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do you agree

T tfox100+ posts
I was going through some of my videos I had stored in my favorites and was watching the analysis of Bonds swing as Tony Gwynn see's it.He mentioned the bottom hand pulling the bat through the zone.Top hand along for the ride.To me it is a combination of the core and hands,both of them but if one can get to what Bonds is/was doing,the how is irrelevant. Cool

So do you agree with Gwynn?


http://www.usatoday.com/sports...lery/bonds/flash.htm
Last edited {1}
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K kevins1100+ posts
I was always taught that the top hand was the one providing the power and pushing the bat. The bottom was providing the control of the bat head.

When talking about the core it is important, but do not get to focused on it when hitting since the core will try to do to much and pull the front shoulder open. When hitting I think about throwing the bat, having the hands go first, and having the legs and core follow. This causes me to keep everything sequence and to be able to get back spin on the ball.
P powertoallfields1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by tfox:
I was going through some of my videos I had stored in my favorites and was watching the analysis of Bonds swing as Tony Gwynn see's it.He mentioned the bottom hand pulling the bat through the zone.Top hand along for the ride.To me it is a combination of the core and hands,both of them but if one can get to what Bonds is/was doing,the how is irrelevant. Cool

So do you agree with Gwynn?



No! I don't agree! The second you start pulling with the front arm, you lose stretch. When you do that, you have to push with the rear hip and top hand. Both are bad and not part of a high level swing.


http://www.usatoday.com/sports...lery/bonds/flash.htm
P powertoallfields1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by kevins1:
I was always taught that the top hand was the one providing the power and pushing the bat. The bottom was providing the control of the bat head.

When talking about the core it is important, but do not get to focused on it when hitting since the core will try to do to much and pull the front shoulder open. When hitting I think about throwing the bat, having the hands go first, and having the legs and core follow. This causes me to keep everything sequence and to be able to get back spin on the ball.




Sorry, but whoever taught you to swing, didn't know what they were talking about...unless of course...you want to be a slap hitter and can run really fast.
BlueDogBlueDog1,000+ posts
quote:
When talking about the core it is important, but do not get to focused on it.......


These types of statements need to be addressed.......If it's important, you better be focused on it.....The core is the balance point for the body....Understanding the core is understanding balance in the swing...Great hitters have great balance....Poor hitters have poor balance....Great hitters balance to their core, not to the ground...Poor hitters balance to the ground....

quote:
I was always taught that the top hand was the one providing the power and pushing the bat. The bottom was providing the control of the bat head.


Well, Power is correct.....You were taught inadequately.....
Last edited by BlueDog
SA S. Abrams100+ posts
kevins1,

Welcome to the board. Soph in HS...thats great. Hope the season is going well for your team. This site is a good place to get alot of info that can help you throughout your career. You'll get bashed a bit at times (sometimes rudely)on this board but you'll live. Ignore how the message was delivered and focus on what was said and you'll be fine. Based on your previous posts, I'd say you've got a pretty good overall handle on the game and know enough to handle yourself well.

Sounds like you like throwing the hands as a swing cue. Do you think the hands should lead the core and hips or do you use this thought as a cue so that your hands can stay in sequence with the hips/core? Often we see this in some HS kids that haven't physically matured and their upper body strength isn't as good as their legs and core, so they make a mental adjustment or cue. Isn't what is actually happening in the swing but works for the individual. You said that it helped YOU keep everything in sequence..if it works use it.

You'll hear hips. You'll hear hands. You'll hear core. You'll hear push/pull. You'll hear that this one thing is the secret, etc, etc. We all wish just one thing was the secret. The real secret is everything is important.

All good hitters have swing cues such as "quick hands", "quick hips", quick bat" or "stay back", "get on top of the ball"...they all have cues they use and those cues can vary throughout a game or a season. Did I agree with Gwynn...no, but the pull may be a key he used to prevent rolling over or something else. Whatever, when he speaks about hitting I'll listen even if I don't totally agree.

Best advice I can give you is watch videos of the best hitters and how the various parts of the body work in tandem and the timing of when everything happens. Personally I always watch the correlation of the back hip and the hands and how/when they fire. Others will look at other things as keys.

While we all focus on the mechanical side of hitting (the science part), understand the mental side is more important (the art part). Have seen alot of really good hitters with different swings but I haven't seen many good hitters that didn't believe or were timid.

Once agin, good luck this season.
tres_arbolestres_arboles1,000+ posts
Interesting set of replies to the question. Ordinarily, I would stay out of the technical forums like this one (unless I had a question of my own to ask Wink ). But Power's answer directly contradicts something I heard from the horse's mouth. Specifically, I watched a video of Bonds talking about hitting and he was very specific and very clear about engaging the top hand through the swing to create power. (That and swinging through the top half of the ball).

Frankly, I found that interesting, because at that time, I hadn't even conceived of differentiating the contribution of each side to the energy in the swing. I hadn't needed to because I was coaching 9U kids and just trying to teach them a repeatable approach at the plate. Now I don't know what to think. Maybe Bonds was sandbagging in the interview I saw? Big Grin

Whatever the case, I enjoy these discussions.
coach2709coach270910,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by S. Abrams:
kevins1,

Welcome to the board. Soph in HS...thats great. Hope the season is going well for your team. This site is a good place to get alot of info that can help you throughout your career. You'll get bashed a bit at times (sometimes rudely)on this board but you'll live. Ignore how the message was delivered and focus on what was said and you'll be fine. Based on your previous posts, I'd say you've got a pretty good overall handle on the game and know enough to handle yourself well.

Sounds like you like throwing the hands as a swing cue. Do you think the hands should lead the core and hips or do you use this thought as a cue so that your hands can stay in sequence with the hips/core? Often we see this in some HS kids that haven't physically matured and their upper body strength isn't as good as their legs and core, so they make a mental adjustment or cue. Isn't what is actually happening in the swing but works for the individual. You said that it helped YOU keep everything in sequence..if it works use it.

You'll hear hips. You'll hear hands. You'll hear core. You'll hear push/pull. You'll hear that this one thing is the secret, etc, etc. We all wish just one thing was the secret. The real secret is everything is important.

All good hitters have swing cues such as "quick hands", "quick hips", quick bat" or "stay back", "get on top of the ball"...they all have cues they use and those cues can vary throughout a game or a season. Did I agree with Gwynn...no, but the pull may be a key he used to prevent rolling over or something else. Whatever, when he speaks about hitting I'll listen even if I don't totally agree.

Best advice I can give you is watch videos of the best hitters and how the various parts of the body work in tandem and the timing of when everything happens. Personally I always watch the correlation of the back hip and the hands and how/when they fire. Others will look at other things as keys.

While we all focus on the mechanical side of hitting (the science part), understand the mental side is more important (the art part). Have seen alot of really good hitters with different swings but I haven't seen many good hitters that didn't believe or were timid.

Once agin, good luck this season.


One of the best posts I've ever seen in the hitting forum.
Blue Collar BaseballBlue Collar Baseball10+ posts
It's not totally wrong. I mean players work on bottom hand MUCH more than top hand drills. When I am working bottom hand on a hitter, I tell him to swing down and try to hit the ball off home plate. Of course he will miss alot but its the motion he needs to get used to. The top hand is basically throwing the barrell to the pitcher. Watch Jeter before he hits. He always pulls his bottom and straight down, but youll never see him practice top hand before an at bat. Combine them of course, but the bottom hand is much more a point of focus.
Blue Collar BaseballBlue Collar Baseball10+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by SultanofSwat:
quote:
Originally posted by Blue Collar Baseball:
Watch Jeter before he hits. He always pulls his bottom and straight down,


Please post a video of a MLB hitter throwing their bottom hand straight down.


In his warm up swing before he steps in. Of course in game time swing his elbow isnt being pulled straight down but if you use this technique (as a practice drill) it will develop a shorter swing.
Blue Collar BaseballBlue Collar Baseball10+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Blue Collar Baseball:
quote:
Originally posted by SultanofSwat:
quote:
Originally posted by Blue Collar Baseball:
Watch Jeter before he hits. He always pulls his bottom and straight down,


Please post a video of a MLB hitter throwing their bottom hand straight down.


In his warm up swing before he steps in. Of course in game time swing his elbow isnt being pulled straight down but if you use this technique (as a practice drill) it will develop a shorter swing.


His elbow not his hand.
Blue Collar BaseballBlue Collar Baseball10+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by SultanofSwat:
quote:
Originally posted by Blue Collar Baseball:
Watch Jeter before he hits. He always pulls his bottom and straight down,


Please post a video of a MLB hitter throwing their bottom hand straight down.


I tried searching when jeter uses one hand. But in this video hes using both hands but watch how drastic and emphasized he is on swinging down (which causes the front elbow to be pulled down)

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