Posted by: SteveT () on Thu Mar 2 10:20:21 2000

George,

You've answered your own question. The "downswing" requires perfect timing. Apparently, most people who advocate the downswing do not realize that two objects on opposing trajectories have only one point of optimum contact.

If you look at the great hitters in the game, nearly all of them make contact as the bat is level or on its way up. That's why if they're late, you will usually see them foul a pitch back (swung under, bat did not come back up in time.) It's funny how the college coaches teach the downswing so much while almost no good pro hitting coaches do. Ask Dave Hudgens.

This is not the "uppercut" some would label it as, it is merely keeping the bathead on the same plane as the ball for the greatest portion of the swing possible.