Posted by: Jimmy () on Wed Feb 21 00:43:28 2007

> >>> Jack,
>
> The knob does point toward the incoming pitch as rotation brings the hands around.
There is a linear component to the swing. As rotation start to bring the bat around and the
hands are coming forward, the bat is pointing straight back for awhile. I don't think the
side view is lying. It just gives you a different perspective. This can be seen in a view
directly behind the hitter as well. The linear component is there in many swings.
>
> Try this clip, are you saying that there isn't a force directed down the length of the bat
as well as the bat rotating?
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~bellshw/pujolsslomo.mov <<<
>
> --------------
>
> Hi Shawn
>
> Sorry, I could not view the clip. With my computer, only the slide-bar appeared.
>
> The knob rotates through about 180 degrees of rotation from launch to contact. When
the bat has rotated through about 90 degrees to the lag position, the knob would, at some
point, be pointing toward the pitcher. However, neither the hands nor the knob stall their
angular rate of acceleration at the lag position and slide linear toward the pitcher. The bat
(knob & bat-head) continues their angular acceleration right through the lag position.
>
> When we were filming batters for the DVD, the cameraman suggested we set the shutter
speed at 1/500 sec or higher to eliminate blurring and provide a clearer picture when
played back frame-by-frame. I explained to him that if we filmed at higher shutter speeds,
the bat would appear fixed, or stalled, in each frame. The blur offered at 1/60 sec shows
the angular displacement of the bat that occurs during a 1/60-second period. This
provides greater information for an analysis. -- When viewing a clip of a good hitter, if the
bat appears stalled at the lag position, the clip was probably shot at a high shutter speed.
>
> Shawn, so that I better understand your position for the need of linear components in
the swing, would you point out the “linear components” of either John’s hands or his bat in
the clip below. (12mb-- need windows movie player).
>
> <a href="http://www.batspeed.com/media/John_CHP.wmv"><img src="http://
www.batspeed.com/images/JohnCHP_02.jpg"></a>
>
> <a href="http://www.batspeed.com/media/John_CHP.wmv"><img src="http://
www.batspeed.com/images/JohnCHP_01.jpg"></a>
>
> Jack Mankin

Jack,

One thing that I see is that your Div 1 hitter is going to have to stay through the baseball
longer if he wants to have a chance at the professional level. Once he made contact with
that ball off the tee his barrel could have stayed through at least six more inches or so
before it made the left turn. Your circle around the hitter should look more like an oval.

He is much too rotational, in and out of the hitting zone. This is an example of what
professional coaches work hard on with newly drafted players due to the misleading
instruction they recieve in college. He will find out one day if he is lucky.

Jimmy