Swing down

[Work=wins]

Yes it’s crystal clear. The quickest swing is down and up, ( a curvature path between two points) In the balls flight, when the bat is at its lowest point the barrel is below the balls path. It then raises up to the point of contact.

The math problem explains clearly that all pro’s videos of them taking the most direct
route of the hands/barrel it is slower.

When you create the Nike swoosh like Trout showed earlier, the quickest path happens. The pic with a powder path.

It’s why being late can result in a foul straight back. It’s also why when a hitter is looking for different pitch or location, they might be late and swing under the ball. Their under the ball because of timing, the bat always takes that path but the timing is wrong (doesn’t get back up in time).

Case closed. Math, geometrics has solved the problem.

stop looking at the bat. Look at the angle of their bodies. the barrel is above the hands for a long time. The bodies perception of up and down is based on spine angle. forward bend into side bend is why you THINK they swing up.

 

[Work=wins]

If you stand Mike straight up.. change nothing else.. he would be on plane for a high strike. It’s that simple. With the barrel above his hands.

 

[Bonesaw]

Just an FYI, that path is only provably optimal when the only force acting on an object is gravity.

Haha ya "crystal clear" was 100% facetious.

I just thought it was interesting that many big leaguers talk about hand path being more down at the start than most people think.

Trouts zepp

 

[Shawn]

Haha ya "crystal clear" was 100% facetious.

I just thought it was interesting that many big leaguers talk about hand path being more down at the start than most people think.

Trouts zepp
View attachment 23344

Looks exactly what I mentioned, down in back.

Edit: Trout in the picture, looks awful ferris wheel. right back to the first post.

 

[Mudders Brudder]

This is where people are being mislead.... the barrel dissects the ball. The barrel is not just a point(end of bat), it's a series of points that can intersect the ball. So when you show a video or gif and plot the path in 2D, yes the end of the barrel shows below the ball. But if you think about it in 3D, and draw a line from the hands to the end of the bat.. any point on the that line can intersect the ball, the entire line is on plane. Hitters are not trying to drop the barrel below the ball and then up through. They are trying to stay through the ball as long as possible. Because the swing is an arc, ideally the barrel will go down to the plane of the pitch... but at some point it as will arc back up again. Teaching kids that the barrel is below the ball at it's lowest point is a big mistake and will lead to major issues as pitching gets better. JMHO

I agree with the bold, in the exact same way I agree that teaching kids that the barrel is sliced down through the ball is a big mistake, and have seen it lead to major issues regardless of pitching.

I also agree that "Hitters are not trying to drop the barrel below the ball and then up through" it...even if that's what shows on video...the key word there being "trying". Now some of them might be trying to "swing down" or "get on top of the ball", but as discussed, that's not exactly what their bats/barrels are doing.

But however a coach is able to get a developing hitter to match (or get closer to) the barrel path of the pros with whatever coaching or cues...I'm all for that.

 

[julray]

I agree with the bold, in the exact same way I agree that teaching kids that the barrel is sliced down through the ball is a big mistake, and have seen it lead to major issues regardless of pitching.

I also agree that "Hitters are not trying to drop the barrel below the ball and then up through" it...even if that's what shows on video...the key word there being "trying". Now some of them might be trying to "swing down" or "get on top of the ball", but as discussed, that's not exactly what their bats/barrels are doing.

But however a coach is able to get a developing hitter to match (or get closer to) the barrel path of the pros with whatever coaching or cues...I'm all for that.

100% agree, but who on here believes barrel path should down through the ball?

Do you believe a hitter can produce idea barrel path without good sequence and posture?

 

[Mudders Brudder]

100% agree, but who on here believes barrel path should down through the ball?

Do you believe a hitter can produce idea barrel path without good sequence and posture?

To your first question, it's all about interpretation, and the discussion and some of the pros' instruction is not seen and/or used by only those posting here. Like I've said previously, the "down to" instruction has caused plenty of problems when used in the vacuum that it sometimes is by parents and coaches who do what some of the pros are saying w/o implementing or really understanding that there's more to it than just that. This is why I think some of these pros are doing a disservice to the kid coaching community by only giving/showing one piece of the pie...or at least leaving out some of the most important parts of the recipe to the pie if nothing else.

The second question kind of goes with the answer to the first. No, I don't believe they can, and why I think that the pros should go beyond just saying "I swing this way" showing only a "down to" hand and/or bat path, w/o covering what I believe to be an even more important aspect of the swing in the "good sequence and posture" that you speak of.

 

[julray]

To your first question, it's all about interpretation, and the discussion and some of the pros' instruction is not seen and/or used by only those posting here. Like I've said previously, the "down to" instruction has caused plenty of problems when used in the vacuum that it sometimes is by parents and coaches who do what some of the pros are saying w/o implementing or really understanding that there's more to it than just that. This is why I think some of these pros are doing a disservice to the kid coaching community by only giving/showing one piece of the pie...or at least leaving out some of the most important parts of the recipe to the pie if nothing else.

The second question kind of goes with the answer to the first. No, I don't believe they can, and why I think that the pros should go beyond just saying "I swing this way" showing only a "down to" hand and/or bat path, w/o covering what I believe to be an even more important aspect of the swing in the "good sequence and posture" that you speak of.

1. Who on here is saying swing down and through the ball? This is important because I do not believe anybody believes in this bat path.

2. Yes, posture and sequence are “obviously” important. Pros are giving advice on the finer points of the swing.. it’s obviously what they work on the most. Hands hold the handle, hands control the barrel. “Down to” is what they do, it’s an important piece of the pie that you mention

 

[Shawn]

1. Who on here is saying swing down and through the ball? This is important because I do not believe anybody believes in this bat path.

2. Yes, posture and sequence are “obviously” important. Pros are giving advice on the finer points of the swing.. it’s obviously what they work on the most. Hands hold the handle, hands control the barrel. “Down to” is what they do, it’s an important piece of the pie that you mention

Your heroes are talking about and taking the hands and barrel straight down through contact.

 

[TDS]

Your heroes are talking about and taking the hands and barrel straight down through contact.

"Down to" the plane of the pitch focusing on hitting the top half out front vs swinging up to the plane of the pitch.