Bonds ... catching the ball with the bat.

[Eric F]

Ok so your saying don't use the hands. Use the shoulders? You agree with Josh words? Hold the bat and turn?

Ted also said in that same video, ' you gotta the hands goin, doin things " . How do you reconcile that?

"Doin' things"...maybe like applying force perpendicular to the axis of the bat to turn it to the ball?

 

[Work=wins]

Yes, always understood...and yes, "short to the ball" has been around a long time, and is nice to say, but when most demo what they mean by that they show a Pujols/Bonds demo path to the ball, but that's not the path they actually use in their game swings, and why I think it's a nice "buzz word(s)" to say, but it falls short with practical application with young hitters...my opinion only.

Here's another example of a pro's words/demo, and what he actually does in a game swing...

Yes, caused by his previous "hand/knob to the ball" instruction. So what would you do first, work on and change his balance issue, or show him "whip" or "hand towards the ball" to correct it?

Like I stated earlier. I start with hand path/barrel path which are married. Move to there lower body load/running start. I will show them balance in their stance and dynamic balance in their move towards the ball. I will EXAGGERATE being too forward and too far back . So they can feel dynamic balance. And that basically sums it up. Next lesson would be to show exaggerated movements to hit different pitches. Usually done in the second lesson. Three lessons is all I need ... they do come back once a month or so for refreshers. I love that they don't need me on speed dial. Means they learned .. that's what does it for me.

^^^ there's Barry 3 keys . Hmm what a coincidence. We are on the same page.

 

[Work=wins]

In your demo Mattingly is on his front foot. Just like your hitter. That's why swing down looks so bad.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Not gonna dig. Something to effect of 'Nonsense there isn't enough space to show direction'. Made me chuckle .

That is about the response I expect of someone that is caught lying.

 

[Work=wins]

The phrase "rear shoulder delivers the hands" is one that has made sense to me (posted on DFP by redhotcoach the first time I read it). Donaldson's demo, and the Willimas video posted above by FFS, are in line with that phrase. IMO, the hands getting connection with the movement of the rear shoulder is an important phase of the swing sequence. Also IMO, teaching the extreme knob-to-the-ball movement demonstrated by Pujols is contrary to that, and tends to lead to a very disconnected, arm-powered swing, which is what I'm most often trying to get hitters away from. As I have mentioned before, there are some hitters with hand path issues that I will talk about a direct hand path from shoulder to contact, and may use the cue ("hands to the ball"), but it's never about pushing the hands across the chest.

Never said pushing anything. When 'force' or direction is applied you get a loaded barrel. You get whip.Thats where the power comes from. That's why they measure bat speed. Not shoulder press. This is why guys like altuve and cutch and Williams can hit bombs. It's not about the shoulders. It's about the whip. And you get the whip by using your hands to whip the barrel among other things , IMO. Like I said the pros talk about their hands. Donaldson does use his hands in his swing. Even though he said he doesn't . Point taken? He doesn't hit every pitch without his hand action. Does he? He tries to minimize his hand usage. But he uses them. He stated that he is a guess hitter to an extent. Maybe that is why he became great? Maybe not? Something to think about? Once De rosa knew he tries not to use his hands , he commented that he's a guess hitter. Which states to me there isn't much adjustability in his swing.. he relies on patterns and tendencies. Not his swing...hmmm?

As far as the back shoulder goes. It's a nice cue for a hitter that doesn't use their shoulders( never ran into a kid that didn't want to rotate the shoulders.)
If you lower half is loaded before foot down, this will transfer into the upper body and the shoulders are an after thought. The shoulders will rotate as needed which is dictated by hand path/pitch location.

 

[Work=wins]

That is about the response I expect of someone that is caught lying.

Really? Ok. I'll get around to finding it eventually. Yawn...

 

[Mudders Brudder]

^^^ there's Barry 3 keys . Hmm what a coincidence. We are on the same page.

We just might be...and simply use different approaches to accomplish the same thing(s). You wouldn't happen to be in SoCal would you? I've been known to meet up with some forumers just to talk shop, and exchange ideas in person rather than trying to get our points across with written words, and gifs. Be cool to meet up somewhere and shoot the breeze if we're not across the country from each other, and you have the time (and interest).

I've also got a little something else that puts much of this in perspective that I've used with even some MiLB hitters I got the chance to work with, and they liked it a lot that I'd like to share with you as well. Has to do with "over" and "under", but I'll leave it at that for now (I know some have already heard it from me, but I've got to leave a little mystery here to make it fun ).

 

[Mudders Brudder]

Once De rosa knew he tries not to use his hands , he commented that he's a guess hitter. Which states to me there isn't much adjustability in his swing.. he relies on patterns and tendencies. Not his swing...hmmm?

Ted also said, "Guess? Yes" and even committed a chapter of his book to it. Just saying...

Steve Springer in his excellent "Quality At Bats" CD also says the same or very similar things wrt to hitting.

 

[Mudders Brudder]

W=w, where do you consider or say the swing is launched from? Is it while the bat is still up behind the hitter's head, or sometime after bat lag? Serious question, as I heard both being used from different people.

 

[Work=wins]

Ted's my "go to" guy, and I hope you understand that I'm not saying that the hands are not used to manipulate the bat/barrel. All I'm saying is that I find it much easier to teach kids the barrel path we're looking for, and to let them find/feel the things that they need to do to accomplish it...which will include, using their hands to do it (amongst other things).

Fair enough. I don't dispute this.