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Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
She doesn't chop down on the ball. Her first move may very well be "down to", but she turns "up through" at contact.

I totally agree. She doesn’t chop down ON THE BALL. the action of chop creates the path you see. Until you try it. It will not make any sense.
 
May 21, 2018
567
93
I totally agree. She doesn’t chop down ON THE BALL. the action of chop creates the path you see. Until you try it. It will not make any sense.

I get it, but that's opposite of what she says in that clinic, that's why I don't like that .gif.
 
Last edited:
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
I don't believe every hitter is tarred from same brush... Bichette and Vladdy do not swing the bat the same way IMHO. Now Bo, in his drill trying to stay on top of the pitch because he's a sucker for high pitches, and because the strike zone has evolved is an adaptation/approach to ensure his barrel stays on plane. Most MLB players preach down to, agreed, but I have never heard Bo say it regardless of this isolated drill
 

TDS

Mar 11, 2010
2,926
113
Yea, I think the Bichette's followed Tewks stuff for a while.. Tewks came up with it after struggling in college with a "down to" but from an abaf movement pattern..

knzdEtX.gif
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
IMO Vladdy is much more direct to, Bo turns behind more and is more connected...
gif (30).gif gif (31).gif

I also find at contact Vladdy stays more closed, while Bo is completely open, hips and shoulders facing the pitcher.

I see Bichette emulating what his dad is teaching in the video I posted
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
@julray, Dante Sr. Was a big fan of Bobby Tewks. Tewks talks about getting the lead arm ‘up’ and the back arm ‘down’. This is what he believes to be right. It’s another way to chop. Bo once in the mlb said I try to hit the ball into the ground as his FIRST warm up drill everyday. that’s a chop.

View attachment 22605

vlad does the same. Pretty obvious to me what they are trying to accomplish.

View attachment 22607
that Dante Sr. Vid is pretty old. Maybe he has changed his tune. Or his son and Vlad aren’t listening. I think it’s the former.
When I first came on here 5 or 6 years ago, a lot of people would suggest the "Braun drill" as a way of using the hands better. Bichette is basically doing that drill with perhaps a more specific outcome in mind (cannot remember what Braun said he was trying to do in that drill)
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
When I first came on here 5 or 6 years ago, a lot of people would suggest the "Braun drill" as a way of using the hands better. Bichette is basically doing that drill with perhaps a more specific outcome in mind (cannot remember what Braun said he was trying to do in that drill)
Yeah I remember it, stay on top, line drive the ball the other way with backspin
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
More recent video of Dante teaching the same thing, this is what I see from Bo on a game to game basis consistently. Of course every hitters swing varies on occasion
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
You know I'm not a big fan of TTB.. but I believe this to be the most misunderstood statement. If the pitch is high in the zone, posture emulates that location, the barrel doesn't turn under the ball, it turns on the same plane as the ball. I see no disadvantage with TTB on a pitch up in the zone.

Not only posture, but also using the hands to laser the ball with the knob. When done properly, TTB can handle any pitch location. But it is often misunderstood and overbaked.
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
I don't believe every hitter is tarred from same brush... Bichette and Vladdy do not swing the bat the same way IMHO. Now Bo, in his drill trying to stay on top of the pitch because he's a sucker for high pitches, and because the strike zone has evolved is an adaptation/approach to ensure his barrel stays on plane. Most MLB players preach down to, agreed, but I have never heard Bo say it regardless of this isolated drill

Well now you have. he says it the video I provided. ‘I know it sounds weird, but I try to hit this into the ground’. I think the only way to do that is by swinging down. Right?

as far as Vladdy and Bo swings being the same. thats not what I was saying. I’m saying their paths are similar. they both get the lead arm up and are direct. that is a chopping motion. Do you not agree? There is more than one way to get the desired path. Tewks found it. But didn’t know he found it. He still might not know he found it. LOL. He seems so tied up in his ’own’ intellect at times to realize things.
 

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