Brandon's Journey Continues

[Cut_Three]

I see

Richard

I see major improvements in the action of the back side. What did you all do to accomplish that?

Arc is much better. Much more Yaz-Mantle to the psuedo-T position. Frame 18 of the front view is outstanding.

As an instructor, at what point do you begin looking at the playing calendar and deciding to ratchet down new material for the coming months?

[Teacherman]

Richard

I see major improvements in the action of the back side. What did you all do to accomplish that?

First, we intentionally lunged. (to get a feel for weight forward versus weight back) Then we did the "walk up drill" hoping to stop lunging and to replace it with forward momentum.

We also discussed the hands......keeping them out over the plate better, not letting the shoulders "get to them"....resisting rotation.

It's very easy to stay back or fall back if you're rotating your shoulders. Not only does shoulder rotation take you away from the ball, it enables poor weight shift.

We discussed setting the swivel and taking the hands down the plane line to the ball while rotating the barrel. Jutting his lead elbow.

As an instructor, at what point do you begin looking at the playing calendar and deciding to ratchet down new material for the coming months?

Here is our plan. We know his base no stride swing can hit the ball hard. In bp he hits it very well. Yes, that's just bp. But, we've cut about 1/2 a frame out of his swing. We're hoping, at the DIII level, that will suffice this year.

We also know he needs to develop some momentum. He will continue to work on loading and striding patterns "on the side".

What we have done each workout is loosen up with some tee drills and soft toss. Then we "reinforce" his confidence by taking some bp with his base no stride swing. Then we "search" for a loading pattern or stride to develop some momentum. Then we finish by taking a few base no stride swings......to boost him back up after he gets frustrated with the striding.

What is happening from this pattern, I believe, is he is learning, ever so slowly, how to get some forward momentum even with no stride.

The stride work that he gets frustrated with, that he really struggles keeping the parts together and therefore struggles with timing, actually opens some degrees of freedom in his no stride swing.

While he doesn't get a lot of forward momentum in the no stride swing he is consistently up off his back foot now.

[Cut_Three]

Momentum

Consistently off the back side.

Very important and very good.

The swings have an energy they didn't have before.

[Lclifton]

Here is our plan. We know his base no stride swing can hit the ball hard. In bp he hits it very well. Yes, that's just bp.
But, we've cut about 1/2 a frame out of his swing.

Progress.

We also know he needs to develop some momentum. He will continue to work on loading and striding patterns "on the side".

Then we "reinforce" his confidence by.......

50% of hitting is 90% mental---Yogi Berra. Kidding.
Building the confidence is a key.

Then we finish by taking a few base no stride swings......to boost him back up after he gets frustrated with the striding.

What is happening from this pattern, I believe, is he is learning.......

While he doesn't get a lot of forward momentum in the no stride swing he is consistently up off his back foot now.

Yes he is.
Having a plan.
Working within the framework of the hitter.
In the meantime, believe. Focus on the things he does well.
Shoulder tilt is among them. A lot better than most, IMO.

The swings have an energy they didn't have before.

Agree !

[Teacherman]

The stride swing is really not very good. No separation....everything turns at once. Yet, it's decent in the no stride swing.

I just posted it to "benchmark" the progress or lack of.

It will be a minor miracle if he figures this out.

[Cut_Three]

Miracle

Teacherman wrote: "It will be a minor miracle if he figures this out."

Maybe. But a long time remains if this is the sophomore year.

That swing - if that is the swing that is carried into games - is better than the average swing at that level right now.

Obviously must be coupled with pitch selection, yada, yada.

No reason that swing doesn't hit .335 right now.

[Lclifton]

Teacherman wrote: "It will be a minor miracle if he figures this out."

Maybe. But a long time remains if this is the sophomore year.

Exactly. Said those exact words to Teacherman.
(him being a sophomore, not the minor miracle part (stride) .- )
Good stuff Cut-Three.

[Teacherman]

Here is his "walk up" drill.

The stride part is what I meant when I said "minor miracle".

[Stealth]

Teacherman - here is a request. Next time Brandon hits, throw him some "meat balls" right down the middle. Ask him to hit the ball as far as he can. Have him try and "come out of his shoes" when he swings. I want to see what his body does when he gives maximum (in this case over the top) effort.

I am sure he is giving effort but I want to see him do a "Happy Gilmore" swing - I think it might be interesting.

In fact tell him you want to video tape him doing this for fun - don't let him know you/I have another motive. Make sure he goes for the fences, even if he misses the ball. I think this will be interesting.........

I agree with the others - baby steps but things are getting better.

[swingbuilder]

Teacherman....I'm not as concerned as some others. What I'd be more interested in would be is the lead leg turning the hip or is the hip turning the leg. I realize the rotation into foot plant and all but is it premature and whats the initiator?

[Teacherman]

The good...



The problem...



Two similar pitch locations. One he "came around". The other he did not.



He seems to "come around" lower pitches?..........and way too often.

[Lclifton]

There is a difference in the upper body between the 'squared up one and the 'roll over' swing.
And, IMO, a contributor to "rolling over" found in the lower body.

[Pronk]

I realize this isn't a huge sample size, but did you notice that in all the good clips both hands stay on the bat but in the bad one his top hand is pulling off.

Now I am indifferent on keeping the hands on the bat or not, but I just want to be sure that when he has the feel of wanting to pull off the top hand that he is not compensating in some other way.

[Lclifton]

What means does Brandon use to get to the low pitch now?
What means could he use to enhance getting to the lower pitches.

[Lclifton]

My opinion, the main reason he came around those pitches is because he was early. He was just early. That's why the top hand comes off the bat, because he reached a little.
I still think I see a difference (slight) in the upper body, and an enhancement that would help in the lower body.
The lower body answer could be found in Richard's avatar, sticks out to me.