Wish it was better.

[Lenski]

Lenski ... first let me say I was impressed by some of your daughter's catching mechanics. This looks to have been trained ... and she has learned well.

Second ... what we see here in your daughter's swing goes well beyond that of a change-up. And as with your daughter's catching, what she is doing in her swing looks to have been trained as well ... albeit this time not to her benefit.

Question ... why does your daughter throw left-handed but bat right-handed?

I ask for multiple reasons ... one of which is that your daughter is performing an odd mechanic in her rear shoulder when she swings. Her connective process does not involve proper scap action ... and actually bypasses it. Did your daughter receive training at one point that gave her a goal of having a vertical rear forearm at any point in her swing? Her swing has that appearance.

Firstly, thank you concening my dd's catching mechanics. She was taught by me. I caught back in the day.

Secondly, this happens to her every school year for some reason. When she sees live (slow) HS pitching early in the season, she leans forward and does other odd stuff like she's impatient or something. Eventually is smoothes out.

Thirdly, because she's a weirdo. She throws, eats, and writes left-handed, and does about everything else right handed. It's just how she is. I tried to make her hit lefty but she wouldn't have anything to do with it. She can throw right-handed better than most girls even though she throws left-handed. On her old travel team she had the strongest throw (by far) left handed and the 3rd strongest throw on the team when she threw right handed.

A couple of MLB players off the top of my head that throw left and bat right are retired A's outfielder Ricky Henderson and the Reds Ryan Ludwick. I'm sure there are some more but I know it is very rare.

And fourthly, no. She has always been taught that the top hand should always stay in front of the elbow during the swing.....not that she always listens.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Change up:

I placed a 'red' dot on the rear elbow in the contact frame. Notice that her rear elbow is fairly close to the rear hip and not way out front.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Firstly, thank you concening my dd's catching mechanics. She was taught by me. I caught back in the day.

Secondly, this happens to her every school year for some reason. When she sees live (slow) HS pitching early in the season, she leans forward and does other odd stuff like she's impatient or something. Eventually is smoothes out.

Thirdly, because she's a weirdo. She throws, eats, and writes left-handed, and does about everything else right handed. It's just how she is. I tried to make her hit lefty but she wouldn't have anything to do with it. She can throw right-handed better than most girls even though she throws left-handed. On her old travel team she had the strongest throw (by far) left handed and the 3rd strongest throw on the team when she threw right handed.

A couple of MLB players off the top of my head that throw left and bat right are retired A's outfielder Ricky Henderson and the Reds Ryan Ludwick. I'm sure there are some more but I know it is very rare.

And fourthly, no. She has always been taught that the top hand should always stay in front of the elbow during the swing.....not that she always listens.

Lenski, she’s far from a weirdo. Your daughter plays with passion and heart. She is energetic, quick, alert and “staying in the present”. She plays like a player that has the mental tools as well as the physical tools. She operates as a player that is “in the zone”. Some of her plays were down-right impressive. Heck, one time I believe I saw her beat another defensive player to cover 3B. She plays with passion. I like it.

Here are a few more swings. If you look at the rear arm action I think you’ll see what I’m seeing.

 

[straightleg]

Len
Casey used to go a few games swinging out front in highschool ball. Very common for girls that faced travel ball pitching all summer.
She used to tell me, darn I told my self to wait on it.

Hard to practice on it when they play every day. Good Luck this season



Gerry

 

[RayR]

While I can appreciate making adjustments for slower pitching - If you keep the barrel above your hands as part of your swing - you don't dump it because the pitching is slower...

Fact is if you dump the barrel as part of your swing - you dump the barrel regardless of the pitching speed....it is how the hitter starts the swing.

 

[Stever]

I haven't read the whole thread, and its probably been suggested, but she really needs to work on her stretch. The hands need to be pulled back and in, which gives the elbow poking out the backside that many talk about. She needs to have a better bat path and swing to extension out front. I believe the level shoulder turn hurts the bat path, reaching extension, and staying on plane with the pitch.

I would personally work on the 'Stretch' and shoulder tilt and see how the bat path changes.

I think the lower half could be improved a little, but the biggest improvements will be seen with the upper half.