Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon Mar 11 00:53:34 2002

>>> Jack, please clarify: Are you saying "drive the backside ‘shoulder’ directly through the opposite field location that ball contact is anticipated.” .....without any hip recruitment?
I'm agreeing that the hands, back shoulder, head and any thing else I can muster to hammer the outside pitch out opposite way should be mustered. I hadn't mentioned those components. I was simply adding that I suggested considering the back hip action as a trigger mechanism to initiate empowering the reaction to outside.

I think your restating it as "drive the backside ‘shoulder’ directly through the opposite field location" implies the shoulders are not to be rotated. I don't think you advocate that....?

Also, you said, "Driving the hips while the shoulder remains static accomplishes nothing".
That response puzzles me. When it is stated that inside, the hips are fired, I don't interpret that to mean the shoulders are unrecruited. Why would you suspect me of lack of insight?
Perhaps we are even in not adding sufficient context to better dialogue? <<<

Hi Ranthony

I am sorry my post confused you. --- I do not advocate driving the hips or shoulders forward or at the ball. By the time the batter has identified pitch location, the stride should have been completed and forward movement ceased. The axis of the upper body, hips, torso and shoulders should not move forward at all once the swing is initiated. They all rotate around a fairly stationary axis. Instead of moving forward, the axis of some of the better hitters actually fades away from the pitcher.

I do stress the importance of shoulder rotation over hip movement more than anyone else I know of. Most coaches are reluctant to even mention shoulder rotation and you might be surprised how many teach rotating the hips while keeping the shoulders closed. Of course, I know that the hips lead shoulder rotation by a few degrees. I understand the reasoning some coaches have for greater hip-to-shoulder separation before the hands are accelerated,but far too many coaches believe in keeping the shoulders closed through much of the actual swing. That thinking is why I stated; “Yet, driving or popping the hips has no effect on accelerating the bat-head unless that hip action causes the shoulders to move or rotate. The hips are not linked to the bat – the shoulders are."

So when you spoke of driving the hips forward, or at the ball, I assumed you could also mean driving the shoulders forward, or at the ball. Why drive the hips if the shoulders are not to follow?

Jack Mankin