Bonds … three keys to hitting:
Keeping the hands up, staying short and balanced.
Keeping the hands up is very important.
... so, what did Barry mean with "keeping the hands up"?
To me, it's a feel-based cue for a good hand-path.
Saw that video awhile back. Loved his "keys". Very fundamental. I personally think the hands staying up is him thinking "stay on top". Reason being in a video with Jennie Finch he was preaching to finch to be direct and approach the ball from the top. Basically making sure his hand path was "down and to".
IMO once you show a player the difference between a direct hand path and a loopy path. They will conform.