Linear Wrote:
“Or is someone else working with your kids.........with you taking the credit.”
Well, heck yes. I have an incredible coaching staff. In fact, 2 out of the 3 paid coaches PLAYED FOR ME. Of those two, one went on to be an All-American in college and the other pitched in college. Both coached in college. Head Coaches get a lot of credit and assistant coaches do a lot of work. It was the same when I was an assistant coach.
Richard asked for my evaluation. The topic was locked this morning when I got to school. I had to coach basketball and then scout last night and so, I didn’t post my requested analysis. First let me say again, that I don’t think you can rate a player’s abilities on one swing. I feel the most comfortable suggesting changes in a hitter’s technique after I’ve thrown BP to them.
The upper body and the hands are not acting as one unit. What we call “Hands and body are better together.” This young man extends his hands toward the ump and then begins the swing. In turn, this lengthens or straightens the right arm. In my opinion, this could make his swing “longer.” I believe that this alters his swing plane. What would I then recommend to change it? I’d suggest that this young man change his spine angle and do what we call “getting the eyes over the plate.” I’d also recommend that this young man trigger by keeping his hands and upper body as one unit and slightly rotating his shoulders inward loading. In doing all of this then, the tell tale sign of the adjustment is that this young man’s swing plane should improve and his balance would be significantly better at finish. Note, in the video, he really rolls over that front foot and is not balanced.
Well, this is my assessment. I’m no expert and have never claimed to be. In fact, I despise most (not all) “experts.” These “experts” spend a lot of time looking at a computer skeleton and simulating swing planes. They are fantastic at hitting enter on the keyboard. Players are not perfect as those simulations. They are human and have human traits. To say a player won’t reach their “genetic potential” based on one video feed is absurd. That is unless that computer graphic can account for that player’s genetic makeup. Oops, don’t believe it can. JMHO!