Bat drag

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BigSkyHi

All I know is I don't know
Jan 13, 2020
1,385
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Well...this guy is all over Youtube. His focus is almost entirely the top arm which he says nearly everyone is misunderstanding the use of. He further states that the more current emphasis on "Turn the Barrel" and "Having the Battel arc towards the catcher" is leading to bat drag. I am sorting through his ideas and am not yet sure what to apply to some of the girls I work with BUT here according to Ron is the solution...

For simplicity sake, I look at it as getting the top hand into a slot in front of the armpit such as Romero shows at .05 of this video.

 
Apr 2, 2015
1,198
113
Woodstock, man
For simplicity sake, I look at it as getting the top hand into a slot in front of the armpit such as Romero shows at .05 of this video.

I'm guessing you are saying to get the hands near the armpit in stance. This is not necessary. It makes little difference where the hands are in the stance. However, they must be near the armpit at toe touch. A rule of thumb for me is to extend my thumb and touch my shoulder.

But, even this is not enough since most kids already do this, and this by itself won't necessarily stop bat drag. My Post#3 will stop it.
 
Last edited:
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
Drag is disconnection caused usually by incorrect sequencing caused by a bad set up mostly.

the young lady in this thread has drag on some swings. E is right. On some swings she compensates and throws her hands over the top early. You can go work in a mirror like E said or you can set up correctly .
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
Looking at mlb clips and saying they have drag is a waste of time. You need to know intent, timing and approach to really have an idea of what’s going on. Jmo.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
As is typical, MLB hitters dont demo their swing the way they actually swing in a game. Here he is per


Notice how he does have some very,very slight bat drag (center of hands behind the back elbow) (but not as much as his demo)


View attachment 19710

... then he overcomes it very quickly. (center of hands get ahead of the back elbow)
View attachment 19709

Also notice that he used tip and rip at the start. This is how he used one leverage tactic to overcome the lack of another.

Just think if he could eliminate the frame of bat drag and keep the tip and rip.

He would be Barry Bonds (762 HRs) Maybe a little juice too.
View attachment 19711

You guys are really making me think. Thank you. Nothing like exercising the old brain.

Demos generally exaggerate movements... especially when done in isolation. I am not saying JD had bat drag, but as you pointed out the elbows do lead the hands at a certain phase in his swing. And on some of his swings it is greater than others. This is not bat drag IMO.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
Looking at mlb clips and saying they have drag is a waste of time. You need to know intent, timing and approach to really have an idea of what’s going on. Jmo.
Then looking at any video is a waste of time ... pro or amateur.

FTR I didn’t post pics of MLB players to convince anybody that they have bat drag. I posted to pics to show that MLB hitters also get to this position.. it doesn’t always mean the hitter will drag the bat because the elbows initially lead the hands
 
Feb 25, 2020
953
93
Do you agree with the dry swing advice he is giving to help fix the swing? If so what difference does it make what he calls it?

I just watched the video of her off the tee again. The toss swings at the end are horrific bat drag. Tee swings I dont think are horrific bat drag.

It makes a difference because the two things are not the same.

I would do bonds type chop stuff with her. You can't drag it hitting it straight down. E's 10 step program will probly work too.



Screenshot_20201018-130704.png
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I just watched the video of her off the tee again. The toss swings at the end are horrific bat drag. Tee swings I dont think are horrific bat drag.

It makes a difference because the two things are not the same.

I would do bonds type chop stuff with her. You can't drag it hitting it straight down. E's 10 step program will probly work too.



View attachment 19712
My point is unless the advice he is giving is not correct what difference does it make. In other words if he had just outlined the dry swing progression without calling it bat drag would you have complained?
 

fanboi22

on the journey
Nov 9, 2015
1,138
83
SE Wisconsin
As is typical, MLB hitters dont demo their swing the way they actually swing in a game. Here he is per


Notice how he does have some very,very slight bat drag (center of hands behind the back elbow) (but not as much as his demo)


View attachment 19710

... then he overcomes it very quickly. (center of hands get ahead of the back elbow)
View attachment 19709

Also notice that he used tip and rip at the start. This is how he used one leverage tactic to overcome the lack of another.

Just think if he could eliminate the frame of bat drag and keep the tip and rip.

He would be Barry Bonds (762 HRs) Maybe a little juice too.
View attachment 19711

You guys are really making me think. Thank you. Nothing like exercising the old brain.


I do not see any drag in JD. not even initially. I do agree the tip and tip starts him in a higher rear arm position like Miggy. That said neck slotters would ya e a harder time not dragging.

JDs hands are always in front of his shoulders to start and the turn. His hands stay in front and his elbow doesn’t get ahead of the hip until well after barrel release. The elbow just can’t get by the hands IMO.

I also believe it is not drag whether tip and rip nor neck slot because the barrel isn’t lost. Meaning the barrel hasn’t flattened and leveled as the hand spins or turns it like a motorcycle throttle. If that happens the only way to get the barrel thru is to pull and drag it.

With my DD I have found it super easy to just pull the elbow down and create drag. I still just can’t help wrap my head around those saying it is all sequence. If I have good sequence but still pull elbow down with dead hands then I have lost the barrel.

This to me gets to the turn the barrel debate. I also call that part of the connection. Or all of it as I think sometimes people call things sequence instead of connection.

IMO is the hands don’t stay up and strong, connected at the shoulder as eFast says, then the elbow looses connection to the hands and move without taking the barrel with.

I am more and more of the mind that the hands need to stay connected up and strong to be able to turn the barrel down and be able to release to the ball.
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
Then looking at any video is a waste of time ... pro or amateur.

FTR I didn’t post pics of MLB players to convince anybody that they have bat drag. I posted to pics to show that MLB hitters also get to this position.. it doesn’t always mean the hitter will drag the bat because the elbows initially lead the hands

I wouldn’t say it’s a waste of time completely. But having proper context definitely will clear up things much much quicker in why and how. When I give lessons I always ask what they were taught before so I know what is shaping their actions to the ball.

Knowing how Belli sets up, sequences and adjusts(less side bend and more legs)puts proper light on why he did what he did imo. the young lady isn’t adjusting, she’s compensating. Big difference.

knowing how guys approach and adjust will shed some light on things. Video matters in the proper context. Getting into the nooks and crannies can help one analyze video better for sure. Working w hitters and asking for certain intents helps as well. You start to see what is happening and why.

still pics are the worst way to see dynamic movement.
 

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