Posted by: lar () on Wed Feb 14 13:27:01 2001

>>> grc asks a very good, burning question with his post "question about BATSPEED' on Sun Dec 17 12:03:22 2000, right here at batspeed.
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> after reviewing the "El Grande" clips, - your response to grc (on Mon Dec 18 14:47:29 2000) was right dead on target.<<<
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> Hi Ray
>
> When I ran the one-hand vs two-handed bat speed test, I started both swings with a static bat so as to eliminate any bat speed development prior to initiation. The one-hand test was initiated with the hand held high and stationary. Under those conditions I found the results as I described (wider and longer hand-path).
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> When I duplicated the test as shown on Paul’s clip, I found results similar to his. By using a hand motion similar to that of a catcher throwing side-armed to first base (from the chest, up to the ear and then around) I was able to generate a good deal of bat-head speed before body rotation and full initiation began. This did produce a somewhat tighter hand-path but the overall time and length of the swing seems to remain about the same.
>
> I think it is interesting to note that in the one-handed swing, the torque supplied by the wrist is significant factor. This is not as true for the two-handed swing. With just one hand on the bat, the wrist has freedom of movement to apply torque over nearly the total range of the swing. But having both hands on the bat restricts the range of wrist movement. Torque in the two-handed swing is mostly supplied from the push-pull action of the arms.
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> Note: With a bat held in both hands, set down and place your elbows on a table. Note how little bat movement you can obtain with wrist action while keeping both elbows on the table.
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> Jack Mankin
>

I do not think the experiment is valid to baseball unless it's done with a pitched ball. If someone could design that experiment, The issue of bad speed being the sole element of exit speed would be settled. Any rec coach who shag a few fly balls could tell you the ball will travel about as far with a onehanded swing or two handed. Paul's experiment is what one would expect off a T or even side toss.

When that same coach hits a kid's 50mph pitch onehanded and square it's a weaker hit then two handed. A little common sense is in order here. I don't care if Newton himself suggested otherwise. A stronger man will hit the ball longer with the same batspeed as the stringbean. We see it every summer. Why is that if it's only batspeed?