Gummy Bear VS Ted Williams

[Cowpoke]

My DD has been struggling lately making good contact. She went from 8th 9th batter @ 10/11U to 3-5 hitter 12-14 and peaked Freshman Varsity as the DH. But then quickly tailed off. Not a lot of Strike Outs but a LOT of lunge looking biffs that just go beyond the pitchers mound.
After reading here (discussfatstpitch.com) and this Chris O topic on Bat Drag: Bat Drag 101 I have been beside myself. I am like WTH (What The Heck)...
I started to review some GREAT Discuss fastpitch thread's last year and Softballphreak was kind enough to help me Identify some Bat Drag mechanical based issue. Well here we are back to traveling ball and these issues are becoming apparent AGAIN.
rdbass (The Bad-rear of GIF posting) posted an image of Ted Williams in a thread and I was at that moment reviewing clips that looked similar (to me) but I could not put 2 and 2 together. softballphreak was and as a few others were Awesome to assist but I did not want to Hijack the original posters thread so I am creating this one.

Here is what rdbass posted:

And My Follow UP"

MR Bass, Now ya just got me confused.. I am STILL working with my DD on a bat drag issue but clips
you just posted looks almost identical (I Think):

What am I missing Kind Sir?

softballphreak opines (Thanks):

"Almost identical" is correct. Her elbow extends past her top hand. Ted's doesn't.

FiveFrameSwing Says:

Cowpoke ... she's pulling along the length of the barrel ... i.e., she's not "turning the barrel".

And jbooth with an AWESOME PAUSE (how'd you do dat?) , rdbass like giff comparison posted:
Your daughter is swinging "top down", meaning she gets the bat going, and then the lower half.

She is swinging with her arms, dragging the bat, instead of getting the body to move the bat. Particularly, getting the lower half to start before the top.


Sorry jbooth, I am limited to the amount of images I can post.

 

[Cowpoke]

Hat Tip jbooth:

Your daughter is swinging "top down", meaning she gets the bat going, and then the lower half.

She is swinging with her arms, dragging the bat, instead of getting the body to move the bat. Particularly, getting the lower half to start before the top.

Compare the paused positions below, and her sequence vs Ted's.

 

[softballphreak]

jbooth is spot on with his observation of the lower half and the top down swing. IMO, if you work on that it will most likely fix everything else.

One of my favorite drills for working on the lower half lead is the "check swing" drill. You can search this site for posts I've made in the past for how to do that drill. The short bat would probably fit that drill also. If not, a regular bat will do fine.

 

[Cowpoke]

jbooth is spot on with his observation of the lower half and the top down swing. IMO, if you work on that it will most likely fix everything else.

One of my favorite drills for working on the lower half lead is the "check swing" drill. You can search this site for posts I've made in the past for how to do that drill. The short bat would probably fit that drill also. If not, a regular bat will do fine.

Thanks SBP, on that 18" bat. Question, is that the THIN Mini you get at theme parks and Dairy Queen sponsor giveaways at MLB games or is it the THICK Regular looking Short Bat you often see in the home town sporting goods stores that sit collecting dust off to the side?

 

[softballphreak]

Thanks SBP, on that 18" bat. Question, is that the THIN Mini you get at theme parks and Dairy Queen sponsor giveaways at MLB games or is it the THICK Regular looking Short Bat you often see in the home town sporting goods stores that sit collecting dust off to the side?

The regular looking bat; just short. It was about $35 in our area. Most of the short bats aren't short enough.

 

[softballphreak]

CHEAPBATS.COM : Louisville Slugger One Hand Training Bat 18" TRB18B - $34.95

 

[Cowpoke]

CHEAPBATS.COM : Louisville Slugger One Hand Training Bat 18" TRB18B - $34.95

Aight, Thanks, Got it..

 

[rdbass]

Here is 'our' goal.

Here is where 'we' are starting.

 

[rdbass]

Read this thread. Sure cure for 'bat drag'.
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/11783-dd-bat-drag.html

 

[Cowpoke]

Thanks rdb.