Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat May 18 23:32:12 2002

>>> Jack thanks for the excellent summary of some of the differences. The devil is in the details and some of the details are indeed crucial. You and Mike are both promoting very similar overall mechanics. Parts of both your ideas can fit together well. I like the way Mike teaches the lower body and I do find the elbow cues (work up/work down/get on top) he uses good for learning to set the posture of the body on the fly as the swing progresses for down/up location. His mental planning and 2 strike ideas are excellent.

When it comes to handpath , I think you are on the money with how to adjust for inside outside. I think of it the same way I believe rql does which is that you do adjust the front elbow for inside out location without disconnecting. Pulling back/hooking for bht on middle in, bending elbow more for very inside, letting elbow straighten(similar to Mike's description which also resembles Nyman "minicasting") for more outside location. As rql says in all cases you keep the front bicep against the chest. rql, let me know if I'm misrepresenting your handpath ideas. The tht/back arm/hand action that accompanies/precedes this shaping of the handpath into contact is as you describe based on the direction of tht applied at launch.

I also think that describing the body feel/how to use the big muscles is important-cocking the hip,loading the scapula,etc.But I try to convey these things with as little confusion as possible which is hard enough in person,but even harder in writing. <<<

Hi Tom

Many good hitters have varying amounts of flex in the lead-elbow as they initiate their swing. This allows them to get good wood on inside pitches by keeping about the same bend in the elbow to contact. By keeping the elbow angle fairly constant during rotation, the batter can inside-out the ball or still apply a good amount of bht even with the bent elbow. And, as you and rql have pointed out, the elbow will straighten to allow greater reach for pitches middle-out. But unlike what Mike advocates, the arm straightens early in the swing for a wider hand-path and does not cause disconnect. Mike would have the batter use the muscles of the arms to extend the hands away (toward contact) from the body.

PS: I still prefer having the lead-arm fairly straight at initiation and allowing it to flex for inside pitches.

Jack Mankin