Mini-Pronk

[Pronk]

Feel what is happening in Ted and Barry's rear hip socket.

As they move out they 'click back'....'coil back' (don't like that because it gives a BIG movement impression).

The click back is a 'tiny' forward by coil move.

The click back is simply having it tight in the hip socket as you move out.

The click back is a small running start.

It doesn't feel like much when you do it, but it assures there is no pause at the back of the swing. It assures there is no 'load and hold' as you read the pitch. It assures your swing is under way as you read the pitch.

I really like this thought.

One of the problems LITHUNDER with the FORWARD by COIL folks, in my opinion is they get the front hip stuck in the way.

Steven's best Click-back was probably just after Coastal Carolina, but for me it's been a tough teach. I talk about it and they wind up those hips BIG, and not small. Has to all be felt on the back side. I was in a position where given the choice I'd rather have no click-back, than using the front leg to do it.

That said, Teach I think there is a little luck in that his hands being out of plane so to speak a little longer, (or the bat really) seems to help. For some kids maybe a lower handset works better.

[LITHTHUNDER]

Teach, thanks for the detailed explanation.. it makes sense BUT.. I'm still stuck on not being able to get the same feel by striding let alone being able to foward by coil. I think I may get a little of it a click-back w/the no stride? but not sure if forward coil is needed? Pronk - understandable. but it does provide better overlap/pop?

Teach, can you explain what is happening in the forward by coil part? I saw in your webcam you briefly touched on this - the way Kemp does it.. It almost seemed like a lean forward as you coiled? Again, the hard part for me moving forward/striding is being able to pull back the scap and turn the hands effectively.. I just feel tighter not moving and getting a pullback/little circle w/the scap and turn..

Maybe a webcam/lesson on incorporating the stride/click-back for those that have the SnF?

Thanks
Thunder

[Pronk]

Man, my account expired as hit post, and lost it all. Got a double today, 5 2bs, 9 hits total in 5 games. His showcase coach was calling pitches, it looks like they were trying to go in then out, I see the catcher shaking his head as if the location was off. Anyway it was not much above the knees, but creamed it, I think our only extra base-hit today.

I also included the prior pitch a Take, I wanted to make sure he wasn't committing the hands forward. I have only seen him go forward one time all year in an AB, so his trusting his hands.

[Pronk]

Dang man, another double, this time with the bases loaded. On this pitch his foot slips, so he has to recover, but the thing I like is I feel as if despite losing the leg initially there is still some lateral tilt and the barrel staying back as the leg is turning. We have one part of the field that curves out to 380 and that's where he hit it. Dead Center or RCF probably a home run. Anyway this keyed a big come back. Down 10-2 we clawed to 10-5 manufacturing and this made it 10-7. It's a good thing in a tight game when your kid delivers with the bases loaded. We end up winning 11-10, so a great win. Only 2-4 today so his Avg. went down, but that's fine, keep the doubles going. Last year he was ranked 14th in Cent. Fla (tied) with 7 doubles, and we still have 21 or so games left.

Personally I feel this is a decent example of a launch and make an adjustment to get the barrel to the ball.

Teach is the small click back, allowing his leg to get through even though the foot slipped?

[Teacherman]

What Steven is doing, is loading 'away from' the oppo middle infielder. The 'out of plane' barrel is his way of doing it. He did the same thing with scap action in Myrtle Beach. With that action he is loading against the rear leg, bow and arrow style. Although 'rag wring' still has some merit, several weeks ago I said I prefered the bow and arrow analogy. The scap pulling his barrel back against the leg, bow and arrow style, is creating my other favorite analogy....he's bending his sheet metal. That action, even though his foot slipped is 'still there'. And he used it well.

Load to the dugout behind him, swing to the ball = the two sides that form a corner.

[Allistair]

Dang man, another double, this time with the bases loaded. On this pitch his foot slips, so he has to recover, but the thing I like is I feel as if despite losing the leg initially there is still some lateral tilt and the barrel staying back as the leg is turning. We have one part of the field that curves out to 380 and that's where he hit it. Dead Center or RCF probably a home run. Anyway this keyed a big come back. Down 10-2 we clawed to 10-5 manufacturing and this made it 10-7. It's a good thing in a tight game when your kid delivers with the bases loaded. We end up winning 11-10, so a great win. Only 2-4 today so his Avg. went down, but that's fine, keep the doubles going. Last year he was ranked 14th in Cent. Fla (tied) with 7 doubles, and we still have 21 or so games left.

Personally I feel this is a decent example of a launch and make an adjustment to get the barrel to the ball.

Teach is the small click back, allowing his leg to get through even though the foot slipped?

Okay, I love what he is showing and it goes along the line of what I was relating to in another thread about "right here". I was concentrating to hit "right here".

Please mark todays date down as I will refer to this as:

The Strong Position




It is named after Steven!
(Back when I was growing up, there was a dude named Steve Strong and when I view Steven, I think of Steve Strong, hence the Strong Position)

Yeah I know it sounds corny but its better than "the move".sd

And if it already has a name, disregard it.

[redwill]

Happy for you all Pronk!

[Pronk]

Happy for you all Pronk!

Thanks Redwill...

[Stealth]

Doubles are good, especially with the bases loaded.

[Pronk]

Another Bases Loaded Double.

I am going to monitor this, and might even talk to him, I can't tell if this is a little too much momentum or not. The pitching was slow nobody was hitting it well. On top of that they are pitching so careful and I am really getting pissed at first pitch below the knees and outside being called a strike. Dammit, you don't want to be put in the hole for that crap. These guys were throwing him careful but he got up with bases loaded and after getting one of those decided he'd whack one. Again I can't tell if he is over doing the momentum or if the slow pitcher just got him to get out, but both low balls he hit to the fence last night he ended up like this. Personally I am fine as he was pitching and wanted to make something happen. 5 RBIs and two doubles last night so 8 2bs in 10 games. Also hit one to the fence in dead CF that was caught every AB was productive, the other out was an RBI to deep 2b. On most of the HS fields we play on he'd have about 6 HRs but for some reason only hits these moon shots when it's home cooking.

Bottom line I don't feel like the corner is lost I feel like he adjusted behind him when the barrel started moving.

[Teacherman]

Nothing to worry about.

I would characterize it like this....he swung with fastball timing....and 'let it out' to get to the ball. And still nailed it....because the swing plane is about the hands not the shoulders.

HIGH ADJUSTABILITY.

[Pronk]

Nevertheless I want to be sure I am not overdoing it. It was our coldest night of the year for a baseball game last night and this one died at the fence (the play him deep) everyone thought it was a walk-off three run homer and didn't make it. Maybe I am just a little concerned but the fact is the pitching was slow and they were calling such low strikes that he had to do something this was with two strikes.. in fact the pitch before was just awful and called strike. I was chatting with a dad he asked "do you change approach here". I was trying to say, "the approach that has him hitting so well? why change it". Anyway this was a little protective of the strike zone, and while it doesn't compare to the 2B a couple of weeks ago, those were letter high and from a dominating pitcher who is killing teams this year. I am talking about the one you referenced in the Tewks thread. I like in those higher ones how he stays more upright and back, but again maybe that's location and speed, my temptation is to tell him ease up just a little on momentum.

[Teacherman]

Yes....now this one is a bit different. I would characterize it as he never quite established a good corner....and therefore went forward to drive the ball. The good news is....his barrel turning still squares the ball.

Pull back.....release.
Pull back.....release.

When you have some momentum....the pull backs arrest it.....meter it. A good thing.
When you have some momnetum without the pull backs....you slide forward. Not so good.

But....isn't this fun.

The kid has come a long way. He's got the foundation. Now he's learning how to deal with what pitchers do to you.

Learning the swing is work.
Learning to hit with the swing is fun.

There is no substitute for game at bats.

[Pronk]

First Home Run this year... And while being watched.... 0-0 game, kid had 14ks in 7 innings. He had a 12-6 curve that just froze guys up and sneaky speed living around 86. Probably not what stealth sees every game, but way too much for most of our kids. Steven hit curve balls for outs the first two ABs and this was on an 0-2 in the 7th. We held in bottom 7 and won 1-0. Good day for him.

[Teacherman]

PROUD papa.

Congrats.