Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Tue Jan 29 13:44:17 2002

>>> Jack, I was wondering if slightly cocking the bat forward in the stance like Bonds or Sheffield would aid in more arc and more batspeed to hit outside pitches. I was experimenting with a stance like Bonds with the bat cocked forward and a slight hitch in the swing. I noticed that I was now unconcsiously hitting outside pitches the other way. I was wondering if the stance had something to do with this or if the hitch and timing step helped me keep my hands back automatically. <<<

Hi Matt

Cocking the bat forward can be helpful to a batter with rotational transfer mechanics. But most hitters use more linear mechanics and I think cocking the bat-head forward is counterproductive. Extending the hands toward the pitcher with the bat cocked forward causes what I call “swinging under the bat-head.” The bat-head remains fairly stationary and hands just extend the ‘knob’ under the ‘bat-head’.

Rotational hitters like Barry Bonds add a good deal to their bat speed by cocking the bat-head forward in the pre-launch position. As Barry cocks the bat forward he also has his hands a few inches forward and low of the rear shoulder. As he brings his hands up and back toward the shoulder he is also accelerating the bat-head back toward the catcher. To accomplish this, the top-hand is moving faster than the bottom-hand. At initiation (start of shoulder rotation) the top-hand is still pulling back toward the catcher. This not only generates early bat speed, it also pulls the lead-arm straighter across the chest for better linkage (lead-shoulder to the knob end of the bat).

I doubt that many batters would exhibit the mechanics I just described. So, I would caution most hitters from cocking the bat forward without good coaching.

Jack Mankin