Posted by: T Olson (timolson@home.net) on Sun Dec 26 00:15:27 1999

Here's a possible take on the torque theory implemented maybe by accident.

One thing that I've done with my son and he's hit better than he ever had was to instruct him to get his rear elbow into the slot position along his right side and essentially keep it there or close to his stomach until extention at contact. This has resulted in tremendous power. My theory was that it creates more leverage and also ensures the hands stay inside the ball. Often, he is completely open (chest facing pitcher and the bat head is still pointing behind the plate. I picked that up from the example batter Jack uses (is that Sosa?). I believe the statement was that "good hitters sometimes look as though their elbow is coming out of their stomach".

We also did a lot of drilling on the idea that there is a one-piece takeway (inward turn) and the shoulders and arms are to move as a unit--at least during the turn-in and start of the swing. So he starts the swing almost in unison with his hips, shoulders, and the rear elbow traveling first to the slot. I believe the time it takes his elbow to "tuck-in", serves to delay forward motion with his rear arm until the front arm stretches enough (from the shoulders turning) to almost create sort of a slingshot effect.

Then, the swing happens very quicky.
Often it takes the bat only 1 frame (30 fps) to go from point where the bat head is pointing behind him--at the catchers head--to the contact point.

This doesn't seem to cause sweeping or casting though--but the bat does come around the shoulder a little more on low pitches.


Tim