14U kid need some help with his hitting mechanics, Please feel free to give your advices.

Looks like he uses his hands very well! I would say maybe a little more flex in his knees and start his hips a little sooner (while keeping his front shoulder in), but it looks pretty darn good to me! What kinds of problems is he having?

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
Looks like he uses his hands very well! I would say maybe a little more flex in his knees and start his hips a little sooner (while keeping his front shoulder in), but it looks pretty darn good to me! What kinds of problems is he having?

He had some trouble hitting inside pitches, low or high. People ask him to turn on it, he can't turn quick enough I guess. I think your advice of turning the hips sooner will help. Thanks.

It is more than likely that it is the contact position that needs to be fixed. He is probably trying to make contact in the same spot on all pitches. He needs to make contact in front of the plate. Tee work is the best way to learn this position.

nice handle torque...

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Originally posted by kbat2012:
Other coaches told me "He has the quick hands." I have no idea what that means. Why hands are so important in baseball batting? I thought it was the leg and waiste which generate power.

Only if used properly. Hands help you make contact and add to the power created from your legs, hips and core.

quote:

Originally posted by kbat2012:
He had some trouble hitting inside pitches, low or high. People ask him to turn on it, he can't turn quick enough I guess. I think your advice of turning the hips sooner will help. Thanks.

I downloaded the youtube video to my HD and converted to MOV such that I could walk through frame by frame.

He does not appear to be adjusting his posture (research PCR) for the pitch location. Instead he disconnects and reaches down to the ball. This will detract from his quickness.

When you upload the video to youtube, youtube deletes a fraction of the frames such that a good bit of information / data is lost. Keeping that in mind, I think i see some "Bat Drag" in his swing. It looks as if his top hand elbow is getting out ahead of the knob for a portion of the swing. This will detract from his swing quickness.

quote:

Originally posted by GFK:
Keeping that in mind, I think i see some "Bat Drag" in his swing. It looks as if his top hand elbow is getting out ahead of the knob for a portion of the swing. This will detract from his swing quickness.

Thank you very much, top eblow ahead of the knob may cost him not hitting the inside pitch. We will work on it. Do you think his back leg should push more? Some people suggested that.

quote:

Originally posted by kbat2012:
Do you think his back leg should push more? Some people suggested that.

If by push, you mean extension of the back leg, then I would say no. From what I have seen and "think I know", pushing the hips around with leg extension is not optimal (power & quickness) rotation.

quote:

Originally posted by GFK:

quote:

Originally posted by kbat2012:
Do you think his back leg should push more? Some people suggested that.

If by push, you mean extension of the back leg, then I would say no. From what I have seen and "think I know", pushing the hips around with leg extension is not optimal (power & quickness) rotation.

I would describe it more as a "punch" with the knee using your foot to drive the knee forward. A bent back knee with the stripe on the pant leg going straight up through the head (if a line were drawn to connect the knee with the ear) is the optimal finish position. That "flex" in the back knee makes it easier to "punch" the knee through the direction of the ball flight, thus driving the hips through.

Watch Posada's back knee to see what I'm saying.

http://www.hittingillustrated.com/library/Posadasidebyside.gif

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
I would describe it more as a "punch" with the knee using your foot to drive the knee forward.

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
Watch Posada's back knee to see what I'm saying.

I took a look at the clip you posted. In the swing showing contact (not the check swing), it appears that his rear foot is not in contact with the ground at the time he makes contact with the ball.

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
Watch Posada's back knee to see what I'm saying.

]

I've watched a lot of MLB games over the years. Do you think Posada is a good hitter? Does he bat 6th or 7th in the Yankee line-up? I don't like his swing for some reason. My favorite hitter is Manny Ramirez.

quote:

Originally posted by kbat2012:

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
Watch Posada's back knee to see what I'm saying.

]

I've watched a lot of MLB games over the years. Do you think Posada is a good hitter? Does he bat 6th or 7th in the Yankee line-up? I don't like his swing for some reason. My favorite hitter is Manny Remerize.

I think he is. You can't go wrong with Manny either, but I think Posada's swing got changed a little last year and he hit .338. He averages 20 HRs a season and is a .277 lifetime hitter. I posted that clip so you could see how long he waits before deciding to commit and because the knee punch is very easy to see.

quote:

Originally posted by GFK:

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
I would describe it more as a "punch" with the knee using your foot to drive the knee forward.

quote:

Originally posted by powertoallfields:
Watch Posada's back knee to see what I'm saying.

I took a look at the clip you posted. In the swing showing contact (not the check swing), it appears that his rear foot is not in contact with the ground at the time he makes contact with the ball.

It doesn't matter at that point. His hips have already fired and the knee has already been punched. I would also say that you don't HAVE to punch the knee to get your hips through, but in my opinion it helps.