Early bat speed.

[jbooth]

His barrel is behind his head when you can see he launches it. No way could he catch the pitch with out forearms and hands turning the bat.

In the video below;

from the first frame, to where I paused it, the barrel goes from behind his head, to almost horizontal. You can see that his wrists do nothing. It gets that way from elbow drop and the tilting and turning of his shoulders. If he used his arms or wrists during this phase, the shaft would come away from his shoulder. It does not. You can't keep the shaft close to the back shoulder and be forcing the barrel rearward.

In the frames after the pause; you can see him use his hands to throw the barrel around his hands. You can see ulnar deviation and the top hand going around the bottom hand, down AT the ball.

He keeps the bat connected to the body, and gets it moving with torso rotation, then he uses the hands.

You keep saying that they launch from the top, yet I have NEVER heard any MLB player say they do that. In fact, the ones I've spoken with personally, and others that I've heard on TV shows, say that they keep the barrel up, or lag it as long as possible, and then throw it AT the ball.

 

[rdbass]

When I slow this gif down I see what you are saying. Inside pitch.

 

[Sweet Lou]

When I slow this gif down I see what you are saying. Inside pitch.

Guy was a clown but man could he hit.

 

[rdbass]

Thanks Noontimebaseball.com

 

[NoonTime]

OK... last Manny for awhile! Thanks for inspiring the hunt!

In case you didn't figure it out... NOONTIME BASEBALL | HEY BATTER BATTER... GIF BATTER! is where I'll be hosting my GIFs as I move away from photobucket. Apologies for the large GIFs (that recent Manny XMO was 20MB!) as I have fun away from the 5MB limitation of photobucket!

Cheers,
NoonTime

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Many thanks Noon!

 

[jbooth]

When I slow this gif down I see what you are saying. Inside pitch.

Here's another;

Note how from the start to pause 1, how he keeps the barrel up, and the main movement is just back elbow and shoulders. His hand angle barely changes.

Then from pause 1 to pause 2, his hands start to move toward the ball, with his shoulder rotation, and he starts to use his hands to throw the barrel.

From pause 2 to pause 3, you can see the ulnar deviation. The snapping of the barrel, using both hands to throw the barrel around the hands, AT THE BALL.

 

[jbooth]

Thanks Noontimebaseball.com

Here's Mike Trout;

Note at pause 1 how his top wrist has barely moved. The elbow is down, yet the barrel is still up. It has moved due to shoulder movement. Note how close it is to his rear deltoid. You can't get that position unless you have the thought of keeping the barrel up, or lagging it.

Pause 1 to 2, his hands move and the throw starts.

Pause 2 to 3, once again ulnar deviation. Throwing the top hand through, using both hands. Throwing at the ball.

 

[HYP]

Simple answer; YES.

Simple question; do you believe that the bio-mechanics and forces involved, are different from what I described?

Yes, Just because it sounds like you believe the hands and forearms are passive. I believe the forearms are turning the hands, palm up and eventually, facing the hitter. Top hand

 

[jbooth]

Yes, Just because it sounds like you believe the hands and forearms are passive. I believe the forearms are turning the hands, palm up and eventually, facing the hitter. Top hand

The hands and forearms are NOT passive. They just don't work bio-mechanically the way you believe they do. The emphasis is not on turning the palms. The palms do turn, but as a bi-product of where the real emphasis is. You don't have to think about turning the palms, they will turn when you extend the rear forearm while the elbow stays at the back hip, and you ulnar deviate. If you keep the hands up as you throw the barrel down, the momentum in the barrel will turn the palms, as it goes at the ball.

I sent you a PM.