Swing Evaluation

If I had to pick one or the other it would be the open stance.

The no stride is not for you IMO. You look way to tied up and restricted. Its not allowing the entire middle of your body to work the way it is capable of.

With the Open video it looks like you dont like the ball middle/in, and had a tough time getting it in the air when you pulled the ball. It may be your over doing the amount of open, or you need to get a little further off the plate.
Good luck.

It's basically the same swing. The bottom half is way behind and the front knee is staying bent too long.

Dear Johnny Appleseed.

What we see is simply
- a picker high double nickel approach to your training.
- working on strengths

You may want to reconsider your training approach
to examine the following:
1. Anything Away
2. Anything In

1. Not offered at or rolls it over
2. Freezes

Good Luck

Am I doing this because my swing is long? Power, are you saying my hands are leading my swing? What drills can I do to stop from doing these things?Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by johnny appleseed:
Am I doing this because my swing is long? Power, are you saying my hands are leading my swing? What drills can I do to stop from doing these things?Thanks.

Actually, your swing is long because you are doing this. Your hands should be going back as your front toe touches down. One pattern would be to turn your front knee and foot to the Pitcher just before landing and then as your front heel plants, your back heel should raise and the bathead should be pulled backwards as the back elbow slots and back hip fires. Your bellybutton should be pointing at or very near the Pitcher before your hands start forward.

THIS IS A DRILL!!! If you start with your bellybutton pointing at the Pitcher and your hands as far behind your back shoulder as possible, you will feel what the swing should be.

The timing (on a regular swing) is that your hands should not stop moving and should be back as far as possible when you finally start to swing at the ball. YOU have to learn to get to that point with the movement of your body.

I really think some people should read what they write before they post it. I think there's some bad information being passed on to people who are requesting help and it's a little scary. Just remember, it's not for you guys giving info, it's for the people asking for help. Some of the stuff I see is just plain wrong and is counter to any good swing. It's almost like some of you are making stuff up as you go.

My thought is to look at the info guys like deemax and beemax are giving. They have a pedigree of sorts and come from baseball bloodlines. I get a little leery of the "internet gurus" that are on here.

I agree with DeeMax. I think your open stance is too open. I would recommend no more openness than your front foot's toes = your back foot's toes. You could also back of the plate about 4-6".

Personally, I would like to see you load slower. Your swing seems too rushed to me.

Also, when soliciting advice about hitting, make sure you use what is good for you and your swing. Just because someone gives you advice, doen't mean it is always the right thing to do.

ncball,
Good point.

I try to post basics, with a description (many times too detailed ) of things that works for my hitters,,, and support what I am saying with some video,,,doesn't mean it's clear, that's for sure.

I'm not picking on anyone ---because of my own shortcomings---- when it comes to writing.

redbird- There you go being diplomatic (haha)! My though on open stances (exxagerated ones) is that they are too easy to pitch to. Most guys can't get to square properly on-time. The one advantage is that you can get both eyes flat and on the ball easier. That's especially important if your back eye (in your stance) is the dominant eye.

LClifton, fwiw, I enjoy your stuff. You always give evidence with your videos. I think kids would do themselves alot of good by trying to emulate the swings of the best players and stop being so analytical.

ncball,

hahaha...me = diplomatic? I think THAT'S a first.

I guess I will write what I initially thought as well...I can get this hitter out easily with hard stuff in and soft away. You have a lot of moving parts...stride in, fast load, etc. which make pitching to you easier.

To johnny appleseed, how do pitchers get you out?

quote:

Originally posted by ncball:
I really think some people should read what they write before they post it. I think there's some bad information being passed on to people who are requesting help and it's a little scary. Just remember, it's not for you guys giving info, it's for the people asking for help. Some of the stuff I see is just plain wrong and is counter to any good swing. It's almost like some of you are making stuff up as you go.

My thought is to look at the info guys like deemax and beemax are giving. They have a pedigree of sorts and come from baseball bloodlines. I get a little leery of the "internet gurus" that are on here.

ncball,

Be specific in the advice you think is wrong. In his first post he just says that he has tried two different stances, he doesn't ask which one should he chose. In the open stance video provided, the kid steps in to the same spot as he starts in the no stride video. I said in my first post the two swings were the same in that they have the same issues. In his response to me he asked two questions and I answered both. The position I suggested he start in, is a drill I use to get kids to feel separation and it works very well. Both kids in the second video are swinging around the ball and in one piece. They will never be able to adjust to good off speed pitches with those swings.

My post is directed to what I have seen for the last few years on this board. There are a couple things in this thread that, imo, are a little wacky as well.

quote:

Originally posted by ncball:
My post is directed to what I have seen for the last few years on this board. There are a couple things in this thread that, imo, are a little wacky as well.

Please be specific. If you want to do it in a PM that's fine. If some advice is given in this thread that could hurt this hitter, please post it so he will know and so those offering advice can explain their position. Thanks.

Johnny,

Here are some stills of what I'm talking about. The 5th picture in the sequence is the position you should start with in the drill I suggested. Try to keep your front shoulder pointing at the Pitcher as long as possible as you try to point your bellybutton at him at the same time. Take a few swings from that position. Next, from that same position, make believe you are trying to punch the Catcher with your bottom hand and when you get back as far as you can go, use your legs to pull yourself through and turn your upper body as fast as you can and fire your top hand through the ball. Good luck! If you have any questions you can PM me if you want.






[/QUOTE]

Here is another good illustration.


http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Hitting/Pr...sis_AlbertPujols.pdf

Redbird- Yes, soft stuff away kills me. I usually have this bad habit of sticking my butt out and reaching for the ball, and inside i usually get jammed on. I feel I even get jammed on mid-in, not even totally in. Also on loading slower, I've tried. I can do it off a tee but the minute I move to live BP or even underhand toss, I speed everything up.
Power- you say to pretend to punch the catcher with my bottom hand as far as I can go, but wouldn't that lead to barring out and creating a long swing?

quote:

Power- you say to pretend to punch the catcher with my bottom hand as far as I can go, but wouldn't that lead to barring out and creating a long swing?

No. Look at the above illustrations. Look at his front arm, it is straight, but it is against his body and he hasn't fired his top hand yet. A long swing is one that starts the top hand too soon or one that puts the bathead behind the back in a flat position.

You probably speed up your load because you are worried about getting jammed or sticking your butt out. Trust your swing. It is your minds way of compensating. Load slower!

As far as "punching" the catcher with your bottom hand, I would say to simply move your bottom hand toward the catcher...slowly.

To handle the away pitches, you must first recognize them. Is that happening?

quote:

As far as "punching" the catcher with your bottom hand, I would say to simply move your bottom hand toward the catcher...slowly.

Redbird,

This is part of a drill to get the feeling of the "cusp" of the stretch. I agree that you should be loading while you are reading the pitch and slower is better to make sure you don't get your stretch too soon.

power,

Good to hear. The "punching" comment had me confused.

I'm going to try to load slower. I know it is going to be hard just because I've been doing it for so long. When I do recognize them, I don't stick my butt out, but when it's a curveball that I don't recognize in time, it's ugly.

Came into this late so if I repeat somebody I apologize. The main problems I see are:
1. When the front foot lands you are drifting forward instead of blocking with the front foot to get the hips turning, basically a hip slide they call it.
2. You seem to have a very armsy/shoulder swing, this could be because of the hip slide, but it looks very arms, it could be too because your hips are way behind in the swing.
3. It also appears your hands and arms get too far from your body in your swing, which goes along with the hip slide.

Stop drifting when your front foot lnads and that will help some other things.

Coach W

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
It's basically the same swing. The bottom half is way behind and the front knee is staying bent too long.

While I will agree with everything else atated on the no stride swing. There is no way these two swings are even close to the same.

quote:

Originally posted by Gameth:

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
It's basically the same swing. The bottom half is way behind and the front knee is staying bent too long.

While I will agree with everything else atated on the no stride swing. There is no way these two swings are even close to the same.

Once his front foot hits the ground it is the same swing, it has the same issues as the open start with a step in.

johnny appleseed,

sorry so late to the party, and if you’re still here.
for what it’s worth to you.

disclaimer: used to coach. not pretending to know it all, by any means. simply suggesting. use info or discard.

advice: you would get more accurate feedback on taped game swings.

these two pics are intended for you.
while coaching in the past, i found that if i presented pics to our hitters and asked them if they could see and explain subtle differences, they would study/analyze better/more and experiment.

what I see you doing –


experimental differences that may help –

so ray, basically you're showing me that I need to open up my hips more.. I've been working with an instructor and im beginnning to do better

johnny appleseed,

not quite. but it's my fault.
bad illustrations.

what i see is you making contact on a pull pitch with your left forearm not in alignment with the bat (straight alignment at contact).
in the bottom illustration of my first post to you, the left forearm and bat almost form a straight line. not so in the top illustration, where the forearm and bat create an angle (albeit slight).
causes:
the right hand is pushing too hard into contact.
the left shoulder is not pulling back (toward the back of the box)
this is a timing issue as well as mechanical.
can't tell if it's a carry-over into game. need game footage.
suggestions:
do some one arm (left) tee work, and have someone record you. stop action at contact and check alignment. notice power diff when in alignment.
also have one of your pitchers throw some cage BP to you @ 60ft. 6 while trying to stike you out - and record that.



just my two cents. trying to help. don't want to conflict with your instructor. good luck.

johnny appleseed,

more evident in no stride.
better look at what i'm trying to say.