Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon Oct 8 18:23:08 2007

>>> I had a conversation with Teacherman via e-mail, I hope he doesn't mind me mentioning that, and he told me something that made sense. The shoulders tilting rearward creates a stretch and then release. This stretch and release creates early bat speed.(Teacherman if I am wrong please correct me, what you had to say makes sense) <<<

Hi Graylon

Welcome to the site. – I think it is an indisputable fact that this site was first in discussing the importance of early bat speed and the mechanics that generates the rearward acceleration of the bat-head. For batters that cock the bat forward toward the pitcher, some of the early bat speed occurs prior to shoulder rotation as the bat-head is accelerated rearward to the normal launch position. I refer to this mechanics as PLT (Pre-launch Torque – Defined in 1993).

Also in 1993, I defined the mechanic (THT) that continued the generation of early bat speed as the elbow lowered and shoulder rotation was being initiated (swing launched). It is interesting to note that as late as 2004, Teacherman denied the existence of “handle torque” and claimed there was no special mechanic that caused the bat-head to accelerate rearward.

He claimed that the rearward acceleration occurred naturally with shoulder rotation. Here is his exact 2004 quote: “Get in your stance, cock the bat over your head toward the pitcher, do not apply tht, slot the elbow and rotate. What happens to the bat head?” – I tried to show him that much of the rearward acceleration occurred ‘before’ shoulder rotation started (PLT) – he would not buy it.

Then, in 2006, he decided there actually was a special mechanic that generated the rearward acceleration and called it “The Second Engine.” -- So, in 2004 he claims handle torque is nonexistent and rotation is everything. In 2007, he says handle torque is huge and rotation is harmful.

Graylon, regardless if a batter has good early bat speed mechanics or not, the batter should keep his hands back and allow shoulder rotation to rotate the hands in a circular path.

Jack Mankin