Is Hands/Knob to the ball Dead?

[Cowpoke]

A few ago years I was reading on this site and I recall some post about the "Hands to the ball" or the "Knob of the bat" to the ball.
Then I recently saw that someone posted that is way old news and not good.

I am working with my DD on some issues and this topic came up during our instruction phase based on "CURRENT" discuss fastpitch threads and (pardon the pun) outa left field she said we
(School Coaching) are suppose to knob to the ball ect.. That racked my brain because I thought I read somewhere in here that that was old school and confusing kids.

Would someone with more info please enlighten me?

Thank You

 

[nanotech14]

Yes,it is dead to some. Hands to the ball can lead to casting or the long way to the ball. I like to say hands inside the ball and whip the barrel of the bat to the ball. I like to take a lot of the cues from this site and use them. One cue or phrase to one girl, might mean something different to another girl, it helps to have the different cues.

 

[Cowpoke]

Yes,it is dead to some. Hands to the ball can lead to casting

nanotech14, I can SO see that visual, great reply Thanks.

 

[softballphreak]

Be alert when using various cues. You may be surprised at how they are interpreted. For example, the swing level cue. Ask the team to demonstrate what a level swing looks like. Many are going to hold the bat level to the ground.

Same thing with swing down.

No matter how right or well-intended the cue, it can be misinterpreted or misapplied.

 

[stiksdad]

If its not dead it should be, I have to correct so many kids when I get them, because they have been taught this for years, its just a poor cue in my opinion.

 

[JDBerry]

No, it's not dead

The issue apparently seems to be a complete misunderstanding of individuals and their interpretation of just one facet of an instructors description of teaching a player to drive a ball.

"hands to the ball" is the exact opposite of casting. it's keeping the hand on a linear path to the point of contact and not arcing the hand path. Why someone envisions that it means actually hitting the ball with the hands is beyond me. Casting is caused by "swinging". arcing the handpath out away from the body and into the path of the pitch and then bringing it back across the body as the hips and torso twists. It is the long way around the circle. Just like a racetrack, it's the slowest around also.

the reason why someone says keep hands inside the ball, is to promote hands to the ball or knob to the ball. they say these things along with lots of other instruction so that the batter completely understands what is being described.

 

[smddad]

Cues are just that, cues. It's something you say so that you get the desired effect from the player. For example, I tell my own DD to aim for the bottom half of the ball while hitting. Do I want her to hit the bottom of the ball? Heck no, she would pop it up. However, she tops it when trying to hit the middle of the ball. When I tell her to aim for the bottom, she hits the middle and gets line drives.

i also have a player who will sometimes push off her back foot, but not drive off the ball of her foot. She stays flat footed. I use the term "pivot" with her. She still drives afterwards, but now she pivots up to her toe and pushes. I don't want her to have "squish the bug" mechanics, so I make sure she knows what the cue means.

Another player I had years ago would bring her arm back behind her head when she threw the ball. She both came up with the term, "beeping." When she crossed that line, I would tell her she's beeping. Sometimes she would ask me if she was beeping.

Knowing each player and their tendencies goes a long way with what cue you give them, if any. If the cue creates the proper result, I am okay with it as long as they know what you mean. Especially during game times when you're looking to get them back on track quickly.

 

[CoogansBluff]

i also have a player who will sometimes push off her back foot, but not drive off the ball of her foot. She stays flat footed. I use the term "pivot" with her. She still drives afterwards, but now she pivots up to her toe and pushes. I don't want her to have "squish the bug" mechanics, so I make sure she knows what the cue means.

The cue 'pivot' is a good example to use for the kinds of arguments that ensue here. It's similar to 'hands/knob to ball' in that this is not literally what you want the player to do, imo. ...

A true pivot would require that part of the foot would remain on the ground while the rest of the foot rotates around it. That's what 'squish the bug' is - rotating around the ball of the foot. You can do that in basketball and not be charged with traveling.

In the correct swing, does the player's back foot truly pivot? Does it pivot around the big toe? I don't consider that a pivot. So I wouldn't use that cue. You'd be called for traveling is you pivoted like that. (Well, maybe not in the NBA these days, but using the strict rules of basketball you might. )

That said, the purpose of a cue is to facilitate results. If 'pivot' and 'knob-to-ball' work, then by all means ...

 

[nanotech14]

No, it's not dead

The issue apparently seems to be a complete misunderstanding of individuals and their interpretation of just one facet of an instructors description of teaching a player to drive a ball.

"hands to the ball" is the exact opposite of casting. it's keeping the hand on a linear path to the point of contact and not arcing the hand path. Why someone envisions that it means actually hitting the ball with the hands is beyond me. Casting is caused by "swinging". arcing the handpath out away from the body and into the path of the pitch and then bringing it back across the body as the hips and torso twists. It is the long way around the circle. Just like a racetrack, it's the slowest around also.

the reason why someone says keep hands inside the ball, is to promote hands to the ball or knob to the ball. they say these things along with lots of other instruction so that the batter completely understands what is being described.

You must be celebrating opposite day. you don't understand hands to the ball does premote casting. Hands inside the ball would not by no means promote hands or knob to the ball. Or it is how you perceive the cue? Hands to the ball is casting.

 

[pstein]

It's dead to those who are even semi-educated about the swing. However, talking about hand path is generally a waste of time.