Posted by: Jeff (kidd@islc.net) on Sun Jan 2 15:59:00 2000

Hi Skipper,

Your description of bottom hand extension and the contribution of the "tripping effect" on bat speed is well-travelled ground here. In fact, I argued that precise point to Jack in a previous thread and am still not convinced it's not the primary force at work in the creation of batspeed.

However, Jack argued the hands don't slow to speed up the bat, they slow BECAUSE they speed up the bat. I didn't get his point at first, but then realized he was talking about simple conservation of energy. Had you read my post a bit more carefully and been cognizant of the previous conversation, you would have realized the basketball illustration was not to suggest there's some kind of rebounding effect in the swing; rather it to demonstrate a general principle that I believe governed Jack's argument.

By the way, the bat "accelerates;" it does not "excellerate." (Does frontal lobe injury diminish spelling ability?)

Regards,
Jeff