat still back at this point.He seems to have good connection as Jack emphasizes with great angular displacement as the shoulder turn starts.The back leg is just starting to drag behind the front in the last frame,indicating that the hip turn is slowing to whip energy into the torso turn before contact.