Posted by: The Hitting Guru () on Sat Nov 4 16:37:24 2006

> >>> While I disagree with Gym Teacher's double extension model of the swing, I part with you in another respect--the swing plane. Jack, why is the swing plane so important, when A-Rod, to name one major player, exhibits a wavy swing plane?
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> I understand that Griffey Jr. fits your model of consistent planes; however, Barry Bonds does not. In fact, Barry "scoops sand" before attempting to hit the pitch.
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> Please clarify your position on swing planes, and, if possible, direct me to visuals that agree with your postural assessment of the swing.
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> One more thing--do you consider an inconsistent swing plane the mark of a linear hitter? <<<
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> Hi BHL
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> A good hitter consistently hits the ball hard. To hit the ball hard, the batter’s mechanics must generate good bat speed. To make consistent contact, the bat’s trajectory must be in a plane that matches the plane of the incoming ball. As you know, I have often stated that length of the bat, the hands and lead-arm should remain in the same plane from initiation to contact.
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> Paul Nyman produced an animation that illustrates the bat and lead-arm remaining in the same plane during the swing. You can view it at –
> http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=51455 – Note that a good swing plane appears as a flat disc. Inconsistent contact occurs when the bat’s trajectory arcs below and above the plane of the lead-arm (appears more like a sine wave than a flat disc).
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> You can view the bat remaining in the plane of the lead-arm in this video clip of Griffey Jr. -- http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/mpg/griffey_ken1.mpeg – Frame forward to the frame just before he initiates shoulder rotation. Note from that point, that the bat remains in the plane of the lead-arm.
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> Youthbaseball does not have a clear frontal view of Bonds’ swing. However, even with this rear view of his swing (http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/mpg/Bonds01.mpeg ), you will note that his bat remains in the plane of his lead-arm. – I have seen video of his swing where the head of his bat travels slightly higher than the plane of the arm. But his bat-head remained in a consistent relationship to the plane – not waving below and above the plane.
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> In the late 1980s, I taped hundreds of MLB games. From those, I selected clips of great hitters who were in a prolonged batting slumps. In almost every case, I would note that their mechanics was producing flaws in their swing planes. Rather than appearing as a flat disc, it looked more like a sine wave.
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> Jack Mankin

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Hi Jack. Do you believe the sine wave is a by product of the hitter picking the ball up late or not starting his swing mechanics on time?