Palm up Palm Down Through Extension

[Greenmonsters]

Unnecessary ethnic insults aside, I'm not buying that the barrel guides the hands. Once the barrel is launched or thrown (just like a pitched ball or shot arrow or), the deal is sealed i.e., the hands and bat have no affect on each other that has bearing on the outcome (unless its not a high-level swing).

And as far as direction, its determined by the hands and the hips should only rotate as necessary to accomodate the hands i.e., put them in a position to throw the barrel in the intended direction of contact. Which means you should look outside and adjust in.

 

[bamajeff]

Unnecessary ethnic insults aside, I'm not buying that the barrel guides the hands. Once the barrel is launched or thrown (just like a pitched ball or shot arrow or), the deal is sealed i.e., the hands and bat have no affect on each other that has bearing on the outcome (unless its not a high-level swing).

And as far as direction, its determined by the hands and the hips should only rotate as necessary to accomodate the hands i.e., put them in a position to throw the barrel in the intended direction of contact. Which means you should look outside and adjust in.

Hands can and do make adjustments after launch. There are some crazy looking swings that look nothing like players' normal swings that result in home runs. There's one floating around of Manny Ramirez where he gets a breaking ball, and he's out on his front foot and fooled badly, he sort of just tilts over and throws his hands at it and hits it out. I'm looking for the clip now. Edit: just found it....

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Ill check your response out tomorrow. Thanks!

Below is a description differentiating “hitting” from “swinging”.



Rather than think of “PUPD to extension” providing a hitter with a larger window for squaring the ball, I tend to believe that ‘direction’ improves the window for squaring the ball. If I arrive at the ball correctly, then there is absolutely "zero" need for me to be thinking of trying to maintain a PUPD orientation through to extension ... I simply don't need it to think of it ... nor do I need that to actually occur.

One of the reasons I harped on the bottom-hand usage in the other thread is because used incorrectly, the bottom-hand will kill ‘direction’, while at the same time reducing plate coverage. It doesn’t matter what the intention is with the top hand … if the bottom hand is pulling hard through contact, or hammering hard through contact, then your ‘direction’ and plate coverage will be negatively impacted.

I do buy into the model of creating a corner to create direction … the term I like to use is “Pivot the Swing”. Truly learn to “lead the swing with the backside”. It’s a topic that has been well covered at BBD in a thread called “Centripetal and Centrifugal”.

You are looking for a head-on collision between the bat and ball …. And direction is a big part of making that goal a reality.

During BP sessions I like to be aware of barrel ‘direction’ through contact. It isn’t uncommon for me to shout out to a player “good direction”.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Unnecessary ethnic insults aside, I'm not buying that the barrel guides the hands. Once the barrel is launched or thrown (just like a pitched ball or shot arrow or), the deal is sealed i.e., the hands and bat have no affect on each other that has bearing on the outcome (unless its not a high-level swing).

And as far as direction, its determined by the hands and the hips should only rotate as necessary to accomodate the hands i.e., put them in a position to throw the barrel in the intended direction of contact. Which means you should look outside and adjust in.

GM, IMO for this to make sense, it would have to be understood exactly "where" in the swing sequence the person is talking about before issuing a verdict one way or the other.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Unnecessary ethnic insults aside, I'm not buying that the barrel guides the hands. Once the barrel is launched or thrown (just like a pitched ball or shot arrow or), the deal is sealed i.e., the hands and bat have no affect on each other that has bearing on the outcome (unless its not a high-level swing).

p.s.

The notion of hitting “out from” is a solid concept IMO. Let that action lead you to ‘extension’ (“a long rear arm”) … “get the feeling that the barrel is trying to pull you.”

 

[Greenmonsters]

Hands can and do make adjustments after launch. There are some crazy looking swings that look nothing like players' normal swings that result in home runs. There's one floating around of Manny Ramirez where he gets a breaking ball, and he's out on his front foot and fooled badly, he sort of just tilts over and throws his hands at it and hits it out. I'm looking for the clip now. Edit: just found it....

The barrel's turned, but not launched IMO until you pass the Yes/Yes/No point i.e., the point of no return or the point where you can check the swing. So I would agree that the hands always are adjusting until that point in an attempt to find the ball and meet it with the thrown barrel. But once the bat is thrown or launched, its over.

 

[Eric F]

Look at the pitch location Bama? Its apples and oranges and means nothing. You dont change your hand pivot location. Its in your hips! Thats my opinion. You can show me Manny hitting a ball 3 feet in front of him and then show me Albert hitting a ball much closer to him, Doesnt mean anything! Manny is too soon and Alberts right on time is all your pictures say to me! We disagree! No problem!Alberts pitch from the side looks like its not to far inside. But its kind of pointless to argue as a side view of inside pitch is not 100% clear!

Hand pivot location DEFINITELY changes with pitch location. It may start in the same place, but adjusts during bat rotation to deliver the barrel to the location of the pitch.

 

[bamajeff]

Hand pivot location DEFINITELY changes with pitch location. It may start in the same place, but adjusts during bat rotation to deliver the barrel to the location of the pitch.

Agree 100%, though I might change one word:
Hand pivot "direction" DEFINITELY changes with pitch location. It may start in the same place, but adjusts during bat rotation to deliver the barrel to the location of the pitch.

I think you and I are definitely on the same page here.

 

[Eric F]

Agree 100%, though I might change one word:
Hand pivot "direction" DEFINITELY changes with pitch location. It may start in the same place, but adjusts during bat rotation to deliver the barrel to the location of the pitch.

I think you and I are definitely on the same page here.

Yes. That says it better.

The hands are not a fixed pivot point. The hands travel out-from the rear shoulder, adjusting the pivot point to the pitch location.