Extension

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Jan 6, 2009
6,591
113
Chehalis, Wa
Get the head out doesn’t pertain to hitting? Only golf? Please explain.

I posted Kyle when he was a rookie. Mainly to see what people thought about his extension out front.

Here is a HR to RC, more toward CF.

61DFF65F-E4CB-443A-AAF1-A42278AA3EBC.gif

Where is he now? He was hurt and didn’t heal well. Although, that’s not the only reason he wasn’t playing. Now he is in spring training with the DBacks at age 27.

giphy.gif
 
Last edited:
May 27, 2022
412
63
As always with hitting verbiage, it is really hard to put into words what we mean.

To me, this is contact (arms bent):
1679658502701.png

And this is extension (arms straight as the bat travels through the ball after contact where the yellow line is the difference in the location of the hand between contact and extension):
1679658538230.png

Yes! We teach extension. I can't imagine why you wouldn't. I have 2 girls that wrap their hands around their waist and we are working on it. They can hit hard, but only if they time it EXACTLY PERFECT. So, their batting average is abysmal.

Also, many hitters think they are hitting one way (IE throw hands at the ball), but when you watch their good hits, they are hitting a different way (hands above the ball).
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
The great hitters study pitchers' patterns and go up there looking for a pitch to hit? 90% mental this game is?

I think they look over the heart of the plate until 2. Then they try to see it as deep as possible. Against specialists I would look for one specific pitch. But normally they always stay deep in the zone to avoid out front timing problems.
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
But my contention is that timing will dictate extension. Good extension and bad extension is a thing as @Shawn mentioned earlier. Good extension shown w proper body positioning/extension in unison w the barrel is the way to go.

But without front foot timing good extension cannot happen in sequence. Meaning the pelvis will either stall or drift.

Edit: luck gets involved from time to time, but not really.. not w 2 strikes.
 
Last edited:
May 7, 2015
842
93
SoCal
I've been trying to get some cues to help my 11yo release the hands, his finish has hands tight to the body long after contact. Middle middle tee placement, looking for some ideas to help. I thought this was a fitting thread to drop in and ask..

 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
I've been trying to get some cues to help my 11yo release the hands, his finish has hands tight to the body long after contact. Middle middle tee placement, looking for some ideas to help. I thought this was a fitting thread to drop in and ask..



He’s spinning. No separation. Hips forward against hands back
 
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May 7, 2015
842
93
SoCal
Yeah, I've known he's spinning, but good observational point... maybe emphasizing that separation in order to get some linear bat path instead of all rotation will open up the finish... Hmm
 

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