Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun May 6 10:41:39 2001

Hi Murph

That’s fairly close. Below is a post from the archives that may cover what you are referring to.

>>>My interpretation of Jack's observations is that the acceptable Mcgwire type "pulling"(hitting outside of ball) mechanics are enabled by emphasis on chp (circular hand-path) and lots of top hand torque at initiation rather than by specific physical attributes (strength, long arms etc). In other words, it is more a matter of learning mechanics as to how productive this can be. If the pitch is middle in there is more emphasis on ongoing torso turn which delays the bat-head coming out and provides good plate coverage for getting the sweetspot on the middle pitch. If the player is jammed, tightening the arc of the hand path/lean back/shortening the lead arm can keep the bat-head back longer (top-hand doesn't release as soon) keeping the ball fair with good elevation and batspeed. This would seem to be a more similar/continuous set of adjustments (chp in all cases) than circular hand-path inside/extending hand-path outside which is what Schmidt describes among others and sounds like your description. While this may be difficult, it seems that more of the most productive hitters are evolving to this mostly chp style.

Do you (or Jack) think this interpretation is reasonable ?

I have found that trying to hit the inside of the ball (cue not reality) on the inside pitch does promote the chp. If you know you need a chp and you don't delay trying to get the bat-head out by dragging the bat (push knob instead of turn bat early in swing). This seems to produce (in some) the pulling back of the bottom hand /lean back that keeps the inside ball fair that you discovered by other means. <<<

Hi Tom

The bat speed of a great hitter requires both torque and the transfer of the body’s rotational energy via the chp. Torque supplies about 50% of the bat speed and comes from a combination of top-hand-torque to start the swing and bottom-hand-torque to bring the bat to contact. Most average hitters have a fair chp but lack both THT and BHT.

I think one of the main reasons the torque and chp hitters are leading the performance stats is because they do not need to change their basic swing mechanics due to pitch placement. They are able to use the same mechanics regardless of where the pitcher throws to them and still hit the ball hard. The only adjustment they need to make is a slight change in how they initiate the swing. Once that change is made - their mechanics for the balance of the swing is on autopilot regardless of where the pitch is.

The change in the batter’s initiation that programs the swing is controlled mainly by the direction of pull of the top hand. In other words, the direction of pull of the top hand at initiation sets up trajectories (of the bat, limbs and body) that control the balance of the swing.

As an example - say the pitchers mound is at 6 o’clock and the plate is at 12 o’clock - On an inside pitch the direction of pull of the top hand is in tight, say at 11 o’clock, the back elbow will come almost straight down to the batters side with little rotation of the shoulders. The pulling back of the back-arm keeps the lead-arm across the chest and generates a tight hand-path and thus a low-load resistance to shoulder rotation. The back elbow coming fairly straight down means less top-hand-torque was developed and the batters finishes the swing with a lot lead shoulder pull and bottom-hand-torque.

On a pitch more in the middle 2/3’s of the plate, the pull of the top hand is more straight-away - or at 12 o’clock. With a more straight-away pull, the shoulders rotate a few degrees as the back elbow lowers to the batter’s side allowing a greater amount of top-hand-torque to be applied. This direction of pull also causes the lead arm to cast slightly away from the chest and generates a somewhat wider hand-path. A wider hand-path generates greater bat speed and a higher load resistance to rotation. Less shoulder rotation through contact means less bottom-hand-torque. So on the pitch in the mid-part of the plate, what we wind up with is greater bat speed from a wider hand-path and more balance between bottom and top-hand-torque being applied.

On recognizing an outside pitch, the batters pull of the top hand is more away from center - or at 1 o’clock. This direction of pull causes the back elbow to sweep some distance before full body rotation begins and the elbow lowers. This allows top-hand-torque to be applied over a much greater portion of the swing. This direction of pull also causes the lead arm to cast out farther and develops a wide hand-path and thus a heavy resistant load to rotation. The greater load limits shoulder rotation which equates to less bottom-hand-torque being applied. So, on the outside pitch the swing produces a wide hand-path with a lot of top-hand-torque and less bottom-hand-torque. – With less shoulder rotation on outside pitches, the lead leg may not be fully extended while the back-arm becomes more extended.

Jack Mankin