Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Oct 25 19:38:02 2006

>>> Hi Mr.Mankin
Thanks to replying back. Your site is a great tool to every player and person wanting to more about hitting. Getting back to the question, referring when a batter gets in launch position. Like Bonds when he strides forward, his bat barrel points back toward the pitcher. It seems like his swing is shorter and also A-Rod does, Chipper. What I guess I am talking about is not wrapping the bat or not letting the bat get flat. Seems like all great hitters bat heads are up, pointing toward the pitcher when striding. <<<

Hi Jonny

I have defined the type of mechanic you are describing as “Pre-Launch Torque.” This mechanic is used by many of the top hitters to accelerate the bat-head from a cocked forward position rearward to the normal launch position. I refer to it as “Pre-launch” because the bat is being accelerated before the rotation of the shoulders is initiated. I will place below a post that explains the difference between THT (Top-Hand-Torque) and Pre-launch torque (PLT).

Jack Mankin
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In order to generate maximum bat speed at contact, the better hitters first accelerate the bat-head rearward toward the catcher before rotating and directing their energies at the ball. The purpose of Top-Hand-Torque is to apply forces to the bat that will accelerate the bat-head in an arc back toward the catcher. With many hitters, Bonds and Sosa to name a couple, the bat-head is accelerated back in two phases.

The first phase occurs prior to shoulder rotation and we refer to it as “Pre-launch” Torque. During this phase, the batter starts with the bat cocked forward toward the pitcher and has his hands some distance from the back-shoulder. Bonds, for example, starts with his hands low and forward from the back-shoulder. As he prepares the launch position, his hands (as a unit) are brought up and pulled to the back-shoulder.

The bat-head is being accelerated into the normal launch position by the top-hand being pulled back at a faster rate than the bottom hand (THT). Therefore, the hands as a unit are being pulled to the back-shoulder but the top-hand is moving faster, or, arcing around the bottom-hand. During the pre-launch phase, one can clearly see the top-hand being pulled up and back (or toward the catcher).

The second phase of THT occurs during initiation as shoulder rotation begins. The direction of force applied by the top-hand at initiation continues to be rearward, but shoulder rotation accelerates the hands (as a unit) around and forward. Therefore, once shoulder rotates begins, the hands (as a unit) are viewed moving forward, but the rearward directional force of the top-hand causes it (and the bat-head) to arc around the bottom-hand.

Many good hitters do not use pre-launch torque in their swings. They apply THT at initiation as described for the second phase. Since they are applying THT as the shoulder start turning, the hands (as a unit) will always be viewed moving forward. --- Nike, the clips you are showing has the batters starting with the bat at (or past) the normal launch position.

Note: With linear mechanics, at initiation, the direction of force of the top-hand and the hands (as a unit) are both forward. This results in a straighter hand-path. --- With THT, the rearward directional force of the top-hand results in the hand-path being directed more parallel with the catcher’s shoulders into a more circular hand-path (CHC).