The hands - How high is too high?

[fpitch57]

Once front heal plant takes place (anything before that is just "style" and not relevant to this conversation) the "Hands only need to be as high as the highest strike"--- ted Williams. nuf said

 

[RayR]

I would be more concerned with what direction the hands are going or are prepared to go at front heel plant then position....for instance, on a still photo the hands may be in a good "position", but they might be dropping and/or sweeping out....

Height of hands is less important then the ability to create a tighter, more linear hand path while turning the barrel....seen players with high hands and low hands hit well and not so well....

 

[nanotech14]

I would be more concerned with what direction the hands are going or are prepared to go at front heel plant then position....for instance, on a still photo the hands may be in a good "position", but they might be dropping and/or sweeping out....

Height of hands is less important then the ability to create a tighter, more linear hand path while turning the barrel....seen players with high hands and low hands hit well and not so well....

At the risk of sounding like a dumb a$$, what do you mean by turning the barrel, any video of what you mean by this term. Also would like to see what you mean by tighter, more linear hand path.I'm sorry to ask but how are some of us going to help are dd's if we don't have this knowledge.thank you in advance

 

[iMlearning]

I believe Candrea suggested that the thumb of the top hand should be just about the height of the the ear hole at his clinic last fall.

 

[RayR]

At the risk of sounding like a dumb a$$, what do you mean by turning the barrel, any video of what you mean by this term. Also would like to see what you mean by tighter, more linear hand path.I'm sorry to ask but how are some of us going to help are dd's if we don't have this knowledge.thank you in advance

there have been threads on turning the barrel...but to summarize it is using the hands/wrists/forearms to apply pressure to the handle early in the swing to get the barrel moving in an arc from behind you....not just pulling/dragging the handle with no effect on the barrel arc path...throwing a bat like a helicopter blade into center field is a way to help figure it out

As far as hand path...

More linear - not pure linear so there is no confusion....this means instead of the hand path (viewed from above) being circular - the hand path is flatter/arcish....instead of a half circle like this:



More like this

which generally means that the front elbow will have to bend and unbend a little to allow the hands to stay tighter without just rotating the front shoulder out of the way....

Fence drill gets hammered but it is a good drill to get the feeling of the front arm action and hand path....

 

[jbooth]

there have been threads on turning the barrel...but to summarize it is using the hands/wrists/forearms to apply pressure to the handle early in the swing to get the barrel moving in an arc from behind you....

No MLB hitter does that. In fact, they try to do nothing with the barrel, as long as possible. Debate for another thread.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Now Jim, if you keep mentioning this then people are going to start believing that the upper body and shoulders are somewhat bound to the motion of the lower body from one's launch position. They may begin to feel the initial movement of the barrel being influenced by the lower body ... and perhaps feel the lower body drawing the upper body behind it. They may begin feeling lag build up in their wrists and how it leads to a throw-like action of the barrel. Heck ... they may stop talking in terms of "Shift AND Swing" vs "Shift THEN Swing", and speak of "Pivot the Swing". Could be a heck of a discussion ... but perhaps best for another thread as you suggest.

 

[RayR]

No MLB hitter does that. In fact, they try to do nothing with the barrel, as long as possible. Debate for another thread.

 

[RayR]

Hands, wrists and forearms....

 

[jbooth]

None of the above are turning the barrel rearward from top hand force. You, Jack Mankin and Richard Schenk have completely mis-analyzed the kinesiology that is happening. The early blur and movement of the barrel is almost entirely caused by the shoulders tilting, not an action from the hands that takes the barrel toward the catcher.