Cabrera Launch Position

rdbass said:

Short answer-no adjust ability with that thought process. A swing should start inside the ball and adjust for outside balls. If your fully extended before contact a hitter would be unable to hit an inside pitched ball.

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Just so we are clear, I am in no way saying full extension before contact, what had been suggested to me is that you want to attempt to hit the ball as long as possible on the same plane of the pitched ball. Maybe my definition of extension is not the same as yours but when I look at clips of say Cabreras, his hands are closer to his body before POC but when he hits the ball and right after he sure looks as though he has some extension. Maybe it is the degree of extension that we disagree?

pstein said:

At the risk of starting another pissing match, what do you mean by extension? I'm thinking (hoping?) that you mean lead arm extension, not both arms locked out.

I ask, because in this article How To Put “Lightning” Into Your Baseball/Softball Swing | Hitting With Torque, you talk about extension being towards the pitcher, with the "power V" position that hitters achieve unless they get jammed/ something else prevents extension.

However, you also claim that extension should happen at contact. Which one is it?

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Based on what we have seen posted before, he believes in full extension of BOTH arms at the moment of contact.

Additionally, he also believes in pushing the hands rearward by straightening the lead arm to create a longer swing before contact. His proof is in the increased bat speed of balls hit off a tee. You can read about it here...The Calm Before The “Lightning” | Hitting With Torque

This is truly some of the worst hitting information on the magical intarwebz.

My favorite part is that he sees himself as some sort of revolutionary hitting guru who plays himself as a martyr against the evil forces who discredit his unique wisdom...http://torque-hitting.com/2013/12/21/yes-full-extension/

To date, he has not posted a single pic of any good hitter with full extension of both arms AT IMPACT. As the rest of us know, those pics do not exist

Rocketech1 said:

Just so we are clear, I am in no way saying full extension before contact, what had been suggested to me is that you want to attempt to hit the ball as long as possible on the same plane of the pitched ball. Maybe my definition of extension is not the same as yours but when I look at clips of say Cabreras, his hands are closer to his body before POC but when he hits the ball and right after he sure looks as though he has some extension. Maybe it is the degree of extension that we disagree?

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Extension depends on a number of variables, including the person's definition of extension. I look at "extension" and "full extension" as two different things. "Full extension" is what people used to refer to as the power v. In my opinion, this does not happen until a few frames after contact. I have heard/read that some people believe this should occur at contact, or as close to contact as possible. You stated clearly that you do not believe in this, so we are at least on the same page there.

I also view "extension" as the distance between the hands and the body. I believe this is used to adjust to pitch location. The gif of Crystl Bustos shows that her hands are more "extended" from her body when working on the outside pitch drill. But she is not at full extension.

One gif that I have been watching repeatedly was that of RDBass in post #12. I have watched this clip at least 100 times and I am still trying to figure out exactly what is going on. But I am not an expert. As best as I can tell, he was fooled on this particular pitch. At least a little. It looks to me like he is out in front of the ball and it appears that contact occurs close to the end of the bat. I believe he is more fully extended at contact on this particular swing than he intends to be, but that is because of being fooled a little. I don't think this particular gif represents one of Cabrera's better POCs.

In summary, I do not believe that full extension at contact is a good thing. I believe this occurs well after contact. But, I do believe that as part of "adjustability", the hands can and should be closer to or further away from the body depending on pitch location.

Edit - If I would have taken the time to read Crankermo's post #11 I could have avoided watching the gif in post #12 100+ times Sorry for repeating something that was already said. On the bright side, I am glad that my conclusion was not in opposition to Crankermo's. Lesson learned on my part...

pstein said:

It's based on what he feels. If he feels as though it was solid contact, he lets go. If not, he holds on.

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This shows what it takes to be a truly elite hitter. The thought of making that type of decision that quickly blows my mind!

petricca413 said:

Check out the great extension at impact and the way he maintains this extension, so he doesn't lose bat speed. Classic rotational mechanics.

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So many are getting bent out of shape over this statement?

In regards to this swing?


Great hitters are always looking to get extended. They don't stop to make contact... Sheesh!

Howe,

It's not the statement that people are in a uproar about, it's how he manipulates the actions this particular gif to prove his extremely FLAWED theory is in fact right. I stated from the start that this is a timing issue that Miggy does what what great hitters do, keep the barrel in the zone as long as possible.

Petricca is trying to sell a bill of false goods and is doing serious damage to any kid or parents that believes his crap. Go read his PATHETIC blog yourself

Rocketech1 said:

Question, can't the act of trying to get extension a full extension help with good mechanics BEFORE point of contac especially considering that the action from just before POC, at POC, and right after POC happens in milliseconds? I know of at least one D1 program that encourages a full extension after contact.

With my DD, she has a tendency to pull her front shoulder early and pulls a lot of pitches. Her hitting coach has tried to have her get some more extension to help her fix his flaw in her swing mechanics.

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The answer to your question is ..... 'yes'.

Sorry not Cabrera but, Pujols:

Rocketech1 said:

Question, can't the act of trying to get extension a full extension help with good mechanics BEFORE point of contac especially considering that the action from just before POC, at POC, and right after POC happens in milliseconds? I know of at least one D1 program that encourages a full extension after contact.

With my DD, she has a tendency to pull her front shoulder early and pulls a lot of pitches. Her hitting coach has tried to have her get some more extension to help her fix his flaw in her swing mechanics.

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FFS gif shows the hitter swinging 'out from' his body 'not around'.

rdbass said:

FFS gif shows the hitter swinging 'out from' his body 'not around'.

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Exactly ... there is a linear like firing/release taking place against a resistance.