Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Tue Nov 28 11:50:12 2006

>>> Hi all,

I have engaged in a ceaseless debate on a local forum regarding an old subject...whether or not hitters swing down or up to the ball. Most instructors and coaches in my area definitely fall into the "down to the ball" camp. In entering the debate, I provided detailed videos showing MLB hitters clearly swing up to contact at a 5-10 degree angle..not the diagonally down path that everyone seems to teach.

In responding to this debate, one "advisary" claimed that his son takes hitting lessons from a current MLB hitting instructor, who, in fact preaches to swing down...and regardless of my video analysis, his credentials as a MLB hitting coach trump anything I could possibly present.

Jack, I hate to make a request, but I believe that you were once in a similar situation in debating Reggie Smith. If possible, could you share that experience and could anyone give their opinions on how much weight pro credentials carry when debating these topics...how do you feel about the idea that a non-professional coach could not possibly be as knowledgable as a Pro coach... <<<

Hi Axis

It has been my experience that although video analysis clearly shows the best MLB hitters exhibit rotational transfer mechanics, most will still define their swings with old linear principles and cues. As the following experience of Don Slaught had with Bonds reveals, Bonds actually believed his bat should be angling downward at contact (as mentioned in Melvin’s post).

"Always, when this conversation arises, I remember a story Don Slaught told me about talking w/ Barry Bonds about his swing. Bonds said he "was hitting all right, but didn't think he was swinging down sharply enough to contact." Slaught told him that in fact, like all MLB hitters, he swung UP to contact. Bonds vehemently denied the possibility of this. Slaught used RVP {Right View Pro} to convince Bonds, and later heard him walk up to ARod at the All Star Game batting practice and say, "Alex, you know you don't swing down to the ball, right?"

I have had similar experiences with MLB players and coaches. When I met with Reggie Smith (Dodgers batting coach) to discuss Strawberry’s batting problems, VCRs with frame-by-frame capabilities were just becoming available. It quickly become evident that Reggie had not had the opportunity to study the swing frame-by-frame. He was so locked into linear principles that he could not accept what saw.

Regardless of what the frame-by-frame revealed, he would not accept that Strawberry’s axis did not move linear forward during the swing nor would he accept that his hands followed a circular path (over-head view). He insinuated that I must have “doctored” the tape. At that point, I lost my temper and called our meeting to a close.

Jack Mankin