Critique my swing....

You need to learn how to synch upper and lower body better.......

You are dead-hands hitting.........Not even a real good slowpitch swing, IMO.....

Load the hips and hands better. Maybe add tip and rip to get the hands moving.

A good slowpitch swing is the same as a good baseball swing.

Two things. It looks like you're dragging the bat, and you're hitting around the ball.

TD,

With that swing - and a wood bat in your hands - you will be lucky to hit the ball past the pitcher.

Stick with slo-pitch softball and a couple of beers IMO.

If you really wanted to see a ball hit, you should have seen my friend Dirk Androff hit a ball. He missed once and I was playing 3rd base on the opposing team. Never saw the ball. Took one of my front teeth out.

Dirk Androff

quote:

Originally posted by Nitric_Acid:
Two things. It looks like you're dragging the bat, and you're hitting around the ball.

What does this mean? I was working on pulling the ball in those videos.

quote:

Originally posted by BlueDog:
You need to learn how to synch upper and lower body better.......

You are dead-hands hitting.........Not even a real good slowpitch swing, IMO.....

What is out of synch between my upper and lower body? A little quantitative description would be helpful.

I am a solid 0.600+ slowpitch hitter with decent power for my size, which is pretty good if you are familiar with the game, so that is not a problem.

Td25, what do you believe are measuring points for a good swing?....As per body movements, what are you attempting to do in your slowpitch swing?

quote:

Originally posted by BlueDog:
Td25, what do you believe are measuring points for a good swing?....As per body movements, what are you attempting to do in your slowpitch swing?

Basically, I just try to hit hard line drives to all parts of the field. That video only shows me working on pulling the ball, though.

As far as measuring points for a good swing, playing baseball, I was always taught to have as little movement before the pitch as possible, stay balanced, and drive down and through the ball on the swing.

Here are a couple pictures of my swing at contact, and follow through. Maybe it helps more to see this. The 1st 3 I am pulling the ball, the last 2 I am hitting opposite field....

quote:

As far as measuring points for a good swing, playing baseball, I was always taught to have as little movement before the pitch as possible, and drive down and through the ball on the swing.

Is that what these two hitters are doing?

quote:

Originally posted by BlueDog:

quote:

As far as measuring points for a good swing, playing baseball, I was always taught to have as little movement before the pitch as possible, and drive down and through the ball on the swing.

Is that what these two hitters are doing?

No, but I don't believe Sheffield's swing is a good one to teach people how to hit. Its probably the noisiest swing in MLB. He is the exception to the rule. Wallace swings for the fences every time (he is hitting in a HR derby there). If I try to emulate their swings, I would be flying out all the time (I am 5'8" with very good speed).

My swing more resembles Justin Morneau, except that my hands are already back during my stride, and Morneau brings his back.

quote:

........except that my hands are already back during my stride,....

This hurts your swing.........MLB hitters don't do this....Neither do really good slowpitch hitters.....

You don't synch upper and lower body properly, and they do....

You dead-hands hit and they hit with momentum......

Notice how their hands and bats never stop moving...

TD,

With the slo-pitch swing you have bravely posted - against an 85-90 MPH pitcher - you would be getting your wood bat busted alot.

That swing will work with a ball coming in at about 20 mph - and getting hit with a $400 rocket launcher - but it wont ever work in baseball.

If you want to play baseball -you need to go back to the drawing board on the swing. IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by itsinthegame:
TD,

With the slo-pitch swing you have bravely posted - against an 85-90 MPH pitcher - you would be getting your wood bat busted alot.

That swing will work with a ball coming in at about 20 mph - and getting hit with a $400 rocket launcher - but it wont ever work in baseball.

If you want to play baseball -you need to go back to the drawing board on the swing. IMO.

Well, give me some concrete tips, then. I used to be a very good baseball player in highschool, and we played against some good competition, but that was 14 yrs ago. As with normal highschool pitchers, most pitched in the 70's and low 80's. I remember facing only 2 pitchers that approached 90 mph. One guy I hit well (3-5, 2BB), and one guy blew me away (0-2, 2K), but that was basically mixing his 90+ mph fastball with an incredible curve. Now, I am looking to play in a league that is 28+, and from what I hear, noone really has a great fastball anymore. Allot of junk.

TD,

You said you havent played baseball for 14 years.

You have a slo-pitch aluminum bat swing.

I am sure getting back into baseball would be alot of fun - and I hope you do it and do great and enjoy it.

But if you play in a competitive baseball league - you are going to need to go to a good hitting instructor - and completely revamp your swing. You may also find that hitting a 80-90 mph fastball is pretty difficult when you havent played baseball for 14 years.

I do hope you do it and do real well too - but I dont think that swing is going to make it happen on a baseball field.

Good luck and have fun!

If your hardball league is anything like the one I have participated in the last 7 years, I wouldn't be too worried about the pitching being too over powering. Most of the pitchers try to live on the outside corner and yes, mixing in a ton of junk.

Your swing isn't Joe Mauer caliber, but who cares. It is somewhat compact and if you can drive a ball on the outside part of plate, you'll have a blast playing hardball again. Its a chance to leave real life for about 6 hrs a week and be a kid again. I'm 38 and I look forward to catching up with guys every year.