Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat Jul 14 01:56:03 2001

>>> jack....please see the posts "your analysis please" and "ray: answers 4 U".........even if you do not care to comment on the specific remark that huggens made , can you still give us your opinion as to where the hands/knob should be (relative to front/back hip or front/back foot) at the moment the bat is parrallel to the ground ("bat release point")?........respectfully, grc...<<<

Hi grc

Your assessment of hand position for this subject would probably be more accurate than mine. The location of the hands when the bat becomes parallel was not part of the data I kept when charting swings. However, I believe that the hands would be further extended for a batter using linear mechanics then they would be with rotational mechanics.

The bat-head could remain shoulder high while the hands are extended for a good distance if the batter is driving the knob at the pitcher. If the hands are extended too far before the bat-head lowers below parallel, then there is no way the batter can get the swing plane in-line with the plane of the ball flight (10 to 15 degrees downward). This is one reason "swing down at the ball" is more compatible with linear mechanics.

Rotational mechanics, on the other hand, accelerate the bat-head on a downward arc (in the plain of the swing) back toward the catcher while keeping the hands close to the back-shoulder. So, quite obviously, rotational mechanics would cause the bat-head to become parallel with less extension of the hands than linear mechanics.

Grc, I noticed you referred to the term "bat release point" a couple of times. I am trying to understand "what" is being released at what point. Please help.

Jack Mankin