Posted by: Mark H. () on Wed Nov 20 10:02:39 2002

I hear a lot about how a short, compact swing is good and a long swing is bad, but I have yet to hear a good description of a short or long swing.Can someone tell me what makes a swing long or short?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Rotation makes it short. Linear makes it long. Rotate to contact v. pull knob to contact. Hitting the ball deep in the zone v. hitting the ball "out front".
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> > > > > Thanks for trying but frankly that answer is not very informative.I'm looking for specifics, not a regurgatation of the pros & cons of "linear" and "rotation".
> > > >
> > > > Marvin, I think what most coaches consider a "long" swing is a swing where, early in the swing the bat arcs out excessively; some call this "casting". The problem with this notion (and I agree that "casting" is bad) is that many coaches use the same remedies for curing casting to make a swing that is NOT too long & NOT casting but with the objective of making the swing "shorter". Fact is, there is a point of in-between, where the swing is not too long & not too short.
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> > > That's a little better but please describe the "point of in-between".In addition, you have described with some vagueness what a "long" swing is, but what does a "short" swing look like?
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> > Like this.
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> > http://www.usatoday.com/sports/gallery/bonds/flash.htm
>
> I don't know what happened to my response but I will post it again.
> I'm not asking LITERALLY what a "short" swing looks like. I suppose during season I could watch Baseball Tonight & see a lot of 'short" swings. What I am asking is that someone give me specific differences in a "short" swing and a "long" swing. If a coach says there is something wrong with a swing, he doesn't say "watch Barry Bonds". Can I please get IN WORDS some specifics?

Assuming we are talking rotational mechanics, long swing, to me, means castiing. When I say casting, I mean premature extension of the top hand arm. Does that get to your question?

Mark H.