Posted by: Shawn (mariner0324@yahoo.com) on Tue Aug 21 20:48:11 2007

> >>> Jack, others,
>
> I did a short video showing what happens in the swing. I didn't cover everything and will redo whatever needs to be shown or discussed.
>
> I'm not a very good speaker.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~ben_2004/THT1.wmv <<<
>
> Hi Shawn
>
> With your interruption of Bonds’ swing, shoulder rotation is totally responsible for accelerating the bat-head as he initiates his swing. You are basically saying that what the does with his top-hand has little or no influence on the bat’s trajectory. If that were true, every batter that assumed a good launch position and generated great shoulder rotation would automatically generate great bat speed regardless of what he does with the top-hand.
>
> That is simply not the case. The main reason batters with good shoulder rotation do not produce good bat speed is because the direction of force they apply with the top-hand. Their top-hand drives forward with the palm on the handle as they initiate their swings. This means that both their bottom and top hand are being driven in the same direction – toward the pitcher.
>
> For torque applied at the handle to cause the bat-head to rotate, the force of the hands must be from opposing directions. Driving both hands in the same direction drives the knob forward, but leaves bat-head dragging behind. – Pulling rearward on the handle with the fingers of the top-hand during initaition produces a very different bat trajectory than driving forward with the palm.
>
> Jack Mankin

Jack,

I would agree that being top hand dominate isn't the best way to swing the bat, but it doesn't anything to do with hand torque or is it the forearms.

The swing is powered by rotation, it is momentum trasfer that creates batspeed. You have "seen" the barrel not arcing prior to shoulder rotation and you have "seen" through connection the the barrel rotates at the same rate of shoulder rotation. You can't deny video.

Who cares what the hands do (or is it the forearms)? Really they do their part in the swing. They help direct the barrel and release the bat head as part of the unhinging.