Best swing in baseball?
- Thread starter dawg21
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Kevin Youkilis. Just kidding. But seriously - a stance is part of the swing, and Youkilis and Pujols stand at the plate with the ability to pop the ball anywhere they please or unload on it at the same time. They're not pretty, but they are effective (Pujols obviously moreso than Youk).
He's good. But as far as the application of the working mechanics of a swing Robinson canoe is without equal in today's game.
There have been some all time great ones and two formers dawgs in Clark and palmeiro had great swings. J.d. drew also comes to mind as a great swing.
As a Braves fan, I've been impressed with the simplicity of Justin Upton's swing, not to mention the results.
As far as current guys:
Bryce Harper creates an insane amount of torque in his swing. He's got that old school raw power that rips your back foot off the ground (a la, hammerin hank)
Joey Votto has one of the most efficient bats in the game.
Mike Morse
Ichiro
Bryce Harper creates an insane amount of torque in his swing. He's got that old school raw power that rips your back foot off the ground (a la, hammerin hank)
Joey Votto has one of the most efficient bats in the game.
Mike Morse
Ichiro
Actually, the stance isn't part of the swing at all. That's just personal style. The swing starts at front heel plant. That's why you see so many different stances in the MLB, but if you slow down the video, most hitters have extremely similar mechanics from front heel plant through extension. Crazy stances like Youkilis' require a lot more work to get the back elbow slotted, but if the hitter has the muscle memory to do it, it doesn't make hardly any difference in the swing.
I gotta say that I thought Palmeiro's was smoother. Griffey Jr. has got to have one of the best of all time. Looked effortless. Oh to be left handed...
Palmeiro and Sandberg..well..Sandberg basically got the ryne of that pineapple.
I just flew in from Vegas and boy are my arms tired! I'll be here all week.
I just flew in from Vegas and boy are my arms tired! I'll be here all week.
I probably don't know as much about mechanics as you do...and Youkilis is more of a joke of a stance. But looking at the way Pujols squares up the zone in his stance, he is in a prime position to put the bat on the ball whereever it is located (I'm not sure how Youkilis does that). I'm ok with separating stance from swing - but I think that there is something to be said in squaring up the zone.
And regarding stances and the pre-heel plant process of the swing, that all plays a very important part in hitting the baseball. Take Gary Sheffield for example: Extreme bat speed that had to be slowed down to some extent by waiving his bat up and behind him while awaiting the pitch (then, at the heel plant, his swing looked like everyone elses).
But - I get what you're saying about the difference between the swing and the stance...I just think they each play an equal role in getting the bat on the ball.
In other news, regardless of what anybody else thinks about his swing, stance, etc., Miguel Cabrera has it figured out.
And regarding stances and the pre-heel plant process of the swing, that all plays a very important part in hitting the baseball. Take Gary Sheffield for example: Extreme bat speed that had to be slowed down to some extent by waiving his bat up and behind him while awaiting the pitch (then, at the heel plant, his swing looked like everyone elses).
But - I get what you're saying about the difference between the swing and the stance...I just think they each play an equal role in getting the bat on the ball.
In other news, regardless of what anybody else thinks about his swing, stance, etc., Miguel Cabrera has it figured out.
It was too long and had a loop in it.
I was a Mets fan and I had a friend in the front office so I would get to be on the field during BP once in awhile. I watched his career from the beginning. He knew it. Almost every year he would start out with a shorter swing and a direct path to the ball. He was a very dangerous man when he swung the bat like that. But as the season went on it got longer and loopier so he could not catchup to a good fastball. He was just so big and strong he could kind of get away with it.
I was a Mets fan and I had a friend in the front office so I would get to be on the field during BP once in awhile. I watched his career from the beginning. He knew it. Almost every year he would start out with a shorter swing and a direct path to the ball. He was a very dangerous man when he swung the bat like that. But as the season went on it got longer and loopier so he could not catchup to a good fastball. He was just so big and strong he could kind of get away with it.
"HEEL" plant. If you are planting your heel, you ain't hitting. You land on your toe and hit from the ball of your foot.
Junior is towards the top of my list also. My only issue with him is that no one else can hit like that. His quickness and coordination where so off the charts he could do things no on else could do. That is why when his body broke down, he really was just a shell of his former self.
The first two on your list have beautiful swings. Your boy David Wright is not too shabby, either.
I agree. Ken Griffey Jr has the best swing I've ever seen. Will Clark is second, and McGwire is up there. Jim Edmonds was another I liked to watch batting.
Edit to add Jeff Bagwell. I hated the team he played for, hated playing against him, but enjoyed watching him hit. I don't know if he ever took a check swing in his life.
Edit to add Jeff Bagwell. I hated the team he played for, hated playing against him, but enjoyed watching him hit. I don't know if he ever took a check swing in his life.
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Historically speaking, "The Splendid Splinter", Teddy Ballgame. Will Clark
and Rafael Palmeiro both deserve honorable mention.
and Rafael Palmeiro both deserve honorable mention.
My favorite swing of all-time is Barry Bonds. He was so intimidating they just said 17 it I'm walking this guy. Edgar Martinez, Ruben Sierra, Julio Franco, Albert Belle, Jeff Kent, Will Clark, Jose Canseco, Eric Davis, Cecil Fielder(not textbook but fun to watch), Griffey Jr., Strawberry, Kirby Puckett, Manny Ramirez, Chipper Jones, Mike Piazza, Jay Buhner, I really could list hundreds of players I've enjoyed watching. Palmeiro really had a beautiful swing. Alex Rodriguez in his prime had a gorgeous swing. Still does.
If you want to talk about my favorite swing...... Matt Stairs. Im here to hit a PH bomb now watch me SWING!!
Lefties just look more natural for some reason...it's really interesting if you think about it. For the record I like Cano, Griffey jr, trout, manny swings.
Im not an expert, but I think while these guys swings can be tweeked in their development, it's 95% God given talent. Hitting coaches maybe help with "approach", but actual hitting...you either can or can't.
Im not an expert, but I think while these guys swings can be tweeked in their development, it's 95% God given talent. Hitting coaches maybe help with "approach", but actual hitting...you either can or can't.
Chipper Jones' right handed swing was a thing of beauty.
Always thought that was the best looking swing I've ever seen. I'm young, so I'm also partial to Ken Griffey Jr., who had another very pretty swing. One of my favorite players of all time and I grew up during his prime so it was fun to watch. Those are probably the two best I can think of.
Always thought that was the best looking swing I've ever seen. I'm young, so I'm also partial to Ken Griffey Jr., who had another very pretty swing. One of my favorite players of all time and I grew up during his prime so it was fun to watch. Those are probably the two best I can think of.
I realize who I'm arguing with here, but I have to disagree. Look at the Ted Williams video I posted above. He is clearly planting his heel. As he torques his hips, his foot turns on the axis of his heel.
Here are some more videos clearly showing a planted front heel.
Pujols: http://youtu.be/V89JddTPKB4
Trout: http://youtu.be/fzpAJkq-BDs
Harper: http://youtu.be/Dgwi-AODnn8
Griffey: http://youtu.be/W3NF23Cs1m4
It would be virtually impossible for Harper and Griffey to be able to make contact with their back foot completely off the ground or for Pujols and Trout to drag their back foot forward during the swing if they didn't have their heel planted.
Lastly, the bulldog in your avatar also has his heel planted.
Here are some more videos clearly showing a planted front heel.
Pujols: http://youtu.be/V89JddTPKB4
Trout: http://youtu.be/fzpAJkq-BDs
Harper: http://youtu.be/Dgwi-AODnn8
Griffey: http://youtu.be/W3NF23Cs1m4
It would be virtually impossible for Harper and Griffey to be able to make contact with their back foot completely off the ground or for Pujols and Trout to drag their back foot forward during the swing if they didn't have their heel planted.
Lastly, the bulldog in your avatar also has his heel planted.
The first book I had on Hitting was Ted Williams The Science of Hitting.
I got it when I was 9 and studied it. It and the Charlie Lau book were the two best ever written on hitting. I looked at the videos you have and you need to look closer. Every one of them has the weight on the ball of their foot. They reach out and land on the ball of the foot with the stride. Is the heel touching the ground, of course it is but the pivot is on the ball of the foot and the foot rolls to its side on the finish. You hit against a strong front side which provides the torque. The weight to the ground is on the ball of your foot. Just try a swing. You can swing with your heel off the ground, but you can't with your toes off the ground.
I got it when I was 9 and studied it. It and the Charlie Lau book were the two best ever written on hitting. I looked at the videos you have and you need to look closer. Every one of them has the weight on the ball of their foot. They reach out and land on the ball of the foot with the stride. Is the heel touching the ground, of course it is but the pivot is on the ball of the foot and the foot rolls to its side on the finish. You hit against a strong front side which provides the torque. The weight to the ground is on the ball of your foot. Just try a swing. You can swing with your heel off the ground, but you can't with your toes off the ground.
Griffy Jr = Effortless (Power)
This is a football metaphor. It is bad in hitting (i.e. looking foolish on a nasty curve).
This is a football metaphor. It is bad in hitting (i.e. looking foolish on a nasty curve).