Posted by: BB. () on Sun Sep 4 00:05:49 2005

> Hi BB
>
> Welcome to the site -- I have 44 clips of Big Mac that were all taken from the same viewpoint (left-center field). It is apparent in these clips that the farther the ball is outside, the less shoulder rotation he attained by contact. I would agree with you that, unlike Sosa and Bonds, he uses little pre-launch torque and therefore there is little rearward acceleration of the bat-head before shoulder rotation.
>
> However, his degree of shoulder rotation used while accelerating the bat-head rearward to the lag position is notably less on outside pitches than pitches middle-in. To reach the outside pitch, his lead-arm cast more away from his body into a wider path. Applying THT keeps his bat-head accelerating in sync with the wider hand-path. With these mechanics he can pull outside pitches a great distance.
>
> Batters, who initiate the swing without THT to accelerate the bat-head rearward to the lag position, quickly fall behind the power curve on outside pitches and the bat-head lags behind the hands at contact. This results in weakly hit balls to the opposite field.
>
> Jack Mankin

Jack, I think I am clear on what top hand torque CAN do. What I am unclear with is where McGwire applies this torque.

Also, it has been noted that McGwire swung that bat at 99 MPH, at times. Barry Bonds also swung the bat in the upper 90s, as did Sosa. If all three players swung the bat at roughly the same speed (with McGwire the most), and only the two slightly lesser speeds DID feature pre launch torque, then really how much does this technique help? Suppose McGwire applied pre launch torque as effectively as Sosa or Bonds. Would his bat speed be in the 130s, if pre launch torque is as influential as you say it is? I find this hard to believe.