Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat May 1 11:21:46 2010

(Joe)
>>> Hi Everyone,

Jack, thank you so very much for all of your hard work and research on this topic, and for making it available for others to learn from.

I need to play devil's advocate please.

Do the good/great MLB hitters really feel and know that they are applying bottom and top hand torque? Are they consciously making it a point to apply bottom and top hand torque as is explained in these videos? I can understand that after practicing and practicing that this technique becomes second nature to them in a game and perhaps they are not conscious of this in a game, but surely they would consciously practice and know this during batting practice? Why are we not hearing these forces described by them?

It seems like this technique is a secret or treated as a secret. When one looks at the mechanics used by the MLB players. They all seem to have this exact same "cookie cutter" framework. I can't understand why almost everyone coaching baseball from middle school on up doesn't know about this. Why in the heck is ~"everyone" telling their players to swing "level"?

This isn't an X-Files episode is it? <<<

Hi Joe

I seriously doubt if most MLB hitters, especially the older ones, ever heard the term "torque" used in describing swing mechanics. A few may have heard the term used in reference to hip rotation, but I would bet that, few if any, MLB hitters associate "torque" with forces applied to the handle of a bat. -- At least, not until recently.

Until I presented findings from my study that 'torque applied at the handle' was a 'major' factor in the generation of bat speed, all noted batting authorities had concluded that torque was a 'none' factor. Professor Robert Adair, auther of "The Physics of Baseball," was a consultant to the National League for scientific topics. He wrote in his book that any force applied through the hands to the handle would have "negligible" influence on the bat's acceleration.

It was not just "torque" that was discounted. All rotational principles were presented negatively to young hitters. -- Taking the hands in a circular path (CHP), was called "Casting," or taking the hands "outside" the ball. -- Bat on an up-slope at contact, was called "Looping." -- Rotating about a stationary axis, was called "Spinning." -- Etc. Etc.

When these MLB hitters were forming their thoughts on hitting, they were being taught linear principles -- straight motions are good and circular motions are bad. So when they are asked about their mechanics, what terms would we expect them to use?

Joe, invoking the term "cookie cutter" can be counted on to raise some eyebrows. They will tell you that there is no one way to hit a ball - successful hitters can exhibit many different styles of hitting. -- What are your thoughts on the post below.

Style vs Absolutes

Jack Mankin