When does full arm extension occur?

[ssarge]

Given the fact that the swing is a shallow "U" shape,

Much more like a Nike "swoosh" from my perspective.



MIke:

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

Scott

 

[Wellphyt]

Originally posted by ssarge:
Kate is the best of the 3,000 D-I hitters, and as such, should be studied by all female hitters (my daughter has begun to emulate her high hand pre-load setup, for example).

How a hitter postions their hands during the pre-load is style. It is not part of the hitter's technique. Check out this clip of Jackie Vasquez (at least I think it's Jackie Vasquez ). She starts with the her hands high. Where are her hands are toe touch? They are down at her armpit and they are close to the palm up/palm down position. This running start of the hands was a key part of Ted's swing. This running start of the hands breaks inertia early, it helps the shoulders resist the lower body increasing stretch, it allows for late ajustability and it maximizes the amount of time the barrel is in the hitting zone.


Jackie and Katie are teammates. Which makes me wonder if Jackie was influenced by Katie. Or maybe it's just a coincidence that Jackie's swing and Ted's swing look very similar.

I agree that Katie is the best D-1 hitter. No doubt she will be studied by coaches and players. However I predict that the vast majority of people who study her, will adopt her batting stance, including how she holds her hands up high. In other words they will copy her personal style and totally miss the technique part of her swing.

I do find it interesting that the most devastating hitter in D-1 FP, claims to have patterned her swing from a very young age, after Ted's swing. So, you have the greatest hitter in MLB history, and the best hitter in D-1 FP, reportedly using similar technique.

Hmmmm....

 

[skeptic]

How a hitter postions their hands during the pre-load is style. It is not part of the hitter's technique. Check out this clip of Jackie Vasquez (at least I think it's Jackie Vasquez ). She starts with the her hands high. Where are her hands are toe touch? They are down at her armpit and they are close to the palm up/palm down position. This running start of the hands was a key part of Ted's swing. This running start of the hands breaks inertia early, it helps the shoulders resist the lower body increasing stretch, it allows for late ajustability and it maximizes the amount of time the barrel is in the hitting zone.

Vasquez did wear #21 last season (her senior year, 4 HRs and a .400+ BA) for ASU. Cochran is #16. Epstein identifies this hitter - #21 - as Cochran on his site, and it even says "Katie" in the URL you linked.

Probably, that is a mistake on his site that Epstein should fix. If you are going to employ language comparing Cochran to Williams (as he does), you probably ought to have a clip of Cochran instead of one merely labeled as Cochran. Would be more credible.

 

[Wellphyt]

Probably, that is a mistake on his site that Epstein should fix. If you are going to employ language comparing Cochran to Williams (as he does), you probably ought to have a clip of Cochran instead of one merely labeled as Cochran. Would be more credible.

Epstein does have the clip labeled incorrectly, which is why I made sure to mention that the clip was of Jackie Vasquez. Any comparison of Cochran to Williams on my part is based on Katie's and Katie's dad's public comments that Katie has studied Ted since she was 11 years old and has supposedly used Ted's swing mechanics as a model for her own swing.

I recorded most of her at bats on my DVR during the FP College World Series last year, unfortunately the opposing pitchers kept on intentionally walking her. The one at bat that I was able to record where she swung the bat, was a homerun to left field on a pitch low and outside that she just swatted out.

 

[skeptic]

Any comparison of Cochran to Williams on my part is based on Katie's and Katie's dad's public comments that Katie has studied Ted since she was 11 years old and has supposedly used Ted's swing mechanics as a model for her own swing.

Accurate, and I do understand the inaccuracy on the clip is Epstein's, not yours.