Just want to see who you guys have as your favorite players to watch mechanics wise? Any prospects in MILB/Rookies in MLB with beautiful mechanics that may have a successful career? Here are my top 3:
1. Carlos Correa (Everything is almost perfect about him)
2. Dansby Swanson (Doesnt use much lower half but beautiful bat path that hits the ball hard almost every time)
3. Nolan Arenado (Leg kick is paced well, has a lot of power/high average potential)
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Miggy is a stud.
I used Albert Pujols as a model for my hitters and my daughter.
I patterned my kids swings to Cabrera. Ultimately they made their own modifications to it.
Donaldson, Trout, Cabrera, Pujols, Bautista, Votto, Harper, Tulo, Bonds.
I'm not really a fan of correa, strong guy but not a lot of "Separation" (hips leading Hands).
The best swing probably has Cabrera. he also has the best "functional" swing since he can handle all Corners of the Zone and even beyond.
trout has an ugly swing and a hole in his swing at the top half but for low pitches his mechanics are probably just perfect (very good shoulder tilt and bat angle). make sure you don't mix up style with absolutes. don't spend too much time spending style Points although for some hitters a different style can help to find a better sequence.
Manny being Manny
Another one of my favorites
Cabrera - simple, compact, athletic, powerful, covers the plate well.
I've always admired Votto's mechanics and plate coverage.
Not good enough to judge the best, but several years ago (11yo year for son), I asked my son "Don't you think you swing like Josh Hamilton?"
He paused for a second, and then said "No, Michael Brantley". I had never paid much attention to Brantley, but then youtubed his swing. Yep, just like it.
We live in Texas. That was the year Hamilton hit 43 hr's for the Rangers, Brantley was mostly an unknown.
Even young kids are generally sports smarter than their dad's.
I always thought these two guys had the prettiest LH swings...
Bolts; I agree with you on John Olerud. One day in Seattle, the Mariners invited me to sit in the dugout during BP and I studied Olerud.In the dugout was Rodriguez and Pinella. {That is another story]
"Effortlessly" can best described his approach. Notice the hands "relax" on the bat handle. He did not muscle Up, but glided to the pitch. He never played in the Minor Leagues. Great vision and knowledge of the pitcher.
Bob
I think "best swing" is most aesthetically pleasing to some. That is in the eye of the beholder. View this swing of beauty from a career .948 OPS very soon to be hall of famer. There is no "relax" in this swing.
He is relaxed, check his top hand fingers. When he drops the bat [pumps or churns the bat] he is very relax and focused. His objective is to explodes with a "short" stroke.
Bob
No love for Paul Goldschmidt?
Go44dad posted:I think "best swing" is most aesthetically pleasing to some. That is in the eye of the beholder. View this swing of beauty from a career .948 OPS very soon to be hall of famer. There is no "relax" in this swing.
What jumps off the screen at me is the extension he has after contact...
Go44dad, Brantley is actually the hitter I tell most of my lefties to study.
Olerud and Bagwell great.
Blue Jays hit well (obviously) however saw in the playoffs their lineup had a lot of hand movement and waggle may not work for younger hitters.
Bob says the same as my son's coach: Quiet Relaxed hands, quick bat and explosion to ball with full follow-through extension, above Bagwell video good guide.
Not a Dodger fan, but I loved to watch Piazza swing the bat. He would practically take his neck off because he swang so hard. I also know that he isn't in the class of the hitters mentioned above, but I loved the Ryan Klesko swung so hard that I named my son after him.
"Klesko" must be a struggle for his teachers...
Catcherdad posted:Olerud and Bagwell great.
Blue Jays hit well (obviously) however saw in the playoffs their lineup had a lot of hand movement and waggle may not work for younger hitters.
Bob says the same as my son's coach: Quiet Relaxed hands, quick bat and explosion to ball with full follow-through extension, above Bagwell video good guide.
I agree that movement for the sake of movement is bad. I also think that the coach probably doesn't understand what Donaldson is doing with that movement. It allows him to get on plane deeper, actually be quicker to the ball, and have a few more milliseconds to recognize the pitch.
Cabrera - 6 HR 6 locations
I would be carefull just imitating swings. absolutes Need to be learned but not any style works for any hitter and Body type.
of course not all fine movements are actually style, some are important but generally I would advice to teach the most important fundamentals and let the hitters find their own style. sometimes Emulation can help but forcing a hitter to be a Pujols, Cabrera or trout clone probably is not the best idea.
there are fundamentals that are universal but a swing always has to fit into the hitters Body and even personality.
