Posted by: ray porco (rporco@verizon.net) on Fri Jul 29 18:04:48 2005

phil,

Your quote:
“In my opinion, the only force that the hands apply directly is a gripping force.”

I disagree with your opinion.
try a simple experiment:

hold your bat vertically in one hand (either). extend your arm straight out in front of your face. hold the bat lightly.
now slowly lower the bat toward the top of your head. do not allow any movement of wrist joint or elbow joint (freeze them). lower the bat till it lightly touches (but does not rest) on the top of your head. do you feel the pressure in the webbed area between your thumb and index finger? do you feel the pressure on your pinky finger?
now raise the bat to verticle (again keeping the wrist and arm frozen).
firing order - pinky, ring, bird, and index.

how about if your fired those fingers at just the right time, in a baseball swing, that is?
can't provide any negligible power? how about someone who fly fishes, or cracks a bullwhip?

I think you should read:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/j/u/jus149/handfinger/handandbrain/handandbrain.htm



Your quote:
“Forces that effect bat speed (ie hip, torso rotation, unfolding of the arms, unhinging of the wrists) are applied through the hands, and through out the swing.”

Through out the swing, EXCEPT for the moment of contact?????? How do you stop the forces applied through the hands PRIOR to contact??????




Your quote:
“Obviously, as the bat speeds up it must be gripped tighter to be held on to, but the tightening is more reflexive than anything.”

Disagree. What about manipulation?
Please see:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15580485


In pitching, are the hands only for gripping the ball? And in my simple experiment above, does it not take force by the hand to lower the bat to your head, prevent it from hitting your head, and raising it?




My quote:
“So, can I conclude that if a bat is permitted to recoil, there will be a loss of ball exit speed? And what do you suppose would permit a bat to recoil more from ball impact, a firm or loose grip?

You agree, but say that a FIRM grip would permit the bat to recoil more from ball impact?????? How do you reason that?