chicken
wing: A
term to describe a high, flexed front elbow through contact
and follow-through that prevents
a hitter extending the front arm. This can force a hitter to open
his front shoulder too soon in order to get the bat head through,
and/or cause the barrel to drop and lag behind.
Click for Illustration
Click Red Dot for Drills
to Correct a Chicken Wing
cocking:
A
term used to describe a rotational action of either the hands, bat,
trunk, hips, or knees as it is used to gather potential energy to be
applied during the swing. example: a stretched rubber band, due to its
position, (stretched), has potential energy that will be transferred
when it returns to its original state.
cocking
the barrel: A
term used to describe the barrel moving slightly away from the contact
point (toward the pitcher) at the top as the hitter loads.
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contact:
A
term used to describe the collision of the ball with the bat.
Click Red Dot for Drills
to Develop Contact
contact
hitter: A
hitter who normally hits for a high average but has little power.
contact
point: A
position relative to home plate
and body where contact is made. Example, contact point on a pitch inner
third of the plate is just in front of the striding foot. Middle third
is normally contacted just inside of the stride foot, and outside third
is normally contacted between the front hip and belly button. The contact
point should be relative to the body instead of home plate alone, because
hitters take stances at different locations in the batter’s
box. Some set up forward in the box, while others set up deep in
the box. If the contact point is relative to the body, it doesn’t matter
where a hitter takes his stance.
Click for inside third contact Illustration
Click for middle third contact Illustration
Click for outside third contact Illustration
count:
A
term that refers to the number of balls and strikes on a hitter. Example,
a count of 1-2 is read 1 and 2, meaning the hitter has 1 ball and two
strikes. The balls are always given first. When an umpire raises his
hands and extends his fingers to indicate the count, the strikes are
always on the first base side, or his right hand, balls on the left.
count,
hitters: A
term which refers to counts that favor the hitter, where pitchers are
inclined to a strike for fear of falling further behind in the count
or walking a hitter. Normally, hitters can expect fastball in these
counts. Pitchers who can locate good change-ups many times can take
advantage of hitters in this situation because they are normally expecting
a fastball and can easily be fooled. The following are normally considered
hitters counts: 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 3-1. Also, if a pitcher has difficulty
in throwing their breaking ball for a strike, 0-0 and 3-2 becomes hitter
counts.
count,
neutral: A
count that doesn’t really favor the hitter or pitcher. Examples are
1-1, 2-2. Dependent on the pitchers ability to throw his breaking pitch
for strikes, 0-0 and 3-2 can become a neutral count.
count,
pitchers: A
count in which the pitcher has a distinct advantage over the hitter
by being ahead in the count. Pitchers counts include 0-2, 1-2.
delaying
action: A
term used to describe the separation
of the striding foot landing, while the hands and weight remain back.
Hitters use different techniques with the hands and bat to produce this
delaying action causing a separation of striding foot landing, and hitting
action beginning.
drag
backfoot: A
description of the back foot action
as the weight begins to transfer
against the front side. The inner portion of the ball of the foot
actually rolls forward, moving along the ground. This is normally seen
in linear transfer
type hitters as opposed to rotational
type who pivot on the back foot.
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Click Red Dot for Drills
to Develop a Back Foot Pivot
dropping the barrel: A
phrase used to describe the barrel dropping below the hands. This normally occurs during an uppercut type swing.
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Click Red Dot for Drills
to correct Dropping the Barrel
elbow
to belly button: A
reference point from the side view of a hitter where the front elbow
moves to a position adjacent to the belly button as a hitter loads.
Click for Illustration
elbow,
high back: A
phrase used to describe the position of the back elbow, normally approaching
a 90-degree angle to the body (plus or minus). Many young hitters are
given this advice by adults who believe that by raising the back elbow
a hitter will not drop the barrel, avoiding an uppercut.
This is not sound mechanical advice. As the swing begins, the back elbow
must drop near the back hip. This shortens this radius about the longitudinal
axis of the body, developing angular
velocity. (see short swing).
By advising a hitter to lift the back elbow, it drops further, and more
forcefully. The analog of Newton’s Third of Law of Motion that deals
with rotary motion, indicates for every action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction in direction and magnitude. What does this mean? The
higher the back elbow starts, the more forcefully it drops, resulting in the front shoulder lifting higher. That’s right, the front shoulder. Just
what their coaches were attempting to avoid. It is highly advisable
for the average hitter to let his elbows just relax, both approximately
the same height from the ground. A hitter should place emphasis on keeping
the front shoulder down and in, and driving the knob down. This will
keep the barrel above the hands, virtually eliminating an uppercut.
Click for Illustration
elbow,
high front: A
phrase used to describe the position of the fron elbow, normally approaching
a 90 degree angle to the body. This is normally seen in conjunction
witha horizontal or flat bat and a high
front shoulder. In this position, the first action of the hands
is to move away from the body as the front elbow extends, resulting
in the hands casting.
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Click Red Dot for Drills
to Correct a High Front Elbow
elbow,
lift back: See elbow high back.
elbows
down: The
position of the elbows while taking a stance. Many describe this position
as the forearms forming an “A” or and upside down “V”. Starting with
the elbows in a relaxed, down position makes it easier to keep the front
shoulder closed and begin the swing with the knob going down toward
the inside of the ball, keeping the barrel up.
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Click Red Dot for Drills
to Develop Keeping the Elbows Down
extension:
A
term used to describe the lengthening action of the front arm and bat
about the longitudinal axis
of the body through contact. Keeping the hands close to the body as
they begin to move forward reduces the radius about the longitudinal
axis of the body. As this radius shortens, the angular
velocity increases, much like that of a figure skater as she begins
a spin. With her arms extended, she spins at a given velocity. As she
crosses her arms in front of her chest (reducing her radius about her
longitudinal axis) she immediately increases her angular velocity, (spins
faster). This same principle, long-short-long, applies to hitting. As a hitter’s hands
approach the ball, from an inside path, the angular velocity of the
bat increases. As the hands approach contact, the front arm begins to
extend, lengthening the radius about the longitudinal axis. Alone, this
would slow rotation and decrease bat speed. However, at this time the
hands begin to function as a mechanical
couple. Defined, a mechanical couple consists of two opposing parallel
forces causing rotation about a fixed axis . Simply put, the bottom
hand pulls, and the top hand
pushes. This principle when used on the end of a third class lever
such as a bat, results in tremendous bat speed being developed. The strength
of the hands wrists and forearms are important in attempting to maintain
the velocity of the bat head as it lengthens through contact. The summation
of forces, from the ground up through a system of levers, combined with
linear and rotary movements through the trunk, chest, arms, wrists,
hands, generate bat speed, which applies a force to the ball.
Click for Illustration