Posted by: Thorpe Facer (tfacer@yahoo.com) on Thu Jan 24 08:04:38 2002

Hi,
>
> I'm new to this site and am impressed, yet feel overwhelmed. I coach a 9/10 yr. old Little League team and consider myself pretty baseball knowledgeable (perhaps only knowledgable enough to be dangerous!). My son is on the small side, but an excellent contact hitter, though last year hit too many grounds balls for my taste. I felt he had way too much top hand roll last year and this caused his excess grounders. I have had him working out religiously on the Griffey Instructo-Swing this winter. After reading comments on this site, I'm now worried that I've caused more damage than good, though from my take his swing is looking good. Here's my questions:
>
> 1) Does the Instructo-Swing do any good at all?
> 2) Have I done harm to his swing?
> 3) Are you familiar with the Shortstroke and what are your thoughts on that?
> 4) If I purchase this tape, how long does it normally take before this new swing approach becomes "second nature?" Will it take longer given that I have to "undo" all our winter work?
> 5) It is sometimes difficult to follow this rotational hitting process because of all the "technical" terminology used. If you had to pick ONE main thing to increase a good hitter's POWER, what would it be? Please don't use terms for which I will need a PhD! (I don't have one).
>
> THANKS.
>

I do not think that using the Instructo Swing trainer is going to harm your nine year old (or his swing)! I don't think I would use it with my high school players, but for the younger kids, why not? I do own a shortstroke trainer and my feelings about it are the same. It's useful at times even for the older kids but I use it mainly with the younger ones.

Do either of these devices teach what I consider the perfect mechanics? Of course not. They are both training aids that attack a common problem without really explaining why the problem occurs. That approach is good for kids. At some point, if your son continues in baseball, you will want to learn more so that you understand why he swings certain ways, etc. The thread, "Loopy Swing" is a good example of a detailed explanation for bathead drop which is the major problem both devices try to fix.

On a personal note, I have kids from sophomore in college to fourth grade. All play baseball and have since each was seven. Trust me: if you are spending fun time with your son playing and practicing baseball, that's enough. Have some laughs, build some memories. There are plenty of opportunities (too many actually) as he gets older to 'fix' his swing.