Posted by: Jimmy () on Tue Feb 20 10:43:30 2007

> In the meantime, I thought you might like to watch a sample of what we will be demonstrating in the Swing Analysis Program. In the clip below, we address a topic recently discussed on the board - swing plane and upward path of the bat at contact. Click
on the picture below to view the video (3mb -- need windows movie player).
>
> <a href="http://www.batspeed.com/media/justin_swing_plane.wmv"><img
src="http://www.batspeed.com/images/justin_swing_plane.jpg"></a>
>
> Jack Mankin

Jack,

The explaination of how the hitter can be early or late and still make solid contact on the sweet-spot of the bat is impossible unless his path through the ball is on a more linear path. Early would lead to off the end of the bat (FIREWOOD!) and late would lead to off the handle (FIREWOOD!). This is why Major League hitters do their best to stay not only on plane with the pitch but also on the linear path of the pitch.

Jimmy
##

Jack,

Here is a nice clip of Sosa getting some practice in prior to his turn at the Home Run
Derby.

http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/mpg/Sosa04.mpeg

Notice how he is working on swinging down and through the ball in practice in order to
keep his game swing on track.

If he were to practice swinging up and through the ball to "stay on plane" as your hitters practice, his swing plane would travel way too up and under the pitched ball.

This is my example of "feel". He tries to keep a "feel" of swinging down and through the ball in order to have a good game speed swing that stays on plane and on path with the pitch.

Jimmy