All Knowing Board - Why does swinging down cause pop-ups?

[MountieSB]

This is a pretty simple request. I understand the reasons for hitting through a long zone, but my question is when improperly hitting through a short zone by swinging down why does this result in pop-ups? I'm looking for an explanation and, if possible, GIFs or video that shows this. Thanks!

Mike

 

[softballphreak]

Fairly simple answer. When you swing down on a ball, if you hit the top of the ball it's going DOWN. When you hit the middle of the ball it's going to be a hot rising line drive (very desirable). When you hit the bottom of the ball it's going up, as in pop up. That's because of the round ball, round bat element. Plus the ball is already spinning.

If you could accurately hit the ball in the middle, that would be an ideal swing. But it's hard to do.

 

[straightleg]

I am not one of the all knowing ones, but will try to answer your question


Pick up a bat. In a slow swing put your back hand/top hand way in front of the back elbow when you slot.
You will be swinging down on the ball.
Normally that will cause grounders

Now Get your back elbow infront of the hand on the back arm when you slot. Also will look like bat drag.
Also some rec coach's will yell, quick dropping your back shoulder and swing level....
That will normally cause pop-ups

What causes ball flight?
One of the reasons is how you slot your top hand/arm in the swing



Straightleg

 

[MountieSB]

Fairly simple answer. When you swing down on a ball, if you hit the top of the ball it's going DOWN. When you hit the middle of the ball it's going to be a hot rising line drive (very desirable). When you hit the bottom of the ball it's going up, as in pop up. That's because of the round ball, round bat element. Plus the ball is already spinning.

If you could accurately hit the ball in the middle, that would be an ideal swing. But it's hard to do.

Clarification Question: When the bat gets on plane (when hitting through a long zone), the path will have a slightly upward angle to the ball. Are you saying that an ideal swing is a down swing (which I am equating to a downward bat path to the ball - not a path on plane/slightly upward barrel path for this discussion)? Truly asking, because I'm trying to figure this out.

 

[softballphreak]

NO, a downward swing is undesirable. Mainly because it is very difficult to hit accurately. You want an upward path generally.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Can someone advocating "swinging down" describe why they advocate "swinging down" and supply a swing clip representing the "swinging down action" they advocate?

 

[MountieSB]

NO, a downward swing is undesirable. Mainly because it is very difficult to hit accurately. You want an upward path generally.

That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

Mike

 

[MountieSB]

Clarifying my question

I believe and teach the long-zone approach to hitting the ball (slight upward barrel path, carve & fillet, or whichever term makes the most sense to readers). The reason I'm asking is because of a job switch, I'm now going to be coaching with a new staff - one whose head coach has taught swinging down through the ball to avoid pop-ups.

He's a good guy, but his words show me his thinking on hitting needs some updating. I was looking for the explanation (thanks, Straightleg), and some video/GIFs to show as part of the teaching process for him. My resume is decent and I don't think I'll get much kickback from him, but in order to be proactive, I'd like some visual aides to show to support my approach beyond the resume. (To avoid the "that may have worked where you come from, but it won't work here" nonsense.)

Thanks!

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I could probably still swing down, if I tried. We were taught that a ground ball had more chance of being bobbled, than a fly ball. I haven't taught it, in 10 years, though.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I find that some hitters that believe in "swinging down" are more focused on their hand path than on their barrel path.

Generally the ball will be coming into the strike zone on a downward path ... and for a good riseball, it will be coming across the plate virtually flat. To line up the barrel with the trajectory of the incoming ball, you don't want the barrel literally swinging down through the ball.