Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Fri Jun 14 11:44:07 2002

>>> On Jack’s video tape, he demonstrates a swing that places the bat on the batter’s shoulder. Are you advocating keeping the bat on the shoulder during the loading of the swing? And basically letting the bat just sort of rotate off the shoulder?

I’ve noticed from the better High School players, to the Majors, that in general, the bat ends up
at the shoulder with a bat angle the same as the lead arm during the loading period. Irregardless of the placement of the hands and bat head prior to loading. For example, even if the batter holds his hands/bat very high while waiting on the pitcher, the batter will lower the hands, and change the bat angle, as he is loading starts,
just prior to when the bat starts it’s rotation.

It makes sense to me to start the whole process with the bat touching the shoulder while waiting on the pitcher, and then load, and just let the bat rotate off the shoulder.

Is my thinking correct? Could someone please clarify this for me?

Thanks,
Bill <<<

Hi Bill

Your post makes a very valid point. Regardless of where the batter holds the bat during the stride and setting up the launch position, the bat should always be in-line with the lead-arm at full initiation. From this point to contact the bat will remain in the plane (in-line) of the lead-arm. So I agree with you that it is best to teach young hitters to have the bat just off the shoulders (George Brett style) as they set up their launch position.

From that position, it is much easier to teach a batter top-hand-torque. Pulling the top-hand directly away from the front-shoulder will accelerate the bat-head into the plane of the lead-arm – that is the swing plane. Hitters like Bonds and Sosa who apply a lot of pre-launch torque can start with the bat well out of the swing plane. As the bat-head is accelerated back toward the catcher it is also looping into the plane of the lead-arm as they initiate the swing (shoulder rotation). However, that is an advanced mechanic that may take years of practice to perfect.

Jack Mankin