Turning the barrel

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Oct 12, 2009
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It's not another word for an upper body running start. The tip n' rip is a completely different concept. Turning the barrel involves flattening the bat so the leg can drive it to contact. This is not a style thing at all. This is an absolute.

Williams preaches being quick. You can't be quick if you don't turn the barrel.

So George Brett wasn't quick?

LOL.
 
Oct 12, 2009
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George Brett turned it. George Brett had the high level barrel path. He didn't connect and turn to fly off the merry go round.

Per your definition of turning the barrel...

Turning the barrel is (simply put) getting the bat from vertical to flat so the rear leg/hip drive the barrel to contact.

...Brett CLEARLY didn't turn the barrel.

He started with the barrel flat and turned it from there.

P.S. This is the problem with your ideas about the swing. You say that people do things that they don't.
 
Jan 13, 2012
691
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Per your definition of turning the barrel...



...Brett CLEARLY didn't turn the barrel.

He started with the barrel flat and turned it from there.

P.S. This is the problem with your ideas about the swing. You say that people do things that they don't.

Then I improperly defined it. The barrel gets turned rearward, from whatever the handset is. Brett's barrel isn't vertical at all. The barrel gets turned behind the hitter. My definition is overly narrow, then.

P.S.: I could say the same thing about your ideas. You clearly say hitters do things they don't. 0.4 seconds to make a decision and swing.
 
Last edited:
Jan 13, 2012
691
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See, I'm willing to acknowledge my mistakes. I've misread video many times for a variety of reasons. That being said, when someone says I'm wrong, I re-examine what I believe and often am able to improve my definitions or hitting beliefs.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,020
63
Mid West
Honest question... Help me understand how bat lag, and staying on plane all ties together with turning the barrel? Now, I know methods and technology changes constantly, but I was always taught to take my hands towards the ball when I was a kid, and to throw the bat head to avoid casting out. Please comment or post some clips that elaborate your points and how all the phases blend together. Please & Thanks, James
 
Jul 10, 2008
368
18
Central PA
Honest question... Help me understand how bat lag, and staying on plane all ties together with turning the barrel? Now, I know methods and technology changes constantly, but I was always taught to take my hands towards the ball when I was a kid, and to throw the bat head to avoid casting out. Please comment or post some clips that elaborate your points and how all the phases blend together. Please & Thanks, James

I'll add to Coach's request: Please show GIFs or video of JUST that part of the swing for two or three hitters (preferably both men and women) to clarify this. I try to decipher this stuff, but the "I'm right, you're wrong" back and forth loses me sometimes.

Is it the phase after RVP separation (loading of the scap) after heel plant where the shoulders/elbows move to get the barrel on plane with the pitch?
 
R

RayR

Guest
This is probably the best way to see it....

Posey (left) has a much sharper barrel path compared to the other guy...

SlotCompare.gif


One player is turning the barrel from the start (using his hands) - the other is using rotation to bring his hands around....

Try this experiment in a mirror....stand facing the mirror like it is in the oppo batter's box

Get set up with the bat barrel cocked towards the pitcher a bit and the bat pretty vertical (not quite straight up and down, but close).

Have the label of the bat so you can see it in the mirror

Now turn the barrel slowly so the label turns back towards the catcher....and allow your rear elbow to come down into your side if it wants.

Do this a few times to get it down....keep your hands in place as you do this....you can think of it as you are spinning the bat to turn the label.

Now turn yourself so that the mirror is where the pitcher would be....get in the same position as before but set up the bat to make sure you can see the label of the bat in the mirror.

Now turn the barrel so that the label turns up towards the sky....allowing the rear elbow to come down as it wants to. Same exact move as you did before.

If you did it right - the barrel should have started out nearly vertical and when turned ended up at about 45 degrees...

This is just an experiment to show you that the hands/wrists and forearms can impart a lot of movement on the barrel in the early part of the swing without much involvement from the body...essentially getting it going early without sending it into a path that will hinder your ability to be quick....

In the context of turning the barrel for a swing this move is blended into bringing the barrel to the ball because the lower body would be working and hands would be coming forward before our experiment was over....

If you instruct a player to rotate their lower half and then rotate their shoulders while trying to keep the hands near the rear shoulder you wouldn't get the same movement that Posey does....

For me it is not a matter of does the swing on the right work - it obviously does....but I would rather teach the swing on the left using the hands to create as tight of barrel path as possible....
 
Dec 19, 2012
1,424
0
This is probably the best way to see it....

Posey (left) has a much sharper barrel path compared to the other guy...



If you instruct a player to rotate their lower half and then rotate their shoulders while trying to keep the hands near the rear shoulder you wouldn't get the same movement that Posey does....

For me it is not a matter of does the swing on the right work - it obviously does....but I would rather teach the swing on the left using the hands to create as tight of barrel path as possible....

MTS, what's the advantage of using the hands to pull (or top hand push??) the bat down into the zone? Would that not shorten the barrel path and reduce power? You've exhausted some potential energy. I would rather keep the hand energy kinetic at this point and pull through with the big muscles.....JMO.
 

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