Mighty-Pronk

[Teacherman]

I agree that improvement is in progress. Keep at it. Weight distribution improves little by little.

Pull backs will help him.

So will this....

[Pronk]

So a couple of really nice hits today in a 2-0 game. Also a walk, still leading (tied) in hits after nine games, leads in extra base hits and RBIs. 9 games in, he's starting to look pretty solid.

So work yesterday was centered around staring at these two, with a more athletic, shoulders over toes. Also relaxing the back arm some.



I wanted to trick things into keeping some weight over the ball of the femur. If I stare a guys who want to stride, I see a lot more bend over the plate. Or athletic if you will. Think of a Will Clard and George Brett. Combined with using the back, stride can still can keep enough weight back over the ball of the femur if you find the right setup.
So if you look closely he's kind of getting some of that athletic setup as the pitch comes in. Stays tall and has the little sit down action as the pitch comes in. It's subtle, but it did help. Now both kids (Steven was at the game) had their own ideas on the swing. Steven said "he's not over the toe" which is correct. John also sees that though he's doing it wayyyyy better, he's still pushing the hips forward a little. I think a little less pigeon toe and more bend, at the waist to make sure any stride is back leg controlled might help.

The first hit was just belted to deep RCF in no man's land but he didn't get all of it. You can see he might have mis-timed it, but it was a decent location and he put a good shot on it. In a game with almost nobody hitting to OF, this one stood out. Even though this one I am not too sure about, what seems to be different is the back shoulder doesn't lag back. Look in history of his clips his back shoulder doesn't turn with the hip and you see in slo-mo the arms kind of chicken wing to get the bat through. Not so here, I feel it getting snapped through better than it was before.




And this was the double to the RF corner. Got over the RF's head but he got it back fast enough to stop the triple. Again, I feel like he gets snapped through. Something I have never ever seen in John is the mouse test which is probably not too useful these days.... (not sure Chris Davis would pass) but it does let you know if the lead shoulder is at least up and not left. By contact that front elbow ends up higher than I've ever seen it. Normally so there is no SCIP you see the elbow stay down and go around the body to try to clear a path for the push.
I feel like it looks better in real time. You do sort of feel a deep arc. I just think in slo-mo he can tighten this up not striding with the hips. In fact I would say the double he did that part just a little better, But if the back leg, controls the stride a little better, he'll leap forward.

Here's to progress. His goal tomorrow is a little more shoulders over the toes, and try not to glide.

[Stealth]

I agree on less pigeon toe. I think that limits him in getting all the way into his rear hip.

[mikecon]

The first difference that jumps out at me when comparing these swings to Eddie and Albert is "where's the giddyup?"

[mikecon]

The first difference that jumps out at me when comparing these swings to Eddie and Albert is "where's the giddyup?"

This..........

Frisbee, Frisbee. Turn the ever-living shit out of the handle back. Trust it.

[mikecon]

This isn't the best example (he does these better now - tighter, deeper, more sudden, better direction) but maybe bang out a bunch of something like these... (coil, pull-backs, scap clamp, slack removal, no momentum...TURN IT!)...



Start with the tee off the front knee and then incrementally work it back to the belt buckle.

[Pronk]

You know to be honest what I've not done is post all the failure.

So I am sitting here celebrating the fact that these are some of the best swings I've seen as far as SCIP getting snapped through. I don't bother posting all the failures.

Swing, after Swing, game after game where the back shoulder never really even gets snapped through, it just stays back, and he has to move the arms rapidly through the zone. I guess I've gotten to a point where I know when it's really bad, and posting isn't doing me any good.

So of course I probably see way more progress than you all. John is a different beast. He's not a lab rat, he gets very defensive being coached up. To him, it's a personal attack from dad even if I am not doing that. This is his personality and he gets it from momma she is the same way. We figured out at the age of 22 to NEVER EVER do any kind of husband/wife sport stuff together. She was an athlete too, and very competitive, and we just stopped right away. After some Tennis and Golf together we both agreed, no more. In any case I find ways to work stuff in, and try to get him steered correctly.

As I said there needs to be more of this in his setup, and making sure any drive forward has a link right down to the toe but from a very athletic position. In his MIND, he is doing the Chris Davis Sit down as the pitcher starts. It's not big enough. I would love to see Eddie Murray. For one thing, every single game at least once a strike 2-3 inches below the front knee is called.

[mikecon]

My son is a pain in the ass, too.

What I do find, though, is that if I plant the seeds he'll go off on his own and tweak. He'll pick up a bat while watching TV and work on feel things when he thinks I'm not paying attention (and I have to do my damnedest to let him go and not insert myself even when I might see an opportunity).

I've also learned to have a sense for the times when he's more receptive and the times not so much.

As with all coaching (especially your own), there is a fine line between 'pushing' and 'enabling/encouraging'.

[Pronk]

There is no way MikeCon that I am going to turn him into a Steven type swing with very little forward mo. I've long given up the thought.

My goal is to take his natural stride instinct and harness it to be more productive. That is the reason for the more athletic position

[mikecon]

There is no way MikeCon that I am going to turn him into a Steven type swing with very little forward mo. I've long given up the thought.

My goal is to take his natural stride instinct and harness it to be more productive. That is the reason for the more athletic position

I think respecting natural athleticism/tendencies should be the approach regardless of the hitter.

He can keep his stride, forward momentum and have direction (corner) and depth in his launch...

[Al Oha]

Happy to see that he is beginning to use the back.

He can be tighter in the radius in the rear hip socket, and deeper with his the corner. He loses a bit with a hip slide forward. Watch the lead shoulder. it shifts forward when he launches. In the deepest corner, lead shoulder gets arrested immediately as a counter move, and rises when the back is arched instantly to oppose the driving rear leg.

Keep with it.

[Teacherman]

He's come a long way, Pronk. IMO, there is one piece missing....a simple piece....that will tie the rest together.

I posted on it this week.

These two clips are not going to SHOW the difference....because of the camera angle differences....but I hope he can FEEL the difference.

That handle pressure BEFORE GO....telling the body that he will be applying pressure INTO the handle at go.....recruits what is necessary to finish the job.

IF he tipped the barrel a bit....and supported the weight of the barrel with the TOP hand....applying pressure INTO the handle to supply that support....from everything else he's doing....then TURN IT REARWARD....he should fall right into place.

[Teacherman]

Bonds shows the same thing.

The goal must be to get the barrel speeding into a rearward arc.

When you get that you will learn it is quite easy to align that barrel to the ball.

[Teacherman]

Right here.....



....he's in excellent position to do it.

Best I've seen of him at this point in the swing.

Leg is winning. Hip/leg is opening. Stretch occuring. But it doesn't quite finish.

Just turn it.....right there.

[Stealth]

Right here.....



....he's in excellent position to do it.

Best I've seen of him at this point in the swing.

Leg is winning. Hip/leg is opening. Stretch occuring. But it doesn't quite finish.

Just turn it.....right there.

EXACTLY - with a slight tip oppo or even ala Jeff Kent might be the final piece to the puzzle.