This video comes from softball site fastpitch.tv and deals with how changes in bat weight effect bat speed, batted ball velocity, and batted ball distance. Fairly simple test – use radar to measure bat speed of different weighted bats (imagine that!). They could have just hit balls off a tee and measured the ball exit speed (like this), but I suppose getting actual calculations assuming a more constant environment are more controlled. Here are some conclusions:
the light bat gets swung the fastest
faster bat speed helps hit the ball farther
1 mph bat speed translates to about 4 extra feet of distance
“Line up the ‘door knocking’ knuckles” is the phrase I hear most often to describe the correct way to grip a baseball bat. It seems to be widely accepted, but is it really true? What is the correct or proper way to grip the bat?
The ball appears to swerve because our peripheral vision system cannot process all of its features independently. Instead, our brains combine the downward motion of the ball and its leftward spin to create the impression of a curve.
This article gives some information about why curveballs may be more difficult to hit:
Shapiro notes that curve balls start off in the centre of a batter’s vision but overlap with the peripheral system as they come nearer. This transition may be why such balls appear to change direction suddenly, he says.
It would be nice to know when this transition happens. If you remember my old post, Professor Robert Adair (Physics of Baseball author), gives some insight into the visual process in batting.
This is a video from last year where New York Yankees hitting coach, Kevin Long, talks a bit about hitting in situations, such as runners in scoring position, and working with new players in the middle of a season.
I received an email update this week (11/28/06) from a player who I spent time working with last winter/spring. We met nearly every-other week for a few months.
Here is what she wrote:
“Hey Jeff, hope you’re doing well. Just wanted to let you know that I made first team all county this year and lead my team in doubles and almost tied the school record for homeruns, all thanks to you.”
What follows below is information I first wrote in January 2006. I’m reposting it because I want to have the info on the ‘new’ version of the site (rather than just the old link) and also because it’s pretty good stuff.
There’s a video clip to show the progression, and the text details a number of things:
sending...
