Posted by: Major Dan (markj89@charter.net) on Wed Jan 15 05:40:16 2003

Tom, I knew you would come through - "you the man" - thanks. A couple of follow up questions.
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> > > Start with "drop and tilt" - that is the front heel is dropping and the back shoulder is dipping; is the back shoulder dipping because the elbows "are working into their slots" - back elbow dropping and the front elbow working up"? What effect does the "tilt" have on the bat? Is this the same "stage" as THT? It seems to me that tilt, elbows in the slot, THT all are the same stuff.
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> > > At the drop and tilt stage, what is happening with the shoulders? Are the shoulders opening/rotating yet? Does it depend on whether the pitch is inside? In Epstein's tape and drills (especially the short 3) it seems that THT is left out and the shoulders/torso rotate without any THT or tilt or setting up a swing radius. Two things about Epstein's tape that concerned me was the fence drill (bad idea to me) and the short 3 where the shoulders "pop" and the bat is still in the cocked position. Which brings me to the next point -- those drills and that swing radius is o.k. if the pitch is middle in - do you neeed any THT or tilt or delay in the torso rotation for inside heat or can you just rotate your torso? Lastly, back to sitting -- why does the degree with which you sit or do not sit have anything to do with power or swing plane or contact point? i do not understand why so much breath is spent on the cue "sit"; if I internally rotate my back knee/thigh and flex my back knee (more than less) why am I better off than someone who stays more upright with less flex but the same degree of rotation? Does one perform this sitting action before or after or during the tilt phase?
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> > Hey, what about the old cue to "keep your shoulder in" or "do not let your front shoulder fly open"? In Jack's tape he demonstrates the trouble a batter will have with plate coverage if he/she rotates the shoulders without initiating top hand torque. I think too much shoulders and too much sitting spells trouble - a lot of pop ups and problems with outside pitches and up/in. Is there any accuracy in these observations; if so, what can I do, like what drills, to help me feel top hand torque instead of too much shoulders? Thanks, BB.
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> Just go ahead and let the shoulder do what they want, in fact, encourage them to open. But, keep and eye on the hand path and don't let the hands get away from you.

'Keeping the front shoulder in' is a cue that's been used for a long time. For lower level hitters it is a common problem. Some hitters who use their shoulders to initiate the swing. By yanking the shoulders around to get the swing going, the front shoulder pulls off the ball too early. In effect bottom hand torque happens soon after launch and well before contact. This results in total misses or balls pulled foul.
On the other hand, people have taken that cue and decided that the front shoulder has to stay still while swinging. The only way you can do that is if you swing with only your arms. Not the solution.
If the swing's power and start come from the hips, the shoulders will follow the hips, turn into contact at the correct time, and the front shoulder will open up in time to apply bottom hand torque at contact time.
Start the swing with the hips and the shoulder problem goes away.
Hope that helps.