slapperdad wrote:jtat32 wrote:From this view it certainly looks like Pete Rose rotates into the ball (Note: I didn't listen to the analysis):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzjxqs3pApIIf using the big muscles of the hips and torso are the quickest and most efficient way to get the bat into the zone, that would indicate that rotation would be even more important for weaker players.
A key point in making this efficient and reducing drag, I believe, is setting up so that the weight of the barrel is in line with the axis of rotation to reduce the inertia of the bat. My DDs' HS coach didn't get this concept at all and tried to enforce a set-up with the bat pointing at the catcher.
Early in my career as a coach, I studied this video ad nauseum. I know a hitting coach that utilizes this approach. One thing that jumps out at me in this vid is his hands never get extended. Pete Rose was a very impressive physical specimen, he had freakishly large forearms and legs. What I see produced by said instructor are students that are:
Pull hitters
Goes without saying a lot of foul balls
They're pretty easy to pitch to, i.e. setup and sit down
Weaker girls typically produce weak ground balls
Kids who attempt to employee this technique and don't use their bottom half
There is no weight transfer in this vid, the bat is simply rotating on an axis. Again, when you have the physical attributes Rose had, it probably didn't matter how he swung the bat. As I've been around and seen some things I've become more convinced that younger, weaker, female athletes need a weight transfer and they hands need to get extended, something along these lines:
http://youtu.be/DzJms7RW02ALastly EVERY kid is different and brings different tools and baggage with them. A good instructor will work with the assets and try minimize the liabilities.
Absolutely there is weight transfer in Pete's swing. But, with the many different terms in hitting we may be looking at two different things.
Some believe weight transfer as negative movement (away from pitcher) or load towards the front side (towards the pitcher). I don't believe that but have heard that many times! If that is your view than Pete has that. Slight but it's there.
The other is weight transfer is hip rotation. Some feel can only have it if the back heal is pointed at the sky or back knee drops. Both are correct but both do different things. Pete's back heal doesn't rotate but pay attention he has knee pinch and his hip does rotate right before contact a la Luaren Chamberlain. She used her great size to power the ball out of parks but not necessarily a swing you want to teach DD's. The most important thing concerning weight transfer is that it happens before contact. All great hitters have it.
The swing is both linear and rotational so there is no one way... This can go on all day.
Btw... Bryce Harper especially early days is a poor example of a good swing. He maxed out both linear principles and rotational. Take a look a Andrew McCutchen he is a great example of a swing using both principles. He's a big guy but his swing works well for girls cause it's technically sound. Especially his 2013 swing.