Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Dec 20 14:57:13 2006

Hi Tom

I agree with your opening statement. – “A better matched swing plane with acceleration of the bat further back in the swing arc is imposssible if good loading/coiling is rushed/interrupted as it typically is by wantint to load up and push the handpath with the dominant back arm. This starts the bathead acceleration too far forward in the arc,lessens quickness of acceleration by suboptimizing coil and gives a plne that cuts across the ball.”

I am somewhat puzzled with your second statement; “The cue can also be though of as trying to avoid early "casting" by keeping the wrists cocked so they do not ADduct until late/near contact, but better coil/loading is a more primary requirement here.”

Tom, most of your writings advocates mechanics that generate early development of bat speed. Therefore, I assume you would disagree with “avoid early "casting" of the bat-head. This cue (“avoid early "casting") seems to advocate delaying the acceleration of the bat-head until later in the swing.

I find the best hitters are constantly applying force to attain maximum acceleration of the bat-head (casting around the plane) from launch to contact. I would say that this rear view of Bonds -- http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/mpg/Bonds01.mpeg – shows this.

Jack Mankin