Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Tue Dec 17 11:52:35 2002

> > >>> Even the old "knob to the ball" works if the knob is turning while the hands are still staying back and connected.<<<
> > >
> > > I agree with you, the bat should undergo a good amount of angular displacement before the hand-path is accelerated. What forces would you say are acting on the bat that cause the knob to turn before shoulder rotation and the hands arc into their path?
> > >
> > > Jack Mankin
>
> Tony Gwynn offers his explanation while breaking down Bond's swing on the USA Today clip -- Gwynn says it is the force supplied is with the "bottom hand" pulling the bat through and in his analysis he says and sees and advocates pulling the bat through without "much arc" and he even says that Bond's bat moves in a parallel plane/flat plane vs. an arc.
>
> He also says "the top hand is going along for the ride".
>
> Gwynn has the credentials as one of the greatest hitters ever; now an analyst on ESPN and head college baseball coach.
>
> How is his explanation/analysis/experience refuted?

Gwynn is describing the same thing as Jack and others,but less from and objective/video perspective and more from a feel perspective.

For example,let's take his "pull with the bottom hand".If you listen to all his comments and watch the video,you can see that he is not refuting the idea of the "circular" or "arcing" handpath,but rather emphasizing keeping the hands in and swinging the bat in the power plane perpendicular to the rotation of the upper torso.This is the meaning of the "flat" description- the motion is staying in the power plane,but withinthat plane,there is an arc,a detail that is important,but not the way gwynn thinks.This is similar to what Jack details as the bat lining up with the front arm and maintaining connection,etc.