Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sun Jul 8 12:32:37 2001

>>> there are 2 versions of the fence drill . One is where your shoulders are perpendicular to the fence and the batter and one where the shouldeers are parallel and the batter is facing the fence . Do you not advoacte either? <<<

Hi Tom ......

There are two major concerns I have with the fence drill. I think those concerns would remain regardless of whether the shoulders were parallel or perpendicular.

My first concern is the impact the fence has on the initial direction of the hand-path as the swing is initiated. For maximum transfer of the body's rotational energy, the initial movement of the hands must be more parallel to the "catchers shoulders" (for lack of a better reference). The more the hands are directed parallel with the fence, the more linear the hand-path. This means less of the body's rotational energy will be transferred to develop bat speed. --- In my opinion, the presence of the fence tends to cause the batter to direct his first hand movement more parallel with the fence than perpendicular to it.

My second concern is the effect the presence of the fence has on the direction of the hand-path at contact. The belly button is only 3 to 4 inches from the center of rotation. This means the knob could not be extended out as wide as an open back-hip when the bat becomes perpendicular to the fence (or the ball's line of flight). The hands would need to be sweeping (past the hip) toward 3rd base for the bat to clear the fence. This hand-path should only occur if the batter is jammed with the pitch. --- If the batter develops mechanics that does not have the bat-head to come through until the hands sweep past the hip, what will he do with a curve ball or outside pitch?

Jack Mankin