Posted by: rfk () on Wed Jan 29 11:23:57 2003

I just watched the final arc (2nd edition). A couple of questions:
> >
> > 1) After top hand torque and the bat goes back to the catcher - what then does the top hand do -- does it push at contact or not? In watching MLB hitters it seems most of them "push with their top hands" through contact. And more times than not the "L" comes out after contact. What is "causing" this to happen?
> >
> > 2) Jack says the shoulders turn to 105 degrees. Is that at contact? It looks as though Bonds' shoulders rotate all the was around - 180 degrees, but that is at finish. Jack said something about putting an object under the bottom arm pit - why is that? The MLB hitters I watch, anything under their arm would definitely fall out. When exactly does the bottom hand start pulling? Is it in the position the kids are doing the drills in?
> >
> > 3) Lastly, can you be a "rotational hitter" and never use BHT? In other words can I rotate my torso and hips and move the bat in a circular hand path and only use THT or THT be the primary force - especially seen in right handed hitters. Right handed hitters seem to push with the top hand. A-Rod, Big Mac, Sosa, Sheffield.
> >
> > It seems to me that whether you are predominatly top or bottom hand dictates your strategy at the plate and your strengths in terms of pitch location. Mike Scmidth in his book talks about being able to be and do BOTH. Is that possible?
>
> ---
> In watching Epstein's tape and what he does with his student, it seems as though the emphasis is on top hand push/extension - at least that is what Brandon (the student) -- rather than BHT which is what Mankin and John do with their students. BUT when I watch John's swing (the guy from the Astros), it looks like he has a lot of push with his top hand, even after he iniatiates THT. It was funny to hear that the Astros taught linear mechanics to this guy while he was in their system. I have followed the Astros for a long time and they have never been able to hit.
>
> From watching major league hitters, it appears to me that the ONLY one who is predominantly bottom hand is Bonds; Jeter looks to be linear (inside/out swing). Have any studies been done to indicate which model is best; the top hand push or the bottom hand torque on the same batters using different points of emphasis?

----
I think it is a question of style and preference. What kind of hitter do you want to be? If you want HRs be a Bonds, if you want singles and average, be a Gywnn or a Boggs or a Rose. Everybody wasn't born to be nor is capable of being a Bonds or a Sosa or a Big Mac. And even comparing the HR hitters of Bonds and Sosa and Big Mac each one of them has their own particular swing with different strengths and weaknesses. I do not think Big Mac is pulling back as much as he was pushing; neither does Sosa. To say there is only one type of rotational hitting style is WRONG. To say if you use more top hand push and less rotation (less than 105 degrees) then you are disconnected and will not be an effective hitter is wrong. Too say you cannot generate as much power or hit as many homeruns is false. Find a style that is natural and comfortable and go with that. It is much easier to convert a linear hitter to rotation if you let them use more top hand and rotate the torso to 90 degrees than trying to make them do that bottom hand stuff.

Timing and contact points and all that has to be changed and adjusted when you change over WHICH OF COURSE Jack never addresses on his tape and oh by the way, is the hardest piece of the puzzle. No quick fixes or generic advice to give or little gadget or drill to show - so therefore skip that part on the tape. No program is complete unless those issues are addressed IMO. Use botom hand torque is easy enough to do, as demonstrated by the little boy and girl, but facing live pitching and doing it and adjusting your timing, etc. is a much difficult endeveor. Proceed slowly, beware of BHT. There is another part of the story that is very much untold.