Perfect swing?

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Jan 6, 2009
6,589
113
Chehalis, Wa
Cutch-side-angle-slow.gif


What do you think about this swing? People are always asking for a perfect swing, I'll chime into what I like about this swing.
 
Jan 6, 2009
6,589
113
Chehalis, Wa
First off when I see live swings on MLBnetwork, his hands are moving back as he goes forward. The hands are moving back or he is walking away from the hands very nicely. As Epstein would say he is creating a sling shot effect or an fly fishing example. The hands are moving back as the front foot plants and the hips then yank the hands forward. Epstein says the hands never stop moving back until they get yanked forward.

This is another element in the whip being created. He is creating an excellent change of direction of the knob. You can really see it live very well. You can see the change of direction as the front foot plants and the hands and barrel gets yanked forward.

He is not a huge guy so he must be doing something well. I think the whip effect is pretty huge in his swing.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
MLB is blessed with a number of good hitters but Cutch is one of my personal favorites among active players. Very good swing to watch and emulate.
 
Jan 6, 2009
6,589
113
Chehalis, Wa
The open stance is a loading technique. It has nothing to do with seeing better. It's an loading technique and a good one.
 
Last edited:
Jan 6, 2009
6,589
113
Chehalis, Wa
Another thing I see is good scap loading. Not just the rear scap, but good lead arm stretch against the stride. He is creating a well connected swing. Ready to swing at foot plant.
 
May 3, 2014
2,149
83
Looking at swings a little differently now - Bottom hand or top hand hitters (as explained by a Japanese fellow on twitter). McCutchen looks to be a bottom hand hitter. Lots of forward momentum. More like the old time hitters. Also - I like the way his coil turns the rear knee back and helps open the rear hip joint (stretch) so it can then contract (close) more forcefully. All of this to help hitters find their more natural path instead of insisting they hit a certain way.

Compare to a top hand hitter like Trout - McCutchen's front scap really gets stretched away from his spine compared to Trout setting up the bottom hand pull. Also compare the barrel turns. Which one looks sharper?

NGkgSO.gif
Cutch-side-angle-slow.gif
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Looking at swings a little differently now - Bottom hand or top hand hitters (as explained by a Japanese fellow on twitter). McCutchen looks to be a bottom hand hitter. Lots of forward momentum. More like the old time hitters. Also - I like the way his coil turns the rear knee back and helps open the rear hip joint (stretch) so it can then contract (close) more forcefully. All of this to help hitters find their more natural path instead of insisting they hit a certain way.

Compare to a top hand hitter like Trout - McCutchen's front scap really gets stretched away from his spine compared to Trout setting up the bottom hand pull. Also compare the barrel turns. Which one looks sharper?

NGkgSO.gif
Cutch-side-angle-slow.gif

Very interesting buttermaker. I hadn't heard that description before. Thanks for sharing. Something I have been watching more closely is the relationship between the shoulders and the hands. Trout and Cutch seem to have a difference in this area as well. For example, it seems like Trout's hands are more closely linked to the rear shoulder. Whereas Cutch's rear shoulder drops ever so slightly before the hands begin to move along. Very slight, but noticeable if you look closely enough.
 
Jan 6, 2009
6,589
113
Chehalis, Wa
Looking at swings a little differently now - Bottom hand or top hand hitters (as explained by a Japanese fellow on twitter). McCutchen looks to be a bottom hand hitter. Lots of forward momentum. More like the old time hitters. Also - I like the way his coil turns the rear knee back and helps open the rear hip joint (stretch) so it can then contract (close) more forcefully. All of this to help hitters find their more natural path instead of insisting they hit a certain way.

Compare to a top hand hitter like Trout - McCutchen's front scap really gets stretched away from his spine compared to Trout setting up the bottom hand pull. Also compare the barrel turns. Which one looks sharper?


I believe you can say Trout is more tight/compact and more connected. I believe everyone is relaxed up to toe touch. As the front foot plants all the slack is taken out, fully stretched and connection takes hold.

I don't believe you are fully stretched in the lead arm until or when the front foot plants. Your relaxed, relaxed and then connect rapidly. Some hitters are obvious that the lead arm doesn't reach fully stretched until foot plant, like Pujols. But I believe this to be true for all hitters

So is there a difference in Trout? I think McCutchen might be creating more bat lag (not the lag position) and Trout is tighter more connected.
 
Oct 2, 2015
615
18
The open stance is a loading technique. It has nothing to do with seeing better. It's an loading technique and a good one.

I need some schooling here...
This is not a baited or loaded question...how is an open stance a loading technique?
Thanks
 

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