top hand too early: A condition where the top hand starts pushing hard right from the launch position. This conditon artificially raises the barrel, shortening the radius of the swing through impact. The results are an over the top, chopping swing path, driving the ball downward to a hitters pull side.
Click for Illustration

top hand, too little: A condition where the bottom hand is dominant in the swing because of lack of top hand action. This usually results in a weak inside out path with the barrel lagging behind.

torque: A twisting or rotary action when a force is applied outside the center of the body. (see horizontal bat)

trigger: A term used to initiate an action to follow, such as a trigger to begin the swing. It is used along with the terms “load” or “cocking”.

under the hands: A location pitchers try to throw hitters near the axis of rotation of the swing. Hitters with long, sweeping swings are vulnerable to being jammed, if they don’t get the bat head out front to make contact. Shortening the front arm and trying to keep the hands inside the ball are methods used by good hitters to get the bat head through to contact quicker, reducing the chances of being jammed.
Click for Illustration

up the middle: A term used to describe a general location between the shortstop and second basemen extending to centerfield.

visualization: A mental picture of an action or event to take place in the future which can be either positive (seeing yourself with a game winning hit) or negative, (seeing yourself striking out to end the game with runners in scoring position). This term can also refer to the act of seeing the pitch.

weight: A term used to describe the amount of force that gravity is exerting on a object. The more massive the object, the more gravitational forces pull on it, thus it weighs more or is heavier. In hitting terms, we look at the position these forces are in relation to our base, or specifically our feet.

weight distribution: This term is used to designate the amount of weight that is being placed on each foot in the stance. Weight equally on both feet would be described as 50-50. Slightly more weight on the backfoot could be described as possibly 60-40. These are only estimates, however, this can be accurately measured in a lab.
Click for Illustration

weight forward: Refers to the weight on the balls of the feet. A simple way to move the weight forward is to lean your upper body forward, bending at the waist, while keeping your legs straight. You will feel the weight move to the balls of your feet. Now soften your knees (bend a little) and raise your upper body. Another way is to spring up into the air, landing softly on the balls of your feet with the knees slightly flexed and feet outside your shoulders. Either method will move the weight forward.
Click for Illustration

weight on front side: This phrase describes a hitter whose weight shift has already occured. Using offspeed pitches, pitchers attempt to destroy hitter’s timing by getting their weight out on the front side, making it more difficult to drive the ball with authority.
Click for Illustration

weight on heels: Refers to the weight being located back on the heels instead of forward, on the balls of the feet.

weight shift: A term used to describe the weight moving from our backside to the frontside. This movement provides a linear component to the swing, which adds to the force generated, resulting in greater batspeed.
Click for Illustration
Click Red Dot for Drills to Develop Weight Transfer

weight transfer: see weight shift and

wrapping the barrel: A term that describes an excessive bat load at the top, extending well beyond the hitters head pointing back toward the pitcher. Wrapping adds to swing length, requiring the swing to start earlier.
Click for Illustration
Click Red Dot for Drills to Correct Wrapping

wrist roller: A term given to a hitter whose wrists begin to roll prematurely. At contact, the hands should be in a palm-up palm-down position. The barrel continues to move forward, extending through contact, as the back elbow straightens. Some instructors refer to this as and “extended lock” position. This position normally occurs well 1-2 feet past contact. After the complete extension of both arms and the bat have occured delete, well past contact, do the wrists roll, or turnover occurs. This will happen naturally in most cases if the hitter continues with the follow through and finish. A wrist roller begins this turnover too early, placing the back of the bottom hand and palm of the top hand toward the pitcher. This causes the barrel to lift as they roll and puts the hands in a weak position at contact.
Click for Illustration
Click Red Dot for Drills to Develop the Bottom Hand

wrists cocked: A term used to describe flexion in the back of the wrists. This occurs naturally when the bat is out in the fingers and elbows are down and relaxed. This term can also mean a setting of the wrists as the hands and bat load, so they can be forcibly unleashed through contact.
Click for Illustration

wrists flat: A term that describes the back of the wrists having no angle, or cock. This diminishes the ability to use the hands in the swing, and can cause a reduction in bat speed.
Click for Illustration

wrists, roll: See wrist roller.