Criticism on DD hits please

FiveFrameSwing · Nov 13, 2018

Rolling Hard said:
FFS, while I am working on developing my riseball LOL Could you explain good and bad swing initiation movements?

How one goes about capturing transition of the barrel goes a long ways towards whether or not one becomes an accomplished hitter. It's a combination of the main-engine such that the lower rear back becomes 'arched' (perhaps think in terms of lumbar lordosis), with a relatively rapid 'rotation' of the torso (with low tension in the rear shoulder) causing the rear scap to become semi-retracted, the top hand coming up (with the rear arm in a 'vee' orientation) and the short-hands action which puts the lead-arm on plane with minimal movement of the hands being brought forward. Get this right and hitters can advance relatively quickly.

CoachJD · Nov 13, 2018

NBECoach said:
One quick observation on the hitting. The front foot comes dangerously close to being out of the box. If DD is consistent with the step then no need to change but be aware of it as good umpires will look for that.

Didn't see anybody else comment on this.

I could be wrong, but those look like baseball batter's boxes, so she really has an extra foot of room in front.

Rolling Hard · Nov 13, 2018

"rear back becomes 'arched'" please tell me that the arch is a staying in posture/ not standing up/ belly button pointing down/ arch.

Still waiting for initiation of swing (timing comments).

Thanks in advance.

FiveFrameSwing · Nov 13, 2018

Rolling Hard said:
"rear back becomes 'arched'" please tell me that the arch is a staying in posture/ not standing up/ belly button pointing down/ arch.

Still waiting for initiation of swing (timing comments).

Thanks in advance.

Not sure what you mean by "staying in posture". The torso is twisting, resulting in what some refer to as 'lateral tilt' ... i.e., the posture is in a sense changing in three dimensions.

Not sure what you are waiting for in terms of timing comments ... the 'twitch' ... or 'torso-engine' ... is what should be used for timing ... that is what the 'move out' is all about ... i.e., the preparation of the torso to 'twitch'.

Rolling Hard · Nov 14, 2018

Does the move out vary in speed and length of stride? Do you like a slower controlled move out? Does the word "float" have any application?

FiveFrameSwing · Nov 14, 2018

Rolling Hard said:
Does the move out vary in speed and length of stride? Do you like a slower controlled move out? Does the word "float" have any application?

The 'move out' ... or 'stride' if you wish ... will tend to vary based on one's initial width (stance).

Generally a hitter will 'move out' (stride) to a position of power ... and this will tend to be 60-80% of one's crouched height at 'swing launch'. That is ... if the distance between the ground and the top of your head is 'X', then the distance between the big toe of your front foot and the big toe of your rear foot will be approximately 0.6*X to 0.8*X. For many hitters this will work out to the distance between their big toes being about the length of their bat.

Now to answer your question ...

If one's stance is narrow, then the stride will be relatively long ... as they will need to 'move out' a relatively long distance to their power position.

If one's stance is wide, then the stride will be relatively short ... as they will only need to 'move out' a relatively short distance to their power position.

Over time, as hitters move up to high levels of play, their stance tends to widen and their stride therefore shortens. This is a general comment ... not an absolute ... just an observation on my part as I watch hitters mature over the years.

In terms of 'speed' of the 'move out' ... this is the 'timing of the pitch' phase ... to which I like to apply 'early' and 'slow'. I much prefer a slow 'move out' over a fast 'move out'.

Rolling Hard · Nov 15, 2018

Thank you FFS. Can and should a young hitter (11) be taught to swing over (miss) the ball purposely if they find themselves in a position (out in front) where they cannot drive the ball? My DD will at times get out in front of the outside offspeed pitch and will instinctively decelerate her barrel in order to make contact resulting in a weakly hit ball.

FiveFrameSwing · Nov 15, 2018

Rolling Hard said:
Thank you FFS. Can and should a young hitter (11) be taught to swing over (miss) the ball purposely if they find themselves in a position (out in front) where they cannot drive the ball? My DD will at times get out in front of the outside offspeed pitch and will instinctively decelerate her barrel in order to make contact resulting in a weakly hit ball.

IMO ... midway through a swing it is difficult to change the mindset to purposely miss.

I tell hitters, that do what you describe, to always give me their A-level swing. I would rather see them use their A-level swing, and miss, then get into a habit of initiating their swing too early and then purposely slowing the barrel down to make contact.

uncdrew · Nov 16, 2018

FiveFrameSwing said:
The 'move out' ... or 'stride' if you wish ... will tend to vary based on one's initial width (stance).

Generally a hitter will 'move out' (stride) to a position of power ... and this will tend to be 60-80% of one's crouched height at 'swing launch'. That is ... if the distance between the ground and the top of your head is 'X', then the distance between the big toe of your front foot and the big toe of your rear foot will be approximately 0.6*X to 0.8*X. For many hitters this will work out to the distance between their big toes being about the length of their bat.

Now to answer your question ...

If one's stance is narrow, then the stride will be relatively long ... as they will need to 'move out' a relatively long distance to their power position.

If one's stance is wide, then the stride will be relatively short ... as they will only need to 'move out' a relatively short distance to their power position.

Over time, as hitters move up to high levels of play, their stance tends to widen and their stride therefore shortens. This is a general comment ... not an absolute ... just an observation on my part as I watch hitters mature over the years.

In terms of 'speed' of the 'move out' ... this is the 'timing of the pitch' phase ... to which I like to apply 'early' and 'slow'. I much prefer a slow 'move out' over a fast 'move out'.

Exactly how I (try to) teach it. Same terms, same approach. Calm load, calm step and stride, explode on the swing.

Quasimodo · Nov 30, 2018

In baseball, everything is moving down, even a 4 seam fastball. I never heard launch-angle applied to softball before.

Criticism on DD hits please

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