Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Tue Apr 25 22:17:55 2000

Hi Tim

I have charted the swing of a number of good hitters with mechanics similar to how you describe your sons swing. In the video I discuss the mechanics of Ron Gant and Matt Williams as examples of really good hitters who never quite made it to the great column. They both started their swings with a static bat, back elbow down near the side, good rotation of the body, a tight circular hand-path and applied a lot of bottom hand torque coming into contact. They could tear the cover off anything from the middle-in. Both batted near .300 and over 30 HR year after year.

The reason they never made it to the superstar class is because they just couldn't hit the outside pitch with any authority. Their mechanics broke down very much the same way your son described his problem. As their hands went out wider their hand-path became straighter (a flat spot in the swing - same as in golf) and generated less angular displacement. At the same time, the reduced shoulder rotation meant less lead shoulder pull and thus less bottom hand torque applied. They wound up just waving at the ball.

Juan Gonzales, on the other hand, can kill outside pitches with his mechanics. He sets up with a bat held high and high back elbow. He accelerates the bat-head in a sweeping arc back toward the catcher by applying top hand torque (pulling back with the top hand as the elbow lowered). Now, as he initiates body rotation the hands arc out into a wider path. By applying more top hand torque early means he requires less shoulder rotation and bottom hand torque later. --- But, if he commits outside and the balls inside.........

I prefer a more middle of the road approach like Jr. and Big Mac. Bat cocked near the head and a raised back elbow. If the ball is inside, keep it tight and rotate. If it's outside, pull harder on the top hand and go out and nail it.

Jack Mankin