Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Fri Dec 1 13:03:04 2006

Hi All

Below is an e-mail exchange between Jim and I on “Bat Lag” you may find interesting.

Jack Mankin
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>>> Jack,
You ask: "Question – I have seen “Bat Lag” referred to in many different ways. How does RVP define it and what determines if the batter’s “Lag” in good or bad?"
In the following, phrases in quotes come directly from the RVP tutorials.
When the batter is viewed from across the plate (RH batter viewed 90 degrees from the line of the pitch on the 1st base side) the visual cue for the Bat Lag position is when the bat head appears to be pointing toward the catcher. With Major League examples in RVP, it is two frames prior to contact. With Olympic fastpitch examples and our own high school players it is more like three frames prior to contact. (Major leaguers generate more bat speed).
In the RVP tutorials, both Don Slaught (baseball version) and Mike Candrea (softball version) define Bat Lag the same way. It's "the position of the bat just prior to entering the (contact) zone". In the Bat Lag position the batter's weight is already "shifted into the front side with the back heel off the ground". Little or no weight is bearing on the back foot. On the two dimensional computer screen, the hands appear to be in front of the batter's center of gravity with the bat head on the plane of the pitch and pointing toward the catcher. "Hands in front of the center of gravity" is stated by RVP.
RVP stresses the concept of "hitting through a long zone", that is, maximizing the length of time the bat head is on the line of the pitch through the contact zone, thus increasing the chances of making good contact. Correct Bat Lag sets the batter up to hit through a "long zone" by getting the bat on a swing angle that matches the line of the pitch. The hooking hand path not only maintains connection to rotation, but also keeps the sweet spot of the bat on the line of the pitch at the contact point as the bat head is released. Again, hitting through a "long zone".
Bat lag is also important because it is what gives the batter the ability to vary the actual release of the bat head on the ball, creating opportunity for appropriate bat angle and timing for inside, straight, or outside pitch placement.
RVP does not elaborate with examples of bad Bat Lag. However, in my judgment, bad Bat Lag would show up as some bat angle that does not match the line of the pitch. "Casting" would be bad Bat Lag. The caster releases the bat head prematurely, looses the ability to deal successfully with pitch placement, and hits through a short zone. Swinging down through the zone would be another example and is easily spotted at Bat Lag.
I hope I have not rambled too much and have answered your question. You may post my suggestions on the discussion board if you feel they are worthy of that.
Thanks,
Jim <<<

Hi Jim

Thank you for your response to “Bat Lag.” But before I state my thoughts and concerns, I have good news regarding your questions of our programs “Software flexibility.”

4- Software flexibility
Develop software that can utilize video input from any source. Our CV300 will only capture and trim a swing clip it receives from a digital video camera via a firewire cable. It would be a great advantage if the software could receive video input via USB cable, CD/DVD drive, flash drive, or another location on the computer's hard drive.

I just got off the phone with the programmer who is customizing our software. He said, the answer to your questions is “yes” on all counts. The software will accept “video input via USB cable, CD/DVD drive, flash drive, or another location on the computer's hard drive. “

Bat lag

“When the batter is viewed from across the plate (RH batter viewed 90 degrees from the line of the pitch on the 1st base side) the visual cue for the Bat Lag position is when the bat head appears to be pointing toward the catcher.”

I agree with that definition. I do have concerns with the two following statements.

“keeps the sweet spot of the bat on the line of the pitch at the contact point as the bat head is released. Again, hitting through a "long zone".

I agree the swing plane of the bat should match the plane of the incoming pitch. However, the only way the sweet spot can stay longer in the contact zone is for the bat-head to have a lower rate of angular acceleration around the hands. The sweet spot should be attaining its maximum angular acceleration in the contact zone. – Bunting would be an extreme example of “long in the zone.”

“Bat lag is also important because it is what gives the batter the ability to vary the actual release of the bat head on the ball,”

This suggests the bat-head should be more static at the lag position and its acceleration released in the contact zone. I have found that telling a batter “not to release the bat-head to soon” will impair his achieving his potential. The bat-head rotates about 180 degrees form the launch position to contact – it rotates 90 degrees form launch to the lag position and 90 degrees from lag to contact.

There is no way to attain great bat speed at contact with a static bat at the lag position (half a swing). Below is a post I wrote on this topic.
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A key to a great swing

Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Apr 6 15:17:01 2006

Hi All

Your spring batting practice is now probably in high gear and since the board has been down for awhile, I would like to discuss with you the key difference I find between a great hitters’ swing mechanics and the mechanics exhibited by the average hitters. Having good lower-body mechanics to provide rotational energy for the swing is highly important. However, as you practice, it is equally (if not more) important that you develop upper-body mechanics that efficiently transfers that body rotation into bat-head rotation (around the entire swing plane).

I have often pointed out in my writings that what allows the very best hitters to generate their exceptional power and bat speed is their transfer mechanics that first accelerates the bat-head rearward to, and through, the lag position (bat sweeping past the catcher). This means they have already generated considerable bat speed in the rearward portion of the swing plane before they direct their energy toward the ball. However, using upper-body mechanics that first generates rearward acceleration runs counter to the average hitter’s normal tendency to take his hands (and bat-head) toward the ball.

In fact, applying upper-body mechanics that first accelerates the bat-head rearward instead of forward runs so counter to what batters are being taught that only a few are able to successfully make the transition. Most will attempt to incorporate a rearward acceleration with their present extension mechanics and find little success. Added to this, they will receive little positive reinforcement from their coaches and fellow players. This alone can lead most hitters to revert back to traditional instruction.

For you players and coaches who attempt to keep an open mind, I would ask that you spend the time to study (frame-by-frame) a set of clips. – The first two are a rear view of two of the best hitters to ever play the game, Williams and Bonds.

http://firstpickclub.com/video/tedwbackabovefull.mpg
http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/mpg/Bonds01.mpeg

First, note how very similar their swing mechanics are (all the Absolutes are there). -- Second, concentrate on the rearward acceleration of the bat-head they attain from their pre-launch position back to, and through, the lag position (bat sweeping past the catcher). – Third, ask yourself, would the top-hand pushing forward with the palm cause the rearward acceleration of the bat-head we see? Or, would common sense tell you that for the bat-head to move rearward, the top-hand must also be pulling rearward (with the fingers)? --- Note that much of the rearward acceleration takes place before the shoulders begin to rotate. Therefore, it is not body rotation that generates most of this rearward acceleration.

The second set of clips basically illustrates the conventional upper-body swing mechanics being taught.

http://firstpickclub.com/video/fencedrill.mpg
http://webpages.charter.net/nickkio/HandstoBall/Linear05.mpg

First, note that these batters also have lower-body mechanics that rotate them about a stationary axis. The key mechanical difference between them and Bonds or Williams is with the upper-body transfer mechanics they use to bring the bat to contact. – Second, note that driving the top-hand forward during initiation causes the bat-head to just slide over and trail behind the hands well into the swing. Having a more static bat at the lag position means their maximum bat speed is not attained until well after passing through the optimum contact zone. This provides little power to the opposite field and most of their well-hit balls are pulled foul.

Mike Epstein once asked a very important question; “Do we actually teach what we see?” I think most coaches probably do teach a form of what you see in the last two clips. But how many teach their batters the mechanics that attain the rearward acceleration we see in the Williams and Bonds clips? -- These mechanics can help you maximize your potential at the plate? But, can you learn to become proficient in applying them? Maybe with enough patience, a positive attitude and hard work you just might. The best ones did.

Jack Mankin