Posted by: ray porco () on Sun Aug 21 14:50:03 2005

> > hello, is anybody here?
> >
> > does anybody know what i'm referring to?
>
> ray, in my opinion the "L" is very crucial for an inside pitch....i think that as the top arm extends beyond the "L" there is a corresponding decrease in hip rotation...in other words, where the xt beyond the "L" starts is the point where the shoulder rotation slows, and in effect the swing is finishing up in a hands-to-ball mode...
>
> on the outside pitch, an xt of the top arm is almost a necessity...on the inside pitch, with the "L" there is a direct path of the bat to the ball, whereas on the outside pitch there is not...for the outside pitch there is a certain amount of redirection of the bat that has to take place ...putting it another way, you can't hit the outside pitch if you can't "reach" it....putting it yet another way, if you swing at an outside pitch with an "L", particulary a "tight" "L", it would be the tip of the bat (if any part of the bat at all) that would contact the ball...of course this does indeed result in the hips rotating less fully than for an inside pitch...
>
> from what i see in the clips, my own as well as others,for the inside pitch most major league homeruns show contact with the top arm in the "L" position and the hips in complete rotation...but for the outside pitch i see mainly full xt of the top arm and maybe 15 degrees or so less of full rotation...


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I really don't know how important the "L" is because I really don't know how it's defined. I did not create the expression. What we need is a definition from the creator.

BUT...........

I do know that the letter "L" forms a 90 degree angle and I don't see that happening with either arm at contact.

AND

the further inside or outside the pitch is from center of the plate, the greater the angle between the forearm and upper arm (talking about the top hand arm in the swing)and the more the elbow is distanced from the side (hip).

Teaching the "L" position can be confusing to a young hitter. He may think that he isn't supposed to allow the angle at the elbow to open up or permit the elbow to leave the side.

Better to teach "slotting". A sliding slot.