Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed May 23 09:47:11 2001

>>> JACK, Kate has been releasing the top handon the outside pitch( as you suggest in a number of differnt areas)and hitting nice liners to the right side.Previously she had been popping these pitches up or for the most part getting under the ball too much when I made the mistake of letting her keep her both hands on the bat.Does this adjustment result in the desired rips or has her confidence gone up and is that the reason for the improvement.She was doing every thing correctly except letting go with the top hand.please reply at yoour convenience-larry <<<

Hi Larry

Good to hear from you again. ---In order to get good wood on outside pitches requires that contact be made before the lead shoulder fully rotates. From this position the bat’s energy will be directed more in the direction of the second baseman than the pitcher or shortstop. Releasing the top-hand allows the bat’s energy to coast out in a smoother wider arc. A hard jerk to the wrists occurs if the top-hand remains on the bat.

Driving an outside pitch also requires good bat speed (with a bat of substance). Without full shoulder rotation the bat speed must come from a greater amount of torque being applied earlier in the swing. This means that THT must be applied all the way to contact. On outside pitches, have Kate think of the bottom-hand as a pivot-point for the top-hand to pull the bat-head around. --- Remember – body rotation, and the bat’s reaction to it, will accelerate the hand-path. The top-hand must be pulling back (straightening the lead-arm) at initiation.

If the direction of top-hand pull is slightly away (toward the catcher’s right shoulder), the lead arm should cast away from the body during rotation and allow the bat to reach outside pitches with great bat speed.

Jack Mankin