Posted by: Charley Lau Jr. () on Thu May 17 21:21:47 2001

>>>Releasing the top hand is also more of a necessity if the head is kept down facing the contact point as I believe Lau recommends. Epstein feels this head position may hamper rotation and recommends the head be facing out to the pitcher. <<<
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> > > > > > > Hi
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> > > > > > > I would be inclined to agree with Mr. Epstein. The swing plane and timing has been fully established when a fastball is about 12 to 15 feet away from the batter. Once the swing is fully initiated very little changes can be made to the bat’s trajectory. So, trying to track the ball’s flight past that point would be of little value.
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> > > > > > > Jack Mankin
> > > > > > > Jack- I have clearly come to realise that the hands pull the knob of the bat to the ball along with the hips rotating as the ball reaches the hitting area, I prefer to say "The Bathead Is Released in to contact; Not pushed. The goal for the good hitter is to keep the swing as flat as possible and to strike the center of the ball with flat hands and then extend through the ball to create backspin. I have been a student and fine teacher of hitting long enough to realise that hitters tend to push and roll the top hand over too soon thus, cutting the swing off before extending properly. I dont think the top hand needs to come off all the time on the pitch inside even though A-Rod, Manny Ramirez, Tony Batista, Andres Galarraga and several other top sluggers do it all the time. The important piece of information is maintaining flat hands on all swings to create backspin. I started with the legendary information my father left us with and was determined to validate it. After working with swings of all types, I've found that not letting the top hand push but release through extension has been a universal mode to success for the most complete hitters' that drive the ball to all fields.
> > > > > > Respectfully,
> > > > > > Charley Lau Jr.
> > > > >
> > > > > Jack do you think this is the same as a "self-feeding extension of the bat head as the center of mass leaves the handpath" ?
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> > > > > See Max's reply to Jack from,"Best of Max #1.
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> > > > > http://setpro.com/NEWWEB/best%20of%20max00.htm
> > > > I really believe in Charley Lau theory. I have used it and have had great success. ;;;It sounds good to say the bat head is released,but what releases it.Hips and hands are good points to cue on but understand that the shoulder rotation is in the middle.the power of the hips can't just jump to the hands.The pulling and pushing motion of the hands I think are occuring from the pulling of the front shoulder and pushing of the rear one.the hands fine tune the trajectory of the swing.If the idea of the hands being flat during the swing mean one up and one down on plane with the ball then I agree.Jack I know you believe the fingers pull back on the top hand at beginning,but when I try that it seems like I only use my fingers and not my hand and wrist.To me it seems stronger to use the whole hand and wrist to get the bat to go in the same direction and angle I would with just the fingers.With just the fingers I feel to loose of a grip and less control then have to firm up my grip as the barrel comes around.I do not however mean the grip is too tight to lock up the wrists.>
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> > >charley lau sr did indeed make great contributions to the field of hitting...not so much that he invented new techniques but rather in discovering the traits that many sucessful hitters had in common.....however the issue of top hand release still remains unresolved in my mind....i'm not sure whether it was lau's book or tape (i had both) that stated that top hand release could increase the flight of the batted ball by 20 feet.......i wonder if this was ever actually documented by lau or by anyone else?.....respectfully, grc....
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> Grc,
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> I don't know about taken the top hand off the bat can actually increase bat speed. But, increasing the arc (batspeed) will. Going from unbroken wrist, to breaking the wrist (bottom hand torque for the people who visit this site) as/at contact.
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> Lead arm pull represents being smooth, lower body and torso (bigger muscles pulling the smaller muscles through). Being top hand dominant can fight (restrict) the range of motion of the body.
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> I think maintaining flatter hands is a plus (just prior/at contact), for keeping extension within the arc/swing, within the swing plane (lead arm). The only thing to watch for is contact points, over doing extension, or over doing pulling with the knob.
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> I do try to listen to the pro's and how they describe their swings. I've heard Alex say that the 'most' important element in the his swing is the 'pull' (lead arm). Edgar is very similar with working on lead arm pull and staying inside the ball.
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> I would be interested in Lau Jr sharing some insights to Alex and maybe what he as heard about Edgar's approach. If I understand Lau Jr. he worked with Alex to stop trying muscling the swing (force the swing).
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> In MO, Alex couldn't have had a better teammate for his coming to age years in Seattle. Edgar is a very smart and good hitter (great). We'll have to see how good Alex really is as the man in Texas.
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> I try to follow the pull/throw rule of thumb. Knowing that if you are truly smooth and quick (somewhat relaxed), or use the upper body last. Neither hand will feel any great pressure, but will act as guides along with the forearms/elbows in the .10 seconds it takes for the arc to happen. Which can be easily be described as 'releasing the bat head'.
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> Shawn

Shawn, A-Rod doesn't always expose all of his hitting secrets to the public but I can tell you I have worked with him since he was 15. I have never met a human as dedicated to excellence and obsessed dedication to being the best. He is the most intelligent,brilliant,hard working player I have ever known and probably will ever. The other quality about Alex is his ability mentally to be able to not sabottage his confidence. I have never seen a player who wins a batting title in 1996 after hitting .232 in 1995 and then want to hit .400 the next year.