Turning the barrel, direction?

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Jan 6, 2009
6,590
113
Chehalis, Wa
giphy.gif


I wanted to discuss the direction the barrel is sent backwards. Do you try to keep it vertical as along as possible? Similar to a ferris wheel action? (yes I know the tilting of the shoulders/torso/hip is the ferris wheel), snap the barrel straight back?

When the two pivot points are working does the barrel then gets sucked into the rotation, lowering it as the two pivot points work?

If you take Bonds above, the barrel is arcing backwards and down from vertical. TM is always showing a extreme barrel always going straight back.

Or PM me for a clip of Glaus keeping the barrel up/vertical longer.

Or is the goal for something in-between Bonds catcher view and Glaus catcher view? The barrel working itself down as the two pivot
points turn?

This is just a clip of Glaus, I have a much better clip of Glaus from the catcher view if you PM me.

200.webp
 
Last edited:
Apr 11, 2015
877
63
In my teachings, it's as easy as "Turn the barrel to/towards the ball...don't drag the barrel/bat to it". This is after the "behind and through" vs the "down and to" the ball discussion we have prior. Those two things pretty much get them going correctly (much better anyway) pretty quickly. But as a disclaimer: None of them become instant high level/MLB hitters, and their swings (sequence really) still need need fine tuning along the way.

Hope that helps some.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
If you take Bonds above, the barrel is arcing backwards and down from vertical. TM is always showing a extreme barrel always going straight back.
Not following you here...bold.
Here is what TM has said.....minus the gifs(blocked on DFP and I'm not making them to put here):
When I say the barrel is launched rearward, I simply mean the opposite of 'toward the ball'.....and it is sent the opposite direction than that of how you are holding it.

Assuming you have a hand pivot point....

If the barrel is tipped to the opposite field....rearward is 180 degrees around the hand pivot point in the reverse from that tip. Turn the barrel away from the SS/2B.
Insert Bonds gif here......^^^^^^
If it is tipped to the pitcher....rearward is 180 degrees around the hand pivot point in the reverse from that tip....directly toward the catcher as if you might hit him squarely on top of the head. (if the bat reached that far)
Insert Manny gif here.^^^^^^^^
If it is tipped behind the head....rearward is 180 degrees around the hand pivot point in the opposite direction.....again....toward the catcher....a little different angle than that of Manny.....you might hit the catcher in the side of the head. (if the bat reached that far)
Insert Fielder gif here....^^^^^^^^^
Rearward is creating an arc around the hand pivot point that initially goes away from the ball....not toward the ball.....until the barrel completes the arc.
Still haven't read the blog....it would make your life so much easier.
 
Last edited:
Jan 6, 2009
6,590
113
Chehalis, Wa
Rdbass,

I'm talking about the barrels movement, such as in this clip

giphy.gif


Bonds barrel moves from vertical to the same plane as the torso/shoulders. The barrel lowers. I was wondering if the barrel is sent rearward more then downwards (from vertical to the same plane of the shoulders) and rearward?
 
Jul 26, 2016
108
18
giphy.gif


I wanted to discuss the direction the barrel is sent backwards. Do you try to keep it vertical as along as possible? Similar to a ferris wheel action? (yes I know the tilting of the shoulders/torso/hip is the ferris wheel), snap the barrel straight back?

When the two pivot points are working does the barrel then gets sucked into the rotation, lowering it as the two pivot points work?

If you take Bonds above, the barrel is arcing backwards and down from vertical. TM is always showing a extreme barrel always going straight back.

Or PM me for a clip of Glaus keeping the barrel up/vertical longer.

Or is the goal for something in-between Bonds catcher view and Glaus catcher view? The barrel working itself down as the two pivot
points turn?

This is just a clip of Glaus, I have a much better clip of Glaus from the catcher view if you PM me.

200.webp

It dspends on the hitter. Guys with a steeper plane turn the barrel more straight back to the catcher and guys with a flatter swing turn it more to the dugout behind them. However it is never directly down to the catchers glove as the barrel is never 100 percent vertical. For example trout will go down relatively straight but even he goes a few degrees behind him while a flatter guy like Donaldson goes behind him much more.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
Rdbass,

I'm talking about the barrels movement, such as in this clip

giphy.gif


Bonds barrel moves from vertical to the same plane as the torso/shoulders. The barrel lowers. I was wondering if the barrel is sent rearward more then downwards (from vertical to the same plane of the shoulders) and rearward?

I thought I answered
If the barrel is tipped to the opposite field....rearward is 180 degrees around the hand pivot point in the reverse from that tip. Turn the barrel away from the SS/2B.
 
Jan 6, 2009
6,590
113
Chehalis, Wa
It dspends on the hitter. Guys with a steeper plane turn the barrel more straight back to the catcher and guys with a flatter swing turn it more to the dugout behind them. However it is never directly down to the catchers glove as the barrel is never 100 percent vertical. For example trout will go down relatively straight but even he goes a few degrees behind him while a flatter guy like Donaldson goes behind him much more.

That's what I was asking, Glaus starts off vertical and the barrel "works" it's way to being on plane or matches the body/posture angle.
 
May 3, 2014
2,149
83

The plane is set by the hands not the shoulders. Different starting positions with the barrel will create different initial paths as the hands look to get on plane. A guy like Brett did not have to do much to get his hands on plane.
 

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