Swing down?

[lhowser]

Here is a comparison I put together using the Chamberlain teaching clip and a game swing clip:

 

[slugger3]

What's happening with them swinging down to the ball and creating bottom spin is the same principle when a slow pitch hitter swings up on a ball that's arching downward and the bat hitting the ball creates top spin.
With swinging downward the ball can do two things...get driven hard into the ground if hit on the top of the ball, or get driven upward with some bottom spin that gives the ball a little extra lift over the trajectory of the ball.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Shortly after one of the 'swing-down' HRs the batter was in the dugout showing her teammates a swing-down-through-the-ball path. She was laughing ... leading me to speculate that she wasn't trying to go yard, but enjoyed the result anyway.

 

[1fingeredknuckler]

Anyone watch the Oklahoma Sooners Vs Louisiana Lafayette super regional game tonight?

Did the Oklahoma team look to have a "swing down" mentality?

What i saw in a lot of games was the batters were swinging up under rise balls instead of squaring them up,maybe lower in the zone but not high, and on the end of the bat not choked up,can't figure that approach out unless it's for exercise.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

What i saw in a lot of games was the batters were swinging up under rise balls instead of squaring them up,maybe lower in the zone but not high, and on the end of the bat not choked up,can't figure that approach out unless it's for exercise.

Overall, it was my opinion that the swings are much improved than they were just 3-4 years ago. The game is advancing.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Beside the 'spinning' mechanics. Maybe, the mind set is swing down. I'm thinking that on this swing like any other swing it's 50/50 percent chance If the ball is slightly struck on the lower side of the bat it's a ground ball. If the ball is slightly struck upper side it's a fly ball possible HR. Struck square its's a line drive(Yogi Berra). I'm sure it's been said before 'keep bat/barrel above the ball as long as possible'.

I hear you, it's just that some folks look at GIFs like we see below and have a difficult time reconciling between that advice and what they see.

 

[STRIKE3]

Tewks on attack angle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ohE51yiD4s

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Another perspective .... hitting down through the ball ......

 

[lhowser]

Another perspective .... hitting down through the ball ......

This is the perspective I am currently emphasizing with my DD and others. She does a lot of things well but her rear elbow stalls (as FFS points out). This teaching helps.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]