Posted by: Major Dan (markj89@charter.net) on Wed Oct 17 10:21:10 2001

>>> As my son, Matt, works on using pre-launch top hand torque, he sometimes pulls his bottom hand down as he pulls his top hand back. THis of course results in dropping the barrel of the bat and either popping up or hitting a high fly ball.
> I've seen this type of error as a common pitfall on the road to using this technique properly.
> Anyone else see this happen during the learning curve?
> During Bonds' chase for the HR title, I got to see him swing a few times (that's about all the swings he got from the Astros!). Bonds certainly uses tht and pre-launch tht at that. But his initiation is similar to many of the old time players - his hands are held low. Rather than keeping his bottom hand up and pulling back with his top hand, he lifts his bottom hand while pulling back with the top hand.
> I tried this myself just to experiment. If you do it correctly, the bottom hand assists the pre-launch tht. Rather than the top hand pulling around a stationary bottom hand, the two hands torque the handle. Its actually easier to get the bat torquing that way.
> I've seen clips of Ted Williams and Babe Ruth who also used this technique.
> Any opinios on this? <<<
>
> Hi Major Dan
>
> A close study on Bonds’ mechanics show, as you described, that his bottom hand is moving up and back during pre-launch tht. But, other great hitters start with their hands above the shoulders and the bottom hand is moving back and down during pre-launch tht. So it is hard to say which is best for most hitters.
>
> I would recommend that a coach or player first gain a good understanding of the principles and benefits of applying pre-launch torque. Then, as you did, study the mechanics of a great hitter and emulate those proven characteristics into your swing. – Don’t believe that whooey that those mechanics only works for that player or you must be some phenomenal athlete to made them work for you. Average hitters have evolved into great hitters by allowing their mechanics to evolve to a higher level.
>
> Jack Mankin
>
>
Jack -
If the bottom hand goes back and down, it is somewhat susceptable to pull forward and down at the start of the swing - a definite negative to rotational hitting. I agree there is no 'one right way'. I found it interesting that starting pre-launch tht by lifting the hands both eliminates bottom hand forward pull AND lets both hands participate in applying the torque.
Its also interesting that, as I said, a number of old time players used this technique. Then the strike zone was high and narrow.
THe style disappeared along with the low wide strike zone of recent years. FUnny that Bonds has had so much success this year as the strike zone was raised, at least somewhat, once again.
Do you think these things are related?