any advice? hitting clips

Overall, I like the swing.

The swing on the foul ball was better form, but the batter was late making contact.

The double looked to be a blooper since it hung in the frame so long. The best part of the swing was the front foot delay on the apparent off speed pitch.

Without the pitcher in the frame, it is hard to determine if the batter is coming to the full load position before the pitcher releases the ball.

There is usually not enough time to have the 'swing light' come on, load and then swing to make contact.

yea the foul ball was slightly late, but the double was actually a ground rule double to center, it wasn't a blooper and wasnt killed either but it carried over the center fielders head

I don't like the swing. A no stride spinner. Aluminum bat swing geared for one pitch only.

Major counter rotation of the upper body
( shoulders) Hips should counter rotate minus 28 degree ( average). Shoulders should move around the spinal axis maintaining two eye contact on the pitcher without counter rotating

. He is in a one piece move back with the hips and shoulder BOTH counter rotating.
Post him by several MLB players to see this

NOt the worse thing he could be doing but he doesn't load correctly.

1. doesn't coil the weight into the back hip right.

2. Doesn't carry the weight right

3. Doesn't get any synchrony in the upper and lower body load.

It is a spinning pattern with no segmentation .

He appears fit, strong, and well rehearsed. He probably does pretty well anyway.

Would take some time to change this is he has been doing it for years and years

swingbuster, what could be done to coil the weight correctly into the back hip? and how should the weight be carried?

here's the next day, another double not a HUGE differenc but its not just a spin with the front foot, there is a slight lift or stride, but dont know if its due to the pitch being off speed or what, also the hands dont seem to reach back quite as far

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OBO2GLNaC4

Spinning has nothing to do with the front foot. Think of it as revolving door, which is bad. Carry means to hit against the frontside, like a swinging gate.

beastball4,

How well you doin? My guess is real good! I'd like to see your swing from the open side. There's some good things you have going for you. IMO

I'm doin pretty good I suppose, here's my third game, which is another double.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmRzCeESFCk

I'm just trying to perfect my swing. I havent played in about a year cuz I had to take off due to some family problems and now Im back and trying to get back in the groove. I have video of me from the open side preparing for this summer season hitting with wood, my mechanics were pretty diff though, I would shift my weight back a lot and I had more forward momentum when hitting which helped me hit balls out easly with wood but left me looking stupid with off speed so I tried to stay back more and use my hips and Im just so lost, I dont know what approach I need, what I need to change, should I just try to perfect what im doin? idk another thing is my hands, most great hitters seem to have their hands right behind them or actually in sight when you look at thier swing from the front, such as pujols and bonds...my hands seem to extend around my head so you can see them on the other side of my head, like jeff francoeur does,wich I sometimes seem to over extend, but I dont have a long bar arm swing I can pull my hands back inside it just seems like wasted movent BUT...when I try to not extend so much I lose all my power it seems, Im just so lost and dont know what to do.

why are people describing him as a spinner? what is a 'spinner' ? his load reminds me of derek jeter's when he played high school, and jeff bianchi when i saw him at the world wood bat championships.

ok heres a couple of months before these last game videos were. there was a lot more movement with body and head which lead me to think something was wrong with the swing and thats why I wasnt hitting the off speed quite as good, but Im thinking it was just my timing off and I went and tried to fix things even though I was in a groove, not saying the mechanics were any better, but I felt good swinging, but I thought all the movent I had to load up would throw me off in the game so I tried to stay more "quiet" and not move so much....the third video is a front view were you can really see the hands "wrap" around the head like I said, all three were batting practice with wood but were homers. I also notice I was hitting more off of the front leg in these videos cuz my back leg actually lifts off the ground for a moment...which swings look better the in game swings or batting practice?

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v503/baseballa226/?ac...w¤t=HRBack.flv

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v503/baseballa226/?ac...w¤t=HROpen.flv

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v503/baseballa226/?ac...¤t=HRFront.flv

Spinner = hitting with the pole through the body from stance to finish. Like a revolving door.

He lacks a flexed front leg landing and he doesn't hit against his frontside at all. He counter rotates but instead should coil. He has no lower half swivel and gets caught with both feet flat on the ground at the same time.

I say if you're doing good then leave it be. If it isn't broken don't fix it. Unless of course it is broken and your not doing good.

heres a game shot with the pitcher in the scene so you can see the load and timing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SH2iudjiJU

heres two more doubles in the same game both with wood...the second double one hops the right centerfield fence....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imodF9GdUC4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N3RbM-lnAQ

He does take a heck of a cut. More effective through contact from the back view on the double.

He is very quick...with great hip action.

I think he could be an example of a guy that can make HIS STYLE work and I do not see many that I think that about. There is something special about him through the zone.

Slo mo would be better for the finer points but at impact he is top teer

if you'd like i can email any of the videos, i dont know how to put it slow mo on here, so if anyone wants any of the videos id be happy to email them, thanks.

ok so i lied, i figured out how to slow it down....hope this helps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCCpFJudFug

What a great swing, especially not having played for a year. Spinner or no spinner, who cares, he can really swing.

home run at ole miss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XStxFDOauQ4

slo mo clip of swing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tWFC7l70OU

I like this kid. There's always ways to adjust and improve, hit to all fields, but thats a nice overall approach.

The chemistry of the at bats that you have shown are as close to perfect as a person usually hopes for.

The load is timely. The pitch recognition is very good. The bat is delivered to the hitting zone on time. The follow through is there.

As odd as this may sound to you, using less power in your 'swing' and using more emphasis on form will give you smoother and better results.

In your next BP session on the field, try using just form to hit the ball. You should find that with what will seem like less effort will give you sharper line drives and more distance. Be sure to use the follow through.

I'd be happy to hear what results you had. And if you found that the ball is hit sharper.

quote:

Be sure to use the follow through.

Bad advice......

thanks willie i'll try that today, i have a double header later...and bluedog, did you say using the follow thru is bad advice because it is basically irrelevant since ive already hit the ball? if im wrong could you fill me in please?

In this type of 'swing', the follow through completes and maximizes the compression and expansion of the contact.

One sees this type of 'swing' only when a player seemingly waves the bat at the ball and hits a home run. Last time I saw it was in a Mets game where the left handed hitter waved the bat at a low outside pitch and watched the ball clear the left field fence. He shrugged his shoulders in surprise that the ball traveled so far with such little apparent effort. (The dreaded perfect swing.)

quote:

In this type of 'swing', the follow through completes and maximizes the compression and expansion of the contact

It does not......

Bluedog,

Would it hurt you to respond to the young man who asked for advice ?

Beast,

You look pretty darn good to me.

Some of the clips - IMO - have you a bit off balance and falling off to the right. Others dont. I would work hard on improving your balance.

I would also suggest you try to use your legs a bit more in your swing. Once you get wood in your hand - you are going to need your legs.

All in all - heck of a swing - and as always - work to do.

Good luck.

how should i use my legs more? what could i do? and i do feel i need to improve my balance, and willie i took your advice and tried to work on my form and make my swing smooth and i hit a lot more line drives in practice, other than being walked mostly i hit good in the games too....and bluedog, not trying to be a jerk at all but i would appretiate some feed back on your statements

thanks

oh and willie, as far as using the follow thru, was the follow thru i had for the homer a good one? is that what i should be aiming for?

The home run follow through got you good results.

As you probably felt in the smooth 'swing', the follow through is an almost unconscious finishing of the 'swing'.

Were the line drives hot with good distance?

Did you get any more distance on your long ball?

yea they seemed like they were goin a good distance, i put a few more out than normal and i felt a little quicker as well just by trying to stay smooth, i was smokin it to oppo field a little more easily as well, i have good bat speed but i think i try a little too hard to swing quick, i want to keep increasing my bat speed but i think i try to swing with more speed and less control most of the time

Swinging smooth will allow more control as you increase bat speed.

You will have a tendency to feel in control of the swing since you are feeling that it is taking less efort to generate distance and sharp contact.

Beast,

Swing looks great!! Thanks for all the vids. Wish you well.

Tim

Bluedog - Jump in here and add something constructive, or even complete. I am interested in hearing what you have to say.

quote:

Swinging smooth will allow more control as you increase bat speed.

There is no such thing as swinging smooth.....You can shave smooth, but, swinging smooth?...Nah.....

I had a coach like you once Blue. He would come busting into the dugout between innings and yell out to us, "Let me tell you something!!" Then nothing. Silence. I never figured out if he was just at a loss for words, or if he thought we could read his mind. Either way we were pretty bad. His words of wisdom, or lack there of, could not have helped. I'll leave this one alone now. You obviously know more about this subject than others so we will just have to try and decipher your secret code. For crying out loud, complete a sentence.

Beast,

Here is your homework. Take a look at Pujols.

We have clips here somewhere.

Watch his lower body - and the way he uses his legs.

Bluedog,

The kid has requested a critique - not a "play on words".

He cares about hitting - not shaving.
And please - dont start with the axe chopping the tree.

We want shots into the gap - and boomers over the wall - not kindling or a smooth chin. LOL

lol well said,

i look at pujols' swing all the time, its rediculous how amazing it is, its kinda hard for me to describe his swing, he def looks like he has powerful legs thru out his swing, although he doesnt take a big stride he seems to transfer more weight forward than i do, i take a very small stride, and because of my knee kicking back, wich is basically like a pre step where im getting my timing down and keeping my weight back, i dont see my weight goin forward like him, maybe im wrong idk....his balance is perfect too, he lands on a flexed front knee and it locks at contact, i basically do the same, but since im not transfering as much weight forward, or maybe because im not as low as him, my leg seems to start to lock a little earlier than his.....anything else you could add?