Posted by: Ronnie (rwynn@comsouth.net) on Mon Dec 6 15:52:51 2010

> > > I was just wondering what the majority of you guys and girls think about the "squash the bug baseball platform" on youtube? I think it's a great idea!
> >
> > I tell my students "Don't squish the bug, it is already dead". I watched it - pretty sad.
>
> So, you are actually having your students come up? Or not rotating them at all? What I don't understand is how people actually teach others to lunge after a ball? Lunging absolutely kills your balance and power and turns you into a slap hitter.

Hi Juan, You got the middle initial wrong, rest was correct, including long toss. There was no argument, just someone misrepresenting the facts on throwing. For hitting, try a fluid weight transfer with driving the lead heel into the dirt to power rotation. The squish never happens with good leg drive. When rotation initiates there is almost no weight on the back foot. When you see a good swing you will notice rear foot dragging (sometimes coming off the ground on the most powerful swings). The bug is an enemy of a good swing by slowing rotation. My son hit some of the highest ball exit speeds I saw this past year and I assure you he is not squishing the bug. If you look at Ga Tech web page, you will see 3 very highly touted pitchers they just signed or got commitments from....My son hit over .800 against those 3 at 15 years old this past summer. Not once did he squish a bug when doing it. Do you have kids playing and what ages?
Best wishes!
Ronnie