Posted by: rql () on Sat Jul 14 15:13:56 2001

RECENTLY AT A BATTING CAGE I OBSERVED THIS COLLEGE KID KILLING THE BALL, HIS SWING LOOKED GREAT WITH A GREAT FOLLOW THROUGH, I ASKED HIM HOW HE LEARNED TO HIT LIKE THAT HE SAID HIS HIGH SCHOOL COACH TOLD HIM TO PRETEND THE BALL WAS A TOMATOE AND THE SWEET PART OF THE BAT WAS A MACHETE AND TO TRY TO SLICE RIGHT THROUGH IT, HE SAID THINKING THIS HE HAS MADE BETTER CONTACT WITH THE SWEET PART OF THE BAT, BECAUSE AN INSIDE PITCH HE HAS TO PULL AND AN OUTSIDE PITCH HE HAS TO GO THE OTHER WAY AND SLICING THROUGH IT HAS GIVEN HE GREAT EXTENSION, HE SAID HE HAS TO LET GO WITH THE TOP HAND AND I KNOW THAT CHARLIE LAU JR SAID IF YOU ARE EXTENDING RIGHT YOU WILL LET GO WITH THE TOP HAND, ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS THEORY OF SLICING THROUGH THE TOMATOE.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>sOUNDS TO ME LIKE THIS KID IS TAKING A LINEAR HAND PATH WITH LITTLE SHOULDER ROTATION.tHE EXTENSION AND THE RELEASE OF THE TOP HAND COINCIDE BECAUSE HE IS OFTEN HITTING THE BALL FURTHER OUT FRONT THAN HE SHOULD BUT THE EXTENSION WITH THE LOWER HAND KEEPS THE BARREL BACK AND THE RELEASE OF TOP HAND DOES'NT ALLOW IT TO COME FORWARD,SO HE GETS ON PLANE THEN KEEPS THE FAT PART OF BAT SLICING THROUGH THE PLANE OF THE BALL WITH A GREATER AREA OF FLAW FOR TIMING WHILE KEEPING THE FAT OF BAT AT BALL.cLASSIC LINEAR INSIDE OUT SWING LIKE BOGGS AND GWYNN OFTEN DID.tHE SHORTNESS OF THE SWING IS ACTUALLY A SHORTER DISTANCE THE BARREL IS TRAVELING YET THE BOTTOM HAND IS TRAVELING FURTHER AT A SLOWER PACE.