Max,
Your coach's teaching is very common, but not technically correct.
Tino and ARod swing up to the ball. I have dozens of clips of them. The ball carries because of the batspeed they generate.
If you hit a ball 370, it's because you hit the ball with a batspeed of 80 mph or so, not because you swung down and got backspin.
But levelpath you can have 80 mph bat speed and still not hit it 370 feet if you have an uppercut! Its called pop flys.
Well, I didn't think I would have to include the exact swing angle..but,
...If the ball is met 1/2 inch below the center by a bat moving in a slightly upward (10 degrees or so) direction at a speed of 80 mph or so...the ball should go about 370.
My point was that there are more important factors to driving a ball 370 ft...path of swing, speed of bat, point of contact on the bat...getting backspin from a downward swing angle is not a actual factor...
...If the ball is met 1/2 inch below the center by a bat moving in a slightly upward (10 degrees or so) direction at a speed of 80 mph or so...the ball should go about 370.
My point was that there are more important factors to driving a ball 370 ft...path of swing, speed of bat, point of contact on the bat...getting backspin from a downward swing angle is not a actual factor...
quote:Originally posted by Max:
LOOK AT TINO MARTINEZ AND A-ROD SWING THE BAT
I have and they don't swing down on the ball.
quote:Originally posted by Max:
DAMMIT
not to argue the point. But I can take a fungoe bat and swing down on the ball and hit it a long way out. I can also swing up at a ball with a fungoe and hit it a long way UP.
Jeff, Bring your fungo to Long Beach and I will bring my camera. We will make a bet for a dinner at the Crab Pot.
If I could find a clip I would show you that all big league hitters swing at least somewhat downward to the ball. Almost every single one swings downward to the ball, but you think they swing upward because they have such a good release on the ball. If you dont believe this go to the LA Angels farm system and that is what they teach you from day 1 til your done.
quote:all big league hitters swing at least somewhat downward to the ball.
OK so then how would you tell someone to swing (to the point of contact)?
I suppose "up" or "down" would depend upon from where you begin measuring? 
Of course the bat starts out somewhere above the rear shoulder/head and has to come down from there to reach the ball.
However, I think what most people who study/discuss hitting clips refer to as "up" is from around where the bat passes the body and into contact.
Of course the bat starts out somewhere above the rear shoulder/head and has to come down from there to reach the ball.
However, I think what most people who study/discuss hitting clips refer to as "up" is from around where the bat passes the body and into contact.
Personally, I don't like the downward swing... 
but I do notice a lot of hitters in the on deck circle have a tremendous downward angle on their swing. I have always wondered why they practice that swing and who teaches it? During the actual at bat, their swing is always much flatter.
but I do notice a lot of hitters in the on deck circle have a tremendous downward angle on their swing. I have always wondered why they practice that swing and who teaches it? During the actual at bat, their swing is always much flatter.
I E MAILED A-ROD AND ASKED HIM IF HE SWINGS DOWN ON THE BALL.
WHEN HE REPLIES I WILL COPY AND PASTE IT.
THEN YOU WILL ALL SAY BALONEY MAX DOCTORED THE E MAIL, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW MAX AND YOU DON'T KNOW THAT MAX DOESN'T LIE
SO I WILL POST A LINK WHERE YOU CAN E MAIL HIM TOO.
WHEN HE REPLIES I WILL COPY AND PASTE IT.
THEN YOU WILL ALL SAY BALONEY MAX DOCTORED THE E MAIL, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW MAX AND YOU DON'T KNOW THAT MAX DOESN'T LIE
SO I WILL POST A LINK WHERE YOU CAN E MAIL HIM TOO.
Alright but do you have to use the CAPS?
I have had a good opportunity to hit with really good hitters, some in professional baseball...and some in college, who also work with my coach. A few that I have had the opportunity to hit with are Chris Minaker (Stanford), Jeff Cirillo (Milwaukee Brewers), Stephen Englund (2nd round pick), Justin Fuller (LC State) to name a few. They all have one thing in common which is very important in a swing. They all COMPRESS down thru a baseball, and that is where you get power from (and using your middle). You can't compress thru a baseball with an uppercut swing. Not only can you not do that, it will also be much harder to catch up to a 95 MPH fastball at the top of the strike zone...
I have had a good opportunity to hit with really good hitters, some in professional baseball...and some in college, who also work with my coach. A few that I have had the opportunity to hit with are Chris Minaker (Stanford), Jeff Cirillo (Milwaukee Brewers), Stephen Englund (2nd round pick), Justin Fuller (LC State) to name a few. They all have one thing in common which is very important in a swing. They all COMPRESS down thru a baseball, and that is where you get power from (and using your middle). You can't compress thru a baseball with an uppercut swing. Not only can you not do that, it will also be much harder to catch up to a 95 MPH fastball at the top of the strike zone...
The bat head should be traveling on an upward plane into contact zone and angle will vary based on pitch location. With proper posture
establishing swing plane/trajectory, the lower the pitch the greater the angle.
establishing swing plane/trajectory, the lower the pitch the greater the angle.
Shortstop11, Did you watch the Home Run Derby and see the super slow motion swings? In every swing, the replay showed the bat striking the ball at an upward angle, an angle close to the flight of the ball. The bat usually started it's upward trajectory a good foot and a half before striking the ball. And the hitters were not changing their swing for the derby, in fact David Wright seemed to use much less of an uppercut than he uses in a game.
As for MLB hitters saying that they swing down, many of them say that they feel doing it, but slow motion replays reveal that they do not. Try this website and tell me who swings down...
http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/swings.html
Play these clips frame by frame, and stop each clip the frame before contact. You will never see a bat going down and "compressing" through the ball. Despite what Arod and Jeff Cirillo say.
As for MLB hitters saying that they swing down, many of them say that they feel doing it, but slow motion replays reveal that they do not. Try this website and tell me who swings down...
http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/swings.html
Play these clips frame by frame, and stop each clip the frame before contact. You will never see a bat going down and "compressing" through the ball. Despite what Arod and Jeff Cirillo say.
I couldn't resist, but this is a perfect anecdote lifted from another website.
quote:Always, when this conversation arises, I remember a story Don Slaught told me about talking w/ Barry Bonds about his swing. Bonds said he "was hitting all right, but didn't think he was swinging down sharply enough to contact." Slaught told him that in fact, like all MLB hitters, he swung UP to contact. Bonds vehemently denied the possibility of this. Slaught used RVP {Right View Pro} to convince Bonds, and later heard him walk up to ARod at the All Star Game batting practice and say, "Alex, you know you don't swing down to the ball, right?"
quote:You can't compress thru a baseball with an uppercut swing. Not only can you not do that, it will also be much harder to catch up to a 95 MPH fastball at the top of the strike zone...
Exactly....which explains why MLB hitters adjust there posture (spine angle) upward during weight shift on high pitches in keeping the lead arm perpendicular to contact point.
By being more upright, less angle is created for a flatter swing. Also note posture is relative to lean at contact...less lean on higher pitches, more lean on lower pitches.
SS11, take a look at swing path in these two clips, one old and one new...
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Alright I guess you guys are right. That quote from Levelpath makes me realize that you dont REALLY swing down on the ball, but it sure helps as a hitter to think that way.
Also one more question.. do all professional scouts pretty much teach the same type of swing or do different scouts teach different ways? I guess what I'm asking is do their beliefs vary and teach their hitters different hitting principles than other scouts? And what are the absolutes?
Also one more question.. do all professional scouts pretty much teach the same type of swing or do different scouts teach different ways? I guess what I'm asking is do their beliefs vary and teach their hitters different hitting principles than other scouts? And what are the absolutes?
quote:Originally posted by Shortstop 11:
Alright but do you have to use the CAPS?
I have had a good opportunity to hit with really good hitters, some in professional baseball...and some in college, who also work with my coach. A few that I have had the opportunity to hit with are Chris Minaker (Stanford), Jeff Cirillo (Milwaukee Brewers), Stephen Englund (2nd round pick), Justin Fuller (LC State) to name a few. They all have one thing in common which is very important in a swing. They all COMPRESS down thru a baseball, and that is where you get power from (and using your middle). You can't compress thru a baseball with an uppercut swing. Not only can you not do that, it will also be much harder to catch up to a 95 MPH fastball at the top of the strike zone...
Steve Englund
Steve Englund swings with a slight upswing, and that is one of the reasons he has a chance to be a power hitter.If he had a downswing, I would not have drafted him. Notice how he drills the catcher with his follow through.
