Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Wed Sep 19 11:25:03 2007

> > > ""Telling him to keep his top hand thumb on his back shoulder while he pulls around with his front shoulder.""
> > >
> > > In other words.....laterally tilt the shoulders.....do not rotate them.
> >
> > Teacherman,
> >
> > "In other words.....laterally tilt the shoulders.....do not rotate them."
> >
> > I'm not sure if that was presented as a question or statement. I believe that you still have to rotate your shoulders in order to keep a circular hand and bat path. The idea of keeping your thumb against the back shoulder has helped the kids I coach to keep there hands inside the ball. If you are rotating your shoulders and keeping your lead arm fairly straight the top hand forearm will naturally come down in the classic "L" position at the right time but not to early. Your shoulders should tilt to compesate for the angle of the ball and the height of the pitch.
> > some good fundamentals there but I like having my top thumb around the bat when I swing

Of course we keep are thumb around the bat. That is just a reminder for my kids to keep the top hand pulled in while starting the swing.

If I tell them to keep there top hand next to the shoulder some of them will have ther knuckles lined up all funny. By keeping the thumb around the bat and also pulled to the back shoulder or arm pit, this helps keep there wrists straight and a good grip on the bat.