Posted by: grc () on Tue Jun 5 12:53:15 2001

In reading the Charlie Lau school of thought much is said about hitting the ball slightly downwards to create backspin. In your video you don't discuss this at all...what are your thoughts on this and is there a different technique needed to achieve backspin when swinging with rotational mechanics?
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> This is the way it was explained by Epstein on how torque rotational mechanics do this:
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> "You need to regulate the swing through "weathervaning" the lead elbow. If a player is taught correctly to get the plane of his swing on the plane of the pitch, he not only increases his contact area immeasurably, but sets himself up correctly to hit line drives. IF, the player is a little "late," he will hit the bottom-half of the ball which will produce a fly ball with "back spin," a desirable combination; a fly ball with "carry" to it. On the other hand, if he is a little "early," he will hit the top-half of the ball, producing a ground ball with "over spin," another highly favorable combination; a ground ball which gains momentum. Now, if the player times the pitch correctly and hits it dead-on, the stronger hitters can actually stop the rotation of the pitch altgether, producing 100 mph "knuckle balls." I did it for nine years in the big leagues, trying to catch these line drives playing first base. They're murder to catch -- no matter WHERE they're hit. So, if a hitter can match the plane of his swing to the plane of the pitch, lots of great things can happen. He has the best of all possible worlds!"
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> Hope this helps, it sure makes sense to me



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> i don't know much about the weathervaning concept, although it sounds intriguing & i would love to learn more about it....in the meantime, i'll give my 2 cents.....i take exception with lau's assertion that you obtain backspin by hitting down on the ball.....all that might accomplish is ground balls with backspin....and the difference in a grounder with backspin vs. no back spin is that the friction of ball and ground will always cause the ball to slow down, but the ball with backspin will not slow down quite as quick............what you want is backspin with the ball hit in the air.....and this is achieved not by swinging down, it is achieved simply by contacting the ball about 1/2 inch below center of ball...........steve garvey said this is always how he achieved backspin............there was a book published called "keep your eye on the ball", authored by bahill and someone....it goes into much more scientific detail than adair's book ...there is an entire chapter analyzing how far below center of ball to contact it in order to achieve maximum backspin....maybe lau should read that book......respectfully, grc.....