Posted by: Dog (dawg11@flash.net) on Sun Jan 2 20:49:51 2000

> Jack;
> I read your article about the fence drill. It does work but I would not suggest you do "self-toss" of have someone feed you. This drill needs to be more controlled than that.
>
> If you toss to yourself you will probably hit the fence and if you have someone toss to you there is no where for them to run. You will kill them. This is a dry or tee drill only.
>
> Great results will come with dry swings using the drill as you described it. Later, the more experienced hitters may want to incorporate the use of a batting tee. Set the tee as for an inside pitch or down the middle. Again, if you try to hit the outside pitch with this drill you will hit the fence.
>
> The real value of this drill is the coordination of the lower body with the hands. The first movement in the swing (after stride has taken place) is a very proactive lower body. The knob of the bat and the back knee should attack the baseball at relatively,the same time.
>
> This will create a great rotation effect of the hips - the hands have not actually moved at this point - they have simply turned as the body turns. This will enable the hitter to clear the fence with the head of the bat as the hands start their lineiar move to the ball. Thus, keeping the hands inside the ball.
>
> If the hitter's hands move before the piviot of the lower body or the lower body is lazy, the hitter will strike the fence every time.
>
> Great drill! Players can do it with little instruction and improve.
> Skipper, I agree that dry swings work best for this drill, I might add that the distance a player stands away from the fence must be taken into consideration, that is why I liked training with a home plate that is 17 inches or regulation. I suggest setting up at the plate in your regular distance away from the plate while conducting this drill to get a more realistic feel, this will also lead a player to rethink sometimes if they are too close or too far away from the plate, just a thought-humbly-dog