Posted by: Matt () on Wed Dec 11 19:19:22 2002

I would love to hear commentary from the "rotational mechanics" experts here and disect Ted Williams' swing. I've read "The Science of Hitting" a dozen times and am a strong believer in the "hips lead the hands" mantra that Ted revealed. This is what I teach a lot of the youth that I coach.
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> But where I draw the line is hand position. Ted had his hands very close to his body and the bat near verticle. Most of the hitting instructors that I've talked to do not follow this doctrine, and for several good reasons.
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> Is proper hand position irrelevant prior to the stride (cock)?
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> Thanks for the inputs....I consider myself very knowledgeable on the game but am not an expert.
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> -Deano

When swinging for bat speed, low hands are a must for rotational hitting. IMO, forming an "L" with your front arm lets you stayed connected to your rotation. Energy can be transferred in a more efficient rate than chopping down.

I was cringing during the World Series watching Sinjo of the Giants swing. His hands are so high and bat so flat to the ground, the ONLY pitch he will ever hit is the high one. But he's released now...