Do the elite batters line-up their "knocking knuckles" when gripping the bat?

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Do the elite batters line-up their "knocking knuckles" when gripping the bat?

Many have suggested on this site that to be a better hitter, observe the elite players' swing mechanics and emulate them. While watching the World Series yesterday, I paid particular attention to the position of the hands on the bat when a batter took their position in the box. It seemed to me that many batters were lining up their top hand knocking knuckles inline with the with the bottom hand's "punching knuckles" and thereby promoting a stronger grip on the bat.

I thought the general rule is to line-up the knocking knuckles? Could the larger hand size of MLB players (compared to softball players) make a difference on where to place the hands on the bat?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

No .... I don't see the best hitters arriving at the universal launch position with their knocking knuckles lined up.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

No. It is my feeling, and I have confirmed it with Candrea and Don Slaught, that the knuckles should be off set. But, you can also find people that will argue the opposite.

When I swing the bat, my top hand rotates on the bat.

I simply cannot swing with my knuckles lined up.

 

[SBFAMILY]

They tested this in the lab Amy and they found out you gain up to 5% more bat speed as Don and Mike stated. Sue and Don were involved with this test at UCLA. I know Howard has also tested it with a bat speed meter. They align at contact, but must rotate as you swing. I you look at some of Howard's old posts on here, he discusses this.

 

[starsnuffer]

I think the concept of lining up the door-knocking knuckles at the beginning of the stance is one of those things taught to young beginning hitters as a way to keep them from rolling their wrists and making the barrel jump over the ball at contact. It's a bandaid, but not an aweful one. As stated, you can gain 5% more bat speed if you learn to rotate the top hand during the swing. Try teaching that to a 9 year old when you're teaching them everything else about the swing. That 5% gain, at that age, isn't a big deal.

I tell my kids to keep an open mind, when someone teaches you something, do it the way they teach you. When you learn it, then you are able to go back, on your own, and compare techniques to figure out what works best for "you". I think it's more important to teach these girls how to learn from others, how to take what they are taught and apply it, and how to use their own feedback on what does and does not work for them. Some coaches would rather program their kids, and I can see how that would be easier.

-W

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

SBF ... I don't believe the knocking knuckles should be aligned at contact either ... or at least I see many instances of pros reaching contact with the knuckles of the top hand roughly aligned with the wedding ring location of the bottom hand.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

No. It is my feeling, and I have confirmed it with Candrea and Don Slaught, that the knuckles should be off set. But, you can also find people that will argue the opposite.

When I swing the bat, my top hand rotates on the bat.

I simply cannot swing with my knuckles lined up.

Very nice Amy.

You will often see the alignment of the knuckles, of a pro, different between the universal launch position and contact ... and for a good reason IMO. You don't want the grip at contact to degrade your launch.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

When I swing the bat, my top hand rotates on the bat.

At point of contact (POC), does it rotate to be more in line with the knocking knuckles or more off-set than from the original launch position? Why not just start with the knuckles lined up in the same position that you will have at POC?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

SoCal ... let's see if we can get you to answer your own question.

Is the distance between the elbows at 'launch' truly equal to the distance between the elbows at 'contact'?

Assuming you say 'no', what has to happen with the top hand/arm, relative to the bottom hand/arm? How will that impact the grip in terms of 'knuckle alignment'?

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

SoCal ... let's see if we can get you to answer your own question.

Is the distance between the elbows at 'launch' truly equal to the distance between the elbows at 'contact'?

Assuming you say 'no', what has to happen with the top hand/arm, relative to the bottom hand/arm? How will that impact the grip in terms of 'knuckle alignment'?

I work with a lot of young girls who have been playing the game only a few years. DD's hitting coach says to line-up the knocking knuckles and I have been teaching this to my players and want to make sure it is effective (at least for beginning batters)? Trying to use the KISS principle.

To answer your question: the triangle created at POC is greater than at launch, and rotating the top hand "inward" (clockwise, increasing the off-set of the knuckles) needs to happen to achieve the increase in separation of the triangle, correct?