Baseball’s Only True Legacy for Bud Selig

There has never been a better Sports Commissioner than Bud Selig. The collective wealth that has transpired in the Professional Baseball Community, from which everyone associated with Baseball has been beneficiary, is due primarily to the intelligent management of MR. Selig. That, having been said, while not using this format to list all of his accomplishments, I would like to enlist the prospect of his “lame-duck” powers to provide an opportunity for him to fully retire with the greatest honor possible – “Be ye therefore Perfect.”

The only really important issue that has not been resolved during his Tenure, to the satisfaction of Real-Baseball-Purists, is the total elimination of that despicable aspect of primitive Baseball culture known as The “Bean-Ball”  ,Intentionally Hitting of the Batter, by the Pitcher. Baseball’s “old-guard” has apparently convinced our rightly esteemed Commissioner that “It” is and should always be “part of the game.”

Once the Designated-Hitter is fully ensconced in both Leagues, the only, and most significant change necessary for all perceptive entities to agree upon, and from which to incorporate a lasting memorial to a truly remarkable “man of authority” is to step up a legitimate process of eliminating the “bean-ball” completely. After watching all that has transpired thus far, it is my prophetic and providential declaration that the only substantive way to stop the insidious  “carnage” that has been wrongly institutionalized within America’s great “Pastime” is to diminish from that Team and its respective representatives (Pitchers and Managers exclusively) their equal opportunity and facility to direct their teams to uncontested victory.

The only thing that will stop the revenge-seeking and dispassionate collaborators to a false sense of “team-honor,” -unity, and – dignity is to apply the harshest possible retribution for any batter being hit by a major-league fastball directly on a part of his body that is not protected by significant padding. Fines and suspensions are such superficial penalties to a pitcher who is usually following the commands of his manager. He (pitcher) will probably be recompensed by the team for his financial loss, and a few days of vacation will not usually bother him.

The ONLY solution to this PROBLEM is to allot two bases to any batter hit by a Major-League fast-ball. Such a batter will be allowed to go directly to Second-Base. If a runner is on Second Base, he moves to Third Base. IF runners are on Second and Third bases, then the runner on 3^rd scores. I think you can see how this will affect a team whose pitchers are either errant or deliberate with solid contact of their inside fastball upon a batter.

Tony LaRussa’s logical statement on the subject might be paraphrased to read as follows: “It doesn’t matter if it was deliberate or not. Pitchers are going to come inside to certain batters; and those pitchers might not be accurate with their pitches. Then, they shouldn’t come inside, if they don’t want to be retaliated against.”

How can anyone deny that statement’s logic? Since it can’t be denied, then the only alternative is to enact a law or rule that precludes its relevance! Don’t put the blame on anyone! Simply declare that such a batter who is “impacted” by the errant or deliberate pitch be awarded adequate compensation for his being bludgeoned by such a pitch.

Most often an innocent “next-batter” is the recipient of a malicious act of retribution. In other cases it is the “poor-innocent-victim” of a pitcher or manager who has decided that said-batter can’t hit the “inside-heater” that subsequently “gets-away” from the “perpetrator” who could care less if he “accidentally” hits the “man-with-bat.”  Take all of that away. From now on, it’s nobody’s fault. But such callousness of a Pitcher most certainly will affect the outcome of that inning, game, and pitcher’s best effort on the mound.

If a Team’s pitching staff is “spot-on” with accurately thrown fast-balls in-tight to certain batters, and never hit a player with a pitch, then there’s nothing to argue about. IF a Pitching staff is not that good with the accuracy of throwing fast-balls inside, and accidentally hit batters, there should be no reason for displaying ill-will. The batter simply advances to second base, while the other base-runners advance accordingly. What would there be to argue about? Justice has been served – no fines, suspensions, or fights!

If this “new rule” works out fine, then most teams and players would be happy. But there will probably be a “Team” or a “player” who is “smart” enough to circumvent the rule in a “mercy-game,” when the out-come seemed too sure, one way or another. Umpires and other League officials might still have the power to impose themselves on those few disorderly “barbarians,” until they are eventually “weeded-out.”

Bud Selig has helped present to the world a more dignified and civilized Baseball Society. It would seem regrettable that he should leave his office with less than a complete sense of fulfilling his destiny. His true legacy awaits him if he can leave office after he submits to his “highest-calling” of finally putting an end to the “bean-ball” controversy.

Sincerely submitted,

John F. Paciorek

P.S. For more understanding, see article submitted August 8, 2014 – “…Eliminating the Bean-Ball.”

Coming Soon: “Little-Things” – Doing “Them” Right determines the “WINNER”!

There has been no greater practitioner of “perfect-timing” in  consistently hitting a baseball than Barry Bonds. A close “second” and “third” were Ted Williams and Hank Aaron. But, because of their natural, ill-contrived tendencies to “stride” (even in the slightest), all three fell short of the expanded “greatness” they could have achieved. Ted was the last to hit .400, in an era when “power-pitching” was not as profuse as today, and the “bull-pens” markedly deficient. The next player to hit .400 will be a batter who does not stride. But he will also have to be one who has eliminated all or most other “margins for error” as well.

Albert Pujols had the right idea when he devised a low-stance, with his hands and bat just below his shoulders, at what would be close to a “high strike.” He attempted not-to-stride, but to simply raise the heel of his front foot, then forcefully press down as he was to commence with his swing. He had become one of Baseball’s more successful hitters. Then for some reason he decided to raise his hands and bat above his shoulders, and his decline began, but not simply for that reason alone. The high bat and hands merely added another “margin for error” which, combined with others, exacerbated all his legitimate attempts at perfecting his swing. From his “low stance,” and lower hands and bat, he had perfect balance and power-potential. The only thing missing was “how to effect his front-foot-plant” while not striding! Instead of twisting his front heel and then pressing down  forcefully, he simply should have pointed his front foot at a 120 degree angle to the pitcher (as did DiMaggioand Williams ). Even with his senior-citizen status, this year (2014), he is having his best year with the Angels. His “low-center of gravity” is the basis for any further success he has. The margins for error that he would have to eliminate to become a more formidable batter are these:

Bring his arms, hands, and bat down to his former height .

Point his front foot to 120 angle to the pitcher (like DiMaggio).

Grab the bat with both hands evenly, not having his left hand tucked under his right.

And “choke-up” just a little. At this stage of his “game” he needs as much bat-control as is possible (look at Barry Bonds and Ted Williams )- .

Pujols has eliminated (to a degree) the most debilitating aspect of batting deficiency. At least his head is still in his “non-stride.” But the extra movement of the twisting front foot (from a point where the toes are pointed to Home – plate) prevents absolute focus on the “pure” foot-plant. Compare the following two foot-plants: . Kemp, in the first photo, is subject to strain of ankle and knee, while no strain is imminent in Williams’ swing.

Without a stride the batter can be assured of the best possible visual acuity for tracking the in-coming pitch. And without a stride, the batter can exact a faster time-sequence with which to initiate the action of the swing. The swing cannot begin until the front foot is planted. (Have you ever tried to swing a bat with the front foot off the ground?) Anyone who believes he NEEDS to stride (because, since Baseball’s inception, everyone has always accepted the “need to stride,” especially for the application of maximum power), does not have a clear understanding of how that slight movement  affects the “timing” mechanism  to the “perfect swing.”

The following conditioning sequence will facilitate a habit-forming regimen to accommodate the essential training needed to begin the conquest of stagnant hitting deficiency.

4-STEP HITTING DRILL: (This should be done without a bat first, then with a bat after total coordination has been mastered.)

Step 1 – Assume a position of maximum strength and balance. Get as low a stance as to not feel too uncomfortable, with feet spread at the distance of your normal stride. (Remember, a low stance gives you a natural advantage of a smaller strike zone as well as a fundamental posture for stronger and quicker movement. If you understand the value of this “principle,” any physical discomfort you seem to have with a low stance will diminish as your body becomes acclimated through repetition and positive results.) Then begin the repetition of the entire hip-shoulder “weight-transfer,” step by step. Repeat five attempts focusing on the straightening of the front leg, by pushing down hard on the front foot with the feeling of pushing your body backward. If the body does actually fall backwards, off balance, your back foot and bent knee are not doing what are required of them.

Step 2– Focus on the action of the back leg. With a low stance, as you assume that the transfer of weight is imminent, drive the back bent-knee forward with force, rotating from the outside of the big toe of the back foot. Focus on maintaining a bent back leg during the simulation, but be conscious of the other three stages (especially the front leg).

Step 3—Focus on front shoulder action. As front foot is planting, be focused on how forcefully you can shrug and pull the front shoulder up and backward. If the movement feels weak, it’s probably because the hips did not initiate the action.

Step 4—Focus on back shoulder and elbow. When the front shoulder shrugs, the back shoulder (with elbow) automatically lowers. The muscles of the Pectoral (in chest) and Latissimus (in back) areas drive the elbow down and forward ahead of the top hand. The hand is thus in a palm-up position to force a flat bat through the ball. So focus on the backside of the upper body coming through. But be conscious that the front side seems to be initiating the action.

After these four steps have been mastered, use a bat and go through them again, using a batting tee until mastery is attained. After that, go through the same procedure, this time combining step one with step two, and step three with step four, making it a two-step drill. (Then, step two with step four, and step one with step three.)

Remember, you are working to see how fast you can complete the entire action “perfectly.” Only perfect practice will make perfect, so perform the drills at full speed with the expectation of reacting faster as the mechanics of the swing are perfected. Eventually you can move the tee to cover all the areas of the strike zone. Remember also, to assure that the head not move, refrain from taking a stride—you really don’t need it anyway if you perfect the “four step” drill.

Also Remember: When assuming your stance, always have the front foot pointed at a 120 degree angle (or slightly less)to the pitcher, not a 90 degree angle (or less) which many batters assume because they have been told that it will keep their front hip and shoulder from opening too quickly. The front foot, at a 120 degree angle, will allow the weight transfer during the swing to be more accommodating to the front knee, ankle, and foot joints. While, at 90 degrees or less, the tension on the front foot, ankle, and knee can have a dire affect on the ligaments and tendons while the body is twisting and turning on its rotating axes. Harold Baines and Ryan Howard can attribute their knee and ankle problems, as well as their erratic batting proficiency, to the extremely awkward front foot positioning in their stances (and plant)(Can you imagine what would happen to a power-pitcher if his front foot planted at a 95 degree angle to Home-plate, rather than the normal 180 degrees  ? )Just look at the front foot positioning of outstanding hitters such as Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, to validate the proper transfer of weight during the swing. END.

I have previously mentioned (in other essays) that there are no “bad-hitters” in Major-League Baseball. But there are those who are considered better than the “others” because of their consistency of making solid contact with the pitched ball. And these are those who have attained the mental and physical facility for producing both a more exact timing-mechanism and the most proper batting technique for hitting a baseball with power and efficiency.
In this new “modern-era” of Major-League batting prowess, it has become more difficult for elite athletes to become proficient hitters because of both the surprising rise of “power-pitching” potential, and the extraordinary ineptness of the “modern-batsman” to eliminate the margins for error that tend to exacerbate the ordinary and natural ability of the common Major-league hitter to attain a consistent approach to the pitched ball. It is a testament to the outstanding athletic ability of all Major-Leaguers that they can ever demonstrate the “precision-timing” to hit a Verlander or Kershaw Curve-ball, or a Tanaka or Holland “splitter” (change-up), or a Chapman, Strassburg, or Rosenthall Fast-ball. And even the best of hitters will not do it consistently!
The batters in the preceding sequence of pictures represent multiple eras of batting prominence. But each was not without his individual flaws. Ted Williams, while being the first and most scientifically oriented batsman, was almost flawless except for his too erect of stance that prevented him from hitting well the low, outside pitch(not to mention his propensity for not hitting the outside pitch to left-field).

Carl Yaztremski, while being mentored by Williams, held his bat too high, and his stride was more than could perfectly accommodate a variety of off-speed pitches. Henry Aaron can probably be considered the “Mohammed Ali” of the Baseball world, not for any overtly ostentatious disposition to the game, but rather for his exquisite timing, vision, and patience while addressing the pitched ball. His short swing and minimum follow-through with his body contacted the ball with subtle but efficient power to hit many Home-Runs, but none (or very few) that would afford him early notoriety as a premier “Power-Hitter.” He simply got the job done consistently, striking the ball solidly and providing near-perfect trajectory to reach the minimum distance to leave the field of play.

Barry Bonds would have to be considered as the “Mike Tyson” of Baseball’s “Prodigious-Blasters.” After Mark McGwire’s physical decline, Bonds took over as undisputed “King” of “the Long-Ball,” not only for the frequency with which they were hit, but also for the distances his home-runs traveled, plus his regularity of contacting the ball solidly for base-hits.

Much controversy has erupted over the “Steroid Era,” and Bonds’ usurping of Aaron’s previous “Home-Run Crown” has left a tainted image for his legacy. But, aside from the disputations about the authenticity of his Baseball records, it is hard to dispute the physical (and visual) fact that Barry’s swing was the most consistently beautiful, efficient, and proficient and powerful looking in Baseball History:

What is it that Barry Bonds did consistently right, that most, if not all, other batters do only sporadically? The answer is the following:

He established a strong low center of gravity as the ball was release by the pitcher.

He greatly diminished the movement of his head and eyes (with short, subtle stride).

He waited patiently for the ball to get to him while he quietly lowered his hands to begin an unobtrusive rhythm of his arms.

When the ball got to his hitting zone, 4 things happen simultaneously:

1. The front foot planted quickly and firmly—front leg began straightening.
2.  Front shoulder shrugged upwardly, while back shoulder and elbow drove downward (hands, while staying behind back shoulder, presented a flat bat as the body was torquing  and addressing the pitched ball).
3. Back bent knee drove forward and down, as hips turned rapidly
4. The shoulders followed the hips in rapid succession with arms extending through the contact of the ball.

From contact, through the straightening of arms, through the follow through, the shoulders were continuously flowing, until they (shoulders) had changed positions (back to front and vice-versa).

There has been no greater practitioner of “perfect-timing” in  consistently hitting a baseball than Barry Bonds.

Coming Soon: Part 3

Power and Efficiency from Perfect TIMING

“Perfect-timing” is a matter of combining momentum with vibrational-alignment in space to  “focus” precisely with place and time! In all of Professional sports, especially of the individual variety like tennis, golf, swimming, boxing, bowling, skiing, skate-boarding, etc., the sportsman fine-tunes his craft to such a degree that most casual observers do not recognize the exact mechanism by which “perfect-timing” for each specific movement is accomplished. In this year’s U.S. Open in Tennis (2014), even the most unrefined spectator could notice that Roger Federer’s timing was anything but perfect for his first two sets against France’s Gael Monfils. Even the commentators were implying that Monfils was controlling the Match with almost flawless precision while Federer was mishitting most of his usually masterful strokes, and headed for a dismal defeat. What was it that redefined the match in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th sets to enable Federer to regain his precision-timing, and for the most part Monfils’ to lose control, and lead to Roger’s “thrilling” victory, and Gael’s agonizing defeat?

Perfect-timing begins with the mind of the Elite Athlete. The understanding of what needs to be done, and the determination and intent to allow his body to follow-through with Confidence is almost always the most contributing factor for superlative and “timely” performance.

Nothing depicts “perfect-timing” in sports better than a slow-motion sequence of movements by a boxer as he delivers a devastating “knock-out” blow to the chin of his opponent after countering his adversary’s “right or left-hook” and immediately applying a quick and precise “right-cross” of his own. And no one was better at “counter-punching” than Mohammed Ali (formerly Cassius Clay). Not known primarily as a power-puncher, he still managed to knock out most of his opponents with his quick and precise application of focused intent at an instant soon after his attacker tried to apply a strike, or after he himself had delivered a feint jab.

It’s hard for a “normal” person, whose reflexes cannot be compared to the quickness of Ali’s, to recognize the incredible “timing mechanism” that is involved within such a nanosecond of time. Even ring-side announcers often attribute such imposing characteristics of a “rapid-fire” boxer as that of having “fast-hands.” All they seem to be able to see is the glove-in-hand as it strikes the unfortunate face of a recipient of “focused intent.” Most casual observers hardly notice that the speed and power of the punch does not emanate merely from the pounding fists.

Anyone watching a boxer, or even an actor portraying a fighter, shadow-boxing to the lens of a camera, is usually fascinated by the quickness of his movements as he sets forth a series of rapid fire punches from various angles depicting a flurry of potential blows that would strike an opponent. But anyone, with a little training, could replicate that scene and feel the confidence of that surreal experience, just enough to get his “ass-kicked” if he took the temptation too far. Sylvester Stallone’s fictional “Rocky Balboa” looks pretty good as he shadow-boxes atop the steps of a Philadelphia landmark, but his counter-punching prowess will always be limited to the “Silver-screen.” It’s not how quick or fast you seem to be; it’s how quick you are to respond in the proper fashion to a given stimulus, at the correct and precise time.

Power-punching in boxing and “Power-swinging” in Baseball mean nothing if the focus of precise timing is not in alignment with purest intent. As powerful as Sonny Liston was when he encountered Cassius Clay, he couldn’t hit Clay if he cornered him in a telephone booth. Cassius’s quick reflexes and counter-punching ability left Liston waving at the air as he was being pummeled to the canvas by flurries of furious fists, the tidal-wave of which emanated from his fast footwork, and powerful torquing action of hips and torso.

A Professional baseball player with even a cursory understanding of “Batting Technique” can simulate what would be considered “the perfect swing” while he is “shadow-swinging” in the on-deck circle. But when he gets into that “rarefied cubicle of variable distinction” his purpose now transforms from a single-dimensional component to the challenging variables of myriad proportions. For a batter the quintessential question is, “how do I put my perfect swing into play at precisely the “right time” as the pitcher is doing everything he can to off-set my “perfect-timing”? A batter who guesses “fast-ball.” and receives a “fast-ball” has a perfect opportunity to produce his “perfect swing,” and perhaps launch a prodigious blast. But, of course, his figuratively “perfect swing” does not mean that he will make “perfect-contact” with the ball, but at least he was afforded the opportunity for optimal expression of maximum muscular function while simply “fouling” the pitch back. The “timing” was there, but something in the “technique” was lacking.

A boxer who discerns his chance for a “counter-punch” to obliterate his opponent, and then fails to apply that finishing touch because of something lacking in his technique, will certainly regret not taking advantage of his rare opportunity. (Monfils had distinct opportunities in the 4th set to “finish-off” Federer with either of two “match-points,” but failed to facilitate the bodily rhythm and precision timing to coordinate the proficiency to put Roger away – he lacked stamina and will – Focus!)

The Major-League pitcher in the previous scenario will recognize his good fortune, and certainly not repeat a pitch without altering its location or the velocity. To which, the batter will almost certainly fail to replicate his “perfect-timing” and be caught off-balance and perhaps “punched out.”

Within the context of its everyday regimen, Baseball is first a one-on-one confrontation (Batter vs. Pitcher) like Boxing (normally without pugilistic intent and public vilification).

Perfect timing without proper technique may afford a preliminary sense of efficiency by consistently contacting the ball, but without ostensible power. And, proper technique, without an ability to effect the perfect timing, might make a good first- impression to casual onlookers, but without good-timing, that beautiful swing will go for naught.

Coming Soon: Part 2

The first metaphysical component to the perfect swing of a baseball bat is the ability to inhibit one’s own personal proclivity to attack the oncoming pitched ball with direct linear force. The psychological tendency to meet an attacker head-on, with equal force, in order to counteract an over-powering momentum, most often imposes an obliteration effect that can prove unproductive in either direction.

The batter, when encountering the power of a 90 to 100 mph fastball, does not want to be intimidated by what could be an overwhelming force of speed. So he seems magnetically drawn in the direction from which the ball is coming, to offset somewhat the intent of the oncoming projectile. Figuratively, attacking the ball is attacking the opponent (pitcher) who threw it. The linear movement in the direction from which the ball is coming can give only an illusory sense of contrived confidence and facilitation to deploy a resourceful counterattack. Since the first incidence of an actual counterattack cannot proceed until the front foot plants itself to the ground, the airborne foot only creates a factor of vulnerability to the batter whose visual acuity is already substantially distorted by any movement of the head and eyes that automatically occurs as the body lunges forward.

All Big-League pitchers either consciously or unwittingly ascribe to the famous quote attributed to Hall of Fame Pitcher, Warren Spahn: “It is the objective of every batter to establish an unobtrusive rhythm of momentum in order to ‘time’ and hit the pitched ball with maximum efficiency; while it is the Pitcher’s goal to upset that rhythm so the batter has difficulty in ‘timing’ the pitch and hitting the ball with ‘authority’.”

It is incumbent upon every batter to establish a rhythm in order to gain a sense of momentum to counteract the force of speed and power elicited by the throwing action of the pitcher’s body and arm before he can effectively initiate his swing. The most common prelude to any batter’s swing (professional or non-professional) is the usually-accepted “stride.” This stride can be utilized in a fashion either linear (straight-forward) or eliptical (front knee kick).

In the two photos of Mickey Mantle (above)it can be observed that he sometimes took a stride of about 2 feet, and was quite a notable bats-man who struck out a lot. Within the 50 or so years since Mantle and other former Baseball dignitaries graced the Major-League playing fields, new theories for greater batting prowess have evolved that would try to lessen the margins for error in swinging the bat, to diminish the strike out rate that the “long-stride” seemed to perpetuate.

The “high-leg kick” (like A-Rod, above) was an attempt at stabilizing the “head-from-moving” while still providing enough rythmic momentum to initiate the batter’s timing mechanism. The front foot would not stride out (as Mantle’s did) but simply relocate to the point from which it began. And, from there the action of swing could be initiated while the head and eyes remained relatively stable.

The swing itself cannot begin until the front foot has planted into the ground. And there have been many times when a batter’s foot was still in stride as the ball was in a position to be swung at. Or the foot was urgently planted a lot earlier than appropriate for swinging at the pitch. In either event the batter’s timing was adversely affected by the “stride”, from which he was too early or too late. Also, the stride, whether linear or eliptical, moves the body, which moves the head which contains the eyes which would see the ball (as clearly as possible). The only solution from which to eliminate or diminish substantially the “margin for error” that depreciates a batter’s vision and timing  effectiveness is the “No-Stride.”

If a batter would “not-stride” he would eliminate the most detrimental margin of error in the complicated network of proficient “bats-man-ship”—seeing the ball with optimal acuity. Even if the distance and abruptness of the stride are negligible, keeping the head and eyes perfectly still is virtually impossible while the body is traversing any number of vertical planes. A single degree of movement would negate the level of efficiency to that same extent and nullify perfect acuity. If a batter could entertain the prospect of hitting .400, he would certainly have to reduce the margins of error with regard to all aspects of mental and physical procedures, of which optimal seeing is a top priority.

The problem that all batters face is their own reluctance to understand that the stride is not necessary for applying a forceful front foot plant just prior to the swing itself. It is merely a matter of mental and physical conditioning to attain the proper foot-plant to negotiate the swing. First, mentally recognizing the good prospect of the “non-stride,” then physically practicing the reaction-time sequence of maximum effort and movement ultimately will acclimate the batter to a higher proficiency level.

The “non-stride” entails a number of components that, if not considered equally important to each other, affect the integrity of the batting mechanism. But to understand the legitimacy of the non-stride is the first step in patiently conquering the .400 barrier.

Without a stride the batter can be assured of the best possible visual acuity for tracking the in-coming pitch.

The following conditioning sequence will facilitate a habit-forming regimen to accommodate the essential training needed to begin the conquest of stagnant hitting deficiency.

4-STEP HITTING DRILL: (This should be done without a bat first, then with a bat after total coordination has been mastered.)

Step 1 – Assume a position of maximum strength and balance. Get as low a stance as to not feel too uncomfortable, with feet spread at the distance of your normal stride. (Remember, a low stance gives you a natural advantage of a smaller strike zone as well as a fundamental posture for stronger and quicker movement. If you understand the value of this “principle,” any physical discomfort you seem to have with a low stance will diminish as your body becomes acclimated through repetition and positive results.) Then begin the repetition of the entire hip-shoulder “weight-transfer,” step by step. Repeat five attempts focusing on the straightening of the front leg, by pushing down hard on the front foot with the feeling of pushing your body backward. If the body does actually fall backwards, off balance, your back foot and bent knee are not doing what are required of them.

Step 2– Focus on the action of the back leg. With a low stance, as you assume that the transfer of weight is imminent, drive the back bent-knee forward with force, rotating from the outside of the big toe of the back foot. Focus on maintaining a bent back leg during the simulation, but be conscious of the other three stages (especially the front leg).

Step 3—Focus on front shoulder action. As front foot is planting, be focused on how forcefully you can shrug and pull the front shoulder up and backward. If the movement feels weak, it’s probably because the hips did not initiate the action.

Step 4—Focus on back shoulder and elbow. When the front shoulder shrugs, the back shoulder (with elbow) automatically lowers. The muscles of the Pectoral (in chest) and Latissimus (in back) areas drive the elbow down and forward ahead of the top hand. The hand is thus in a palm-up position to force a flat bat through the ball. So focus on the backside of the upper body coming through. But be conscious that the front side seems to be initiating the action.

After these four steps have been mastered, use a bat and go through them again, using a batting tee until mastery is attained. After that, go through the same procedure, this time combining step one with step two, and step three with step four, making it a two-step drill. (Then, step two with step four, and step one with step three.)

Remember, you are working to see how fast you can complete the entire action “perfectly.” Only perfect practice will make perfect, so perform the drills at full speed with the expectation of reacting faster as the mechanics of the swing are perfected. Eventually you can move the tee to cover all the areas of the strike zone. Remember also, to assure that the head not move, refrain from taking a stride—you really don’t need it anyway if you perfect the “four step” drill.

Also Remember: When assuming your stance, always have the front foot pointed at a 120 degree angle (or slightly less)to the pitcher, not a 90 degree angle (or less) which many batters assume because they have been told that it will keep their front hip and shoulder from opening too quickly. The front foot, at a 120 degree angle, will allow the weight transfer during the swing to be more accommodating to the front knee, ankle, and foot joints. While at 90 degrees or less, the tension on the front foot, ankle, and knee can have a dire affect on the ligaments and tendons while the body is twisting and turning on its rotating axes. Harold Baines and Ryan Howard can attribute their knee and ankle problems, as well as their erratic batting proficiency, to the extremely awkward front foot positioning in their stances (and plant). Just look at the front foot positioning of outstanding hitters such as Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, to validate the proper transfer of weight during the swing.

Coming Soon: Perfect Timing is Key to Perfect Batting!