SB-
How is Bustos' forearm strength ?
How is Bustos' forearm strength ?
radial deviation
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Tom her forearms are adequate. Could you answer any of the questions please as to how the bat transitions forward please? As info I have a 107 lb dd that follows her and her coaches instructions and she can hit the fence at 220 feet ! So size of forearms has nothing to do with hitting it far!
- Nov 29, 2009
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Here is a comparison video of Megan Bush alongside Puhols the difference in swings appears to be Bush's hips are slower and her shoulders over rotate. The slower hips will make it more difficult for her on a knee high pitch because of the angle of attack her body will allow. The second part where her shoulders over rotate limits her to a strict pull hitter. She can not hit it hard to the opposite field.High Definition Swing Analysis - Comparison of Pujols and Bush
I think Pujols is better. . . .
The summer after her freshman year, Bush played for the 18Gold Explosion, and my team played them in a territorial qualifier game which was basically for a Gold Nationals berth (there was another game after, but it looked to be an easy win, and in fact, after the Exlosion beat us they won the next game 13-1 to qualify).
We pitched around Bush, but she hit a pitch off our-own returning D-1 pitcher (Jacksonville State) below the knees out for a 3-run HR, and Explosion beat us 4-1. Then finished 4th at Gold Nationals. My team qualified the year before, and the year after, but not that year.
Is it more difficult for Bush on a knee-high pitch than for Pujols? Yeah, probably. Whether it is more difficult than it was for Pujols when HE was 19, or if he was a female, I don't know. Bush's swing is pretty darned good, though, as she has basically attained the highest level in the game a 19 YO girl could attain.
I'd say it would be more useful to look at what she is doing RIGHT in her swing than to compare it to the best male hitter on the planet and find it deficient. (And I think your observations and questions are fine, HittingGuru, not criticizing. You've made some good observations. I just think that in GENERAL, these comparisons are frequently made, but little is done to point out the things the age group hitter is doing RIGHT.) SO I'd like to make a BROADER point: I think that whatever female hitters are doing that allows them to get to and star in college should be examined in great detail, to see if it is applicable to other kids. I think that is WAY more valuable then talking about "MLB patterns," and why certain girls swing WRONG.
Or how wrong their instructor is. ESPECIALLY when that criticism is levied by someone who doesn't instruct. I don't think that kind of opinion is worth much, if anything. I think someone like Wellphyt, who has a daughter who is doing well in her age group should be listened to. He has my respect. I think instructors who put dozens of kids into college should ABSOLUTELY be listened to. In other words, I think consistent results for an instructor or hitting methodology should count for a LOT. And I think that WHATEVER Bush is doing that allowes her to be an AA level player (All Southeast Region; WCWS all-tournament team). should count for a LOT. But then, I'm a cock-eyed optimist.
SBFamily:
Your post on the previous page was insightful and interesting.
I don't think Bustos has hit the ball 450 feet, though I've seen her hit well over 300. She is certainly the most powerful female hitter on the planet. Because of her size and strength, I find her to be an ackward comparison model for most female hitters. Often I use Rivera as a female hitter who is mechanically very proficient. She is just really, really, good. That said, if you put Rivera next to Pujols, she isn't close.
Best regards,
Scott
Your post on the previous page was insightful and interesting.
I don't think Bustos has hit the ball 450 feet, though I've seen her hit well over 300. She is certainly the most powerful female hitter on the planet. Because of her size and strength, I find her to be an ackward comparison model for most female hitters. Often I use Rivera as a female hitter who is mechanically very proficient. She is just really, really, good. That said, if you put Rivera next to Pujols, she isn't close.
Best regards,
Scott
Strength never hurts, it is a huge advantage.
There is virtually no one out there who has strong forearms, but a flacid body. Generally, people who are strong are strong throughout their body, and so trying to point to strength in one muscle group as indicative of hitting success would be dubious. IS dubious.
Congrats on your DD, sounds as if she is doing well. I have LONG thought - an idea first stirred in me by Paul Nyman - that looking at the non-exceptional or non-supremely-gifted athlete who is succeeding is far more illustrative than looking at a big, strong, athletic blue-chipper who is succeeding.
And I am certainly NOT saying your daughter isn't athletically gifted, I'm sure she is. I just think there is more that can be learned from looking at a 109 lb girl hitting the ball 220 feet than from looking at someone Bustos's size, age. strength, and experience level hitting it over the horizon.
In the case of your daughter, it is obvious that arm strength - relative to her undoubtably larger, stronger peers - is not a huge contributor to her success. So what is? A lot can be learned from answering that question, and I think it is great you are asking it, so you can continue to understand and accentuate what she is obviously doing well.
I wish you the best in getting a specific answer to your questions. I'm sure you WILL get considerable info about MLB patterns and golf literature. Undoubtably the answer to SOME question, but I fear it won't be the answer to yours.
Best regards,
Scott
Hitting Guru
So are we comparing apples to apples as to swing mechanics or the female body differences to AP. If you know the differences why would you even try to compare what he does or has accomplished with what she does and has accomplished. I think comparing Bustos to your daughter or another female is a fair comparison considering the differences in their bodies which is why MLB elite swings are not and will not be a valid point in that the bodies and pre disposed conditions are and will be different.
Again why would you think the bat has to be torqued rearward if connection is sought or being applied correctly? The knob of the bat should be moving forward or transitioning, so the knob of the bat is being directed towards the inside of the path of the ball with the lead elbow being above the hands and the hands being above the plane of the pitch and the barrel of the bat being matched hopefully to the incoming pitch and then we release the barrel to the ball. Have you ever tried standing by the net and swinging without hitting the net?
Why would you want the knob of the bat to go up and or tilt the bat backwards as a female knowing the differences and then taut we want our daughters to have the MLB elite swing mechanics?
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Thanks ssarge: She has worked with CB 's hitting coach going on year 3. So I can't take credit and the funny thing she has only been a lefty for 3 years! We switched her at 12. -So it's his instructions and her hard work. Nice not to be just a lefty slapper with speed. She sure make the defense look confused on how to play her these days.
So are we comparing apples to apples as to swing mechanics or the female body differences to AP. If you know the differences why would you even try to compare what he does or has accomplished with what she does and has accomplished. I think comparing Bustos to your daughter or another female is a fair comparison considering the differences in their bodies which is why MLB elite swings are not and will not be a valid point in that the bodies and pre disposed conditions are and will be different.
Again why would you think the bat has to be torqued rearward if connection is sought or being applied correctly? The knob of the bat should be moving forward or transitioning, so the knob of the bat is being directed towards the inside of the path of the ball with the lead elbow being above the hands and the hands being above the plane of the pitch and the barrel of the bat being matched hopefully to the incoming pitch and then we release the barrel to the ball. Have you ever tried standing by the net and swinging without hitting the net?
Why would you want the knob of the bat to go up and or tilt the bat backwards as a female knowing the differences and then taut we want our daughters to have the MLB elite swing mechanics?
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Thanks ssarge: She has worked with CB 's hitting coach going on year 3. So I can't take credit and the funny thing she has only been a lefty for 3 years! We switched her at 12. -So it's his instructions and her hard work. Nice not to be just a lefty slapper with speed. She sure make the defense look confused on how to play her these days.
There is something to this point, for sure. I don't actually mind the comparison - I think there is something to be learned for sure in looking at the best in the world.
What I mind is when people seem to have an expectation that the kid WOULD be as good. And find nothing positive to say whatsoever. What I also mind is when people who have never worked with a kid talk about how some "pattern" is different, and the kid is doomed to failure. Even when the kid may already be playing at the highest level - college scholarship - any female hitter could reasonably expect to attain. And while this is a personal issue, I REALLY mind when someone who doesn't work with students implies that what I teach could never allow a kid to progress to a high level. Even though that is decidedly and REPEATEDLY untrue, and they know it.
Regards,
Scott
Scott at the Pam AM games while playing Team Canada I think, she put one on the roof of the building across the street and the front of the building was 450 feet from home plate. The Team Canada catcher told Stacy Neuvemen if you put it out of the park it is only a run....on top of the building and its a home run!
In OKC in 2008 she hit the light pole which is for the other field about 75 foot up the pole. The light pole is 396 feet from home plate and the calculation was 464 to 465 feet splash down if it had not hit the pole.
At the Canada Cup the 300 foot fence has a clearing of about another 60 feet beyond the fence and she was putting them into the trees (forest) beyond the clearing. These are tall pine trees!!! Her 300 to 350 shots are more common however she has done it.
I am with you all the way that focusing on what is done right by the elite females hitters is more productive than comparing their swings to an elite MLB player and makes sense.
Crystl talks about the differences on female verses male at her clinics and what she has had to do to get her hamstrings stronger and get the flex in her front knee so her weight shifts like water flowing forward by landing on the inside edge of her lead foot and driving off the big toe on the back foot so the calf muscle, ham string and glutes are all engaged. She said Coach Enquist calls it the Elvis move now...plant the heel and lift the back foot heel and turn to get that driving force forward inside the back leg. She also stresses a lot on the elbows clearing the body and working as a unit with the knob leading the elbows and releasing the barrel of the bat to the ball.
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In OKC in 2008 she hit the light pole which is for the other field about 75 foot up the pole. The light pole is 396 feet from home plate and the calculation was 464 to 465 feet splash down if it had not hit the pole.
At the Canada Cup the 300 foot fence has a clearing of about another 60 feet beyond the fence and she was putting them into the trees (forest) beyond the clearing. These are tall pine trees!!! Her 300 to 350 shots are more common however she has done it.
I am with you all the way that focusing on what is done right by the elite females hitters is more productive than comparing their swings to an elite MLB player and makes sense.
Crystl talks about the differences on female verses male at her clinics and what she has had to do to get her hamstrings stronger and get the flex in her front knee so her weight shifts like water flowing forward by landing on the inside edge of her lead foot and driving off the big toe on the back foot so the calf muscle, ham string and glutes are all engaged. She said Coach Enquist calls it the Elvis move now...plant the heel and lift the back foot heel and turn to get that driving force forward inside the back leg. She also stresses a lot on the elbows clearing the body and working as a unit with the knob leading the elbows and releasing the barrel of the bat to the ball.
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