12yo Maddie

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rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
This may or may not help. It's what I 'picture' when I see your DD's swing.
tumblr_oi1momjEai1usf292o1_400.gif

StantonCabrera1.gif

Stanton's arm usage PREVENTS him from making any quality adjustment to late ball movement. When you deliver AND CREATE energy with the arms you simply can not make a late adjustment. Getting the lead arm into the swing plane BEFORE you swing....so that a spinal axis can turn you....and DELIVER energy 'down the length of the lead arm' and then 'down the length' of the bat to the barrel....is a slow process. And not just slow....but virtually UNadjustable. Is that a word? That system forces you to make an early commitment to location because the swing is long to begin with. And then you have little to no ability to adjust because the arms have committed to a direction and that direction can not be changed without a severe degradation of the swing. The arms must be FREE. They must be free to move to a new location.

But, when you JUST DELIVER with the arms....while energy is CREATED elsewhere....the arms are FREE....to move an already speeding barrel to the ball that moves.

Both of these hitters have gone 'all in' by about the 2nd frame in the clip above. Stanton's horizontal swing plane....that is perpendicular to his spinal axis....can not make a quality adjustment to any moving pitch. If it was lower than he expected....his arms would have to chop downward to the ball....meaning he would have a 'one point in time' chance to make solid contact because his plane no longer matches the pitch. If it was further outside than expected his arms would 'let out'....which lengthens his swing....slows it down. If the ball was more inside....he would pull in....the dreaded 'hook in the handpath'...and rotate faster....and hook the ball foul. His spinal axis....rotating....and delivering energy 'down the length' of the lead arm and bat....is his nemesis. Yet....a multitude of people teach that as their standard.

Cabrera, on the other hand, has a FOREARM AXLE as his axis. The bat rotates about his rear forearm....about his hands. His swing plane is diagonal and NOT around his spine. In fact, he does not rotate around his spine. Instead he PIVOTS in his rear hip socket. His REAR LEG is his driver causing that REAR HIP PIVOT. He creates stretch BETWEEN his hand pivot point and his rear hip pivot point. The CREATION of his energy does not involve his arms. They are FREE. His creation is done by the forearms and the stretch between them and his rear hip. This leaves his ARMS free....to move an already speeding barrel to the moving ball. It creates the highest level of adjustability a hitter can have. And the numbers show the difference. You can literally SEE how Cabrera's diagonal swing plane, swung around his rear forearm, and driven by the REAR LEG, can take the barrel to spots LATE in the swing. His path...his PLANE....is not encumbered by the spine. It is not encumbered by the NEED to get and keep the lead arm in the plane of the shoulders. Getting and keeping the lead arm in the swing plane....and adjusting for ball movement with the spine....
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
One of our topics of discussion after reviewing video of her swings was that she used her back (rear side "scrunch") much better in the 4th swing of the latest clip, which is closer to the kind of action we are looking for.

Ironically, the worst swing of the bunch (2nd swing) was the most productive. On a field without fences, the ball ran a long way down the line, resulting in a 3-run HR.
 
Jan 4, 2012
3,852
38
OH-IO
Ironically, the worst swing of the bunch (2nd swing) was the most productive. On a field without fences, the ball ran a long way down the line, resulting in a 3-run HR.

Been there ...know that, and got video to prove it... but most importantly to improve. :cool:
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
This may need to be address. This is the 3rd swing in the video. First swing was a high pitch. 2nd swing low pitch. All with same finish, downward:
tumblr_oi1momjEai1usf292o1_400.gif

I'm thinking downward barrel path but, may be 'corrected' by swing thought of 'long through' or 'finish swing'. Sorry for being that guy.
tumblr_oi1nfk25Xy1usf292o1_400.gif

Looking through the clips of the 1st and 3rd swings again, it appears that the downward barrel movement is largely due to the bat deflecting downward on contact. On both swings, the barrel is slightly below the level of the pitch as it comes around the shoulder to contact. That said, I would like to see some adjustment in her barrel path.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
Looking through the clips of the 1st and 3rd swings again, it appears that the downward barrel movement is largely due to the bat deflecting downward on contact. On both swings, the barrel is slightly below the level of the pitch as it comes around the shoulder to contact. That said, I would like to see some adjustment in her barrel path.

Eric,
Both gifs of the same swing(3rd swing).
3rd swings again, it appears that the downward barrel movement is largely due to the bat deflecting downward on contact
I'm guessing that the 'downward barrel movement' is a late adjustment to the ball. That's why I posted the Staton gif because I believe your DD has the same swing mechanics, Spinal axis. not saying that's a bad thing but, for discussion purpose that's what I see. The barrel is 'pinned' to the rear shoulder's rotation and then it is 'flung'/fly's off the 'merry-go-around towards the ball as adjustments are made/fine tuned. Just needs to work on 'up through' the ball. Your DD is still way a head of most posted swings.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Eric,
Both gifs of the same swing(3rd swing).

I'm guessing that the 'downward barrel movement' is a late adjustment to the ball. That's why I posted the Staton gif because I believe your DD has the same swing mechanics, Spinal axis. not saying that's a bad thing but, for discussion purpose that's what I see. The barrel is 'pinned' to the rear shoulder's rotation and then it is 'flung'/fly's off the 'merry-go-around towards the ball as adjustments are made/fine tuned. Just needs to work on 'up through' the ball. Your DD is still way a head of most posted swings.

I know the GIFS are both the 3rd swing (1st swing is much earlier in the day). I referenced them both because they are similar in the downward deflection at/after contact. That said, I won't rule out a late adjustment being a contributor.

I agree that Maddie is a little more "fly-off-the-merry-go-round" than is ideal. A lot of people would take comparison to Stanton as a big compliment - LOL.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
I know the GIFS are both the 3rd swing (1st swing is much earlier in the day). I referenced them both because they are similar in the downward deflection at/after contact. That said, I won't rule out a late adjustment being a contributor.

I agree that Maddie is a little more "fly-off-the-merry-go-round" than is ideal. A lot of people would take comparison to Stanton as a big compliment - LOL.

I agree/agreed.....
That's why I posted the Staton gif because I believe your DD has the same swing mechanics, Spinal axis. not saying that's a bad thing but, for discussion purpose that's what I see.
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
Ever wonder how hitters that were never "trained" in a high-level MLB swing attain one? I think they start with a simple workable swing like Eric F.'s DD at a relatively young age and then they start searching for ways to find more power and hit better pitching as they progress. I don't think it's necessarily (or only) through painstaking video analysis and mechanics work.

So....doing long-distance self-toss as suggested could help her find some more aggressive torque within a good sequence. Showing her big-action hitters -- show her females like Sierra Romero or Alex Hugo -- and she might start emulating them a little bit and use those actions to move away from some of what I'd call her more "conservative" current swing actions. I think that's what boys do...they watch and steal swings from Bonds or Griffey or today Rizzo/Bryant :)

Let her have some fun while she "grows" her swing to the next level.
 

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