Keeping the Hands Above the Ball

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Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
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When hitting, I have to say that I don't recall swinging at many pitches where the ball was above my hands. In fact, no strikes. LOL Our cue when practicing for a riseball pitcher is to "get the hands flat fast. The reality is that that top hand is still above the ball in most cases.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
When hitting, I have to say that I don't recall swinging at many pitches where the ball was above my hands. In fact, no strikes. LOL Our cue when practicing for a riseball pitcher is to "get the hands flat fast. The reality is that that top hand is still above the ball in most cases.
I think I swung at a pitch in Legion so high once that my hands had to be below. In my defense the kid was throwing 90+ and it was a night game with crappy lights so I am not even sure I saw the pitch 😂
 
Last edited:
Aug 20, 2017
1,474
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I was intrigued by his explanation of missing under the ball. Said it was mostly due to the hands leveling and bat being parallel to the ground at contact. Said that higher hands (increased attack angle) allows for a bigger solid contact window. Made some sense to me. Wondering if this is why Trout does the golf swing some when he is on deck
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
I think I swung at a pitch in Legion so high once that my hands had to be below. In my defense the kid was throwing 90+ and it was a night game with crappy lights so I am not even sure I saw the pitch 😂
I am betting that most of us who saw a 90+ pitch remember the occasion and didn't see the pitch even in good light. People don't realize that the difference between an 85 mph fastball in HS and a 90 mph is night and day. The first guy I saw that was 90+ was Nick Baltz. He played in the Montreal Expos system. He made me look stupid. (Ok, so that didn't take much.)
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
I was intrigued by his explanation of missing under the ball. Said it was mostly due to the hands leveling and bat being parallel to the ground at contact. Said that higher hands (increased attack angle) allows for a bigger solid contact window. Made some sense to me. Wondering if this is why Trout does the golf swing some when he is on deck
If practicing a golf swing makes better hitters, I'm going to be really good. I'm hitting that little golf ball way out there. Last Saturday, in a scramble, we used my drive on every hole. It is that silly short game that messes me up.
 

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