redhotcoach
Out on good behavior
- May 8, 2009
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Avoid flattening the barrel.
what drag?
what drag?
DD Bat Drag ?
- Thread starter batdragon
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RayR
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It's not that I necessarily disagree with this - it's just that given the clip below how would leading with the bottom half stop her from misusing the hands/wrists and keep the barrel from leveling out before coming around? Seen many swings where the bottom gets going first and the hands get left behind....
- Oct 25, 2009
- 3,335
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It's not that I necessarily disagree with this - it's just that given the clip below how would leading with the bottom half stop her from misusing the hands/wrists and keep the barrel from leveling out before coming around? Seen many swings where the bottom gets going first and the hands get left behind....
She is leaning (slight squat) over the top and letting the bat fall beside her and then trying to come around her body.
Actually, with this particular drill (which she's not ready for) there wouldn't be much lower body movement, but then the swing should be toward right field. That may even be part of the problem here; she looks like she's trying to pull the pitch.
Avoid flattening the barrel.
what drag?
This is where my confusion comes in as well. I agree she is flattening out earlier than when she does tee work. Which I am going to work on, but in regards to dragging the bat, I don't really see it. My thought is that if the bat was in a more vertical position and the hands end elbows were in the same position, they would be what I have seen referred to on this forum as being vertically stacked.
My thought was primarily that bat drag was the relationship of where the hands were in relation to the rear elbow at the tourque/launch position. The bat angle should not matter. Am I wrong, or is bat angle a factor in regards to determining if bat drag is present ?
- Oct 25, 2009
- 3,335
- 48
Her right elbow is ahead of (leading) her hands. Her right elbow is closer to her belly button than to her side.
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redhotcoach
Out on good behavior
- May 8, 2009
- 4,704
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Bat drag is not some technical diagnosis. Bat drag is just that...dragging the bat. Getting ahead of the bat and dragging it to the ball. She is not dragging the bat.
Bat, here's a suggestion on more hitter friendly side toss. Instead of tossing it in toward her, and from somewhat behind her....
Set up beside her. A bit inside her front hip. Put a ball in your hand and put it out in front of you. Lower your hand. That should be her cue to load. Toss the ball up and slightly forward (with the idea that you'll want it to reach its height at the same point you'd place it on a tee). She should make contact when it reaches its highest point. When you start, you can position the ball at her front foot or even a bit in front. As she gets more comfortable with timing, move the ball "deeper" into her stance. But as someone said, don't get too deep or "oppo" will mean "back at you."
The "side" part of side toss is that YOU are on the side, not that you toss it in from the side (IMO). The "toss" part should be mainly an up and down motion with just a slight inward trajectory so she isn't hitting your hand. But even then, because she is hitting the ball at the top of its flight, your hand should be just fine.
Compare that to how you are positioned...we can't even see you in the picture. That is an awfully tough ball to hit, let alone swing well and hit. With the toss I'm proposing, with the same camera view, you would basically be blocking her out (to further understand where I'd position you).
Just a suggestion.
Overall, though, we don't do side toss unless we are in a limited area and have to hit into a net.
It is much better to do controlled front toss. Get yourself a pitching screen. To start, sit on a bucket. Pitch it underhand from 15 feet or so. When she's getting good, she'll be hitting line drives right back at your head (which is safely, one hopes, behind that screen -- don't lean forward or you'll take one in the forehead!).
Here's how I like to do front toss (video is of Tewks, btw):
The "Tewks walk-off" is purely optional : >
Set up beside her. A bit inside her front hip. Put a ball in your hand and put it out in front of you. Lower your hand. That should be her cue to load. Toss the ball up and slightly forward (with the idea that you'll want it to reach its height at the same point you'd place it on a tee). She should make contact when it reaches its highest point. When you start, you can position the ball at her front foot or even a bit in front. As she gets more comfortable with timing, move the ball "deeper" into her stance. But as someone said, don't get too deep or "oppo" will mean "back at you."
The "side" part of side toss is that YOU are on the side, not that you toss it in from the side (IMO). The "toss" part should be mainly an up and down motion with just a slight inward trajectory so she isn't hitting your hand. But even then, because she is hitting the ball at the top of its flight, your hand should be just fine.
Compare that to how you are positioned...we can't even see you in the picture. That is an awfully tough ball to hit, let alone swing well and hit. With the toss I'm proposing, with the same camera view, you would basically be blocking her out (to further understand where I'd position you).
Just a suggestion.
Overall, though, we don't do side toss unless we are in a limited area and have to hit into a net.
It is much better to do controlled front toss. Get yourself a pitching screen. To start, sit on a bucket. Pitch it underhand from 15 feet or so. When she's getting good, she'll be hitting line drives right back at your head (which is safely, one hopes, behind that screen -- don't lean forward or you'll take one in the forehead!).
Here's how I like to do front toss (video is of Tewks, btw):
The "Tewks walk-off" is purely optional : >
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She is trying to turn the barrel but is having a hard time because her weight is shifting to the front side. You can't turn the barrel once your weight gets to the front leg. When tossing that deep she has to have the goal of getting behind the ball. The only way to do that is to stay with the rear hip.
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,881
- 113
Very good observation!
The only differences I do in front toss from the example show with Tewks is that I situate the screen as far to one side as possible and to give the angle of the ball coming down the middle. Then, I can adjust inside or outside as it might look in a game. Also, I show the gall out to the side, hold it then take it back and then forward. I do not pitch underhand. I also put some speed to the ball to ensure that there is not an arc. (BTW, my arm movement then back and forward is parallel to the ground.)
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