Thread by @SteveEnglishbey

My comments that follow are NOT intended to be "mean". Nor is my intent that of demeaning the player or coach involved. The reason I am commenting is because this swing is very representative of MANY swings I have seen over many yrs.

https://twitter.com/Softball_Doctor/status/1480989201172779014

In other words this swing represents in a generic way, so to speak, a number of typical flaws that I have seen many times.

To set forth a bit of context as to what follows, I'll start with my simplest definition of a high level swing: Good hitters do 2 things really well; they know how to create very good bat/body alignment [from initiation to contact];and they know how to rotate really well.

To cite a good ex. of the former [alignment] here's a clip of Griffey:
englishbeyhitting.com/videoclips/gri…

These are [obviously] 2 pretty different pitch locations. Some postural dynamics to note: 1] Note the pretty centered position of the head to naval at foot plant [side view look];2] Note the relatively "squared away" shoulder line [very little actual inward turn of the shoulders]

3] Note the alignment of the upper lead arm being ABOVE the letters [through the entire unload] in both locations.

4]Note the translation of the knob at contact: In both swings the knob at contact has NOT traveled much if any beyond the lead knee.

5] Note that Ken begins to rotate the hips...AS the lead heel drops.

6]Note at contact his alignment of the barrel and the lead arm forearm----they form a straight line [what I refer to as "co-linear" alignment of the bat/forearm].

7] Note as to how "tight"[close] the upper lead arm is to the lead pectoralis from initiation to contact.

Furthermore I should add that ALL of the above parameters are VERY consistent with a typical good swing from a good MLB hitter.

Now comparatively, does the above hitter conform to ANY of these parameters? The answer is no.

In terms of being "centered" her head [at foot plant] is more over the BACK hip joint. As regards the shoulder line she has counter-rotated the shoulders a substantial amount.

A flaw that MANY are guilty of when hitting off a tee.[As I have stated MANY times...."the body posture will follow the gaze"].

As regards the upper lead arm, it starts the swing far too flexed [close to 90 degrees] and far too LOW [under the letters].

And as the swing progresses into lag the knob travel further downwardly [gets close being aligned with the navel].

This kind of alignment effects [of course] the contact point in that it will inevitably "push" the contact point BEYOND the lead knee.

It also very much impedes optimal uncocking ,i,e., the lead forearm and barrel do NOT align at contact.

Here's a good look at how this contact alignment should happen:

englishbeyhitting.com/videoclips/Vid…

Lastly, she is NOT rotating the hips [as does Kenny] INTO foot plant.

Again, I want to emphasize that I only used this clip because it DOES [for me] serve as a kind of generic ex. of the kinds of typical flaws I see in many non-elite hitters.

I would only add that the apparent stated goal of "staying inside" is really the wrong goal. Rather the goal should be that creating much better bat/body alignment [from set-up, to initiation, to contact.

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