Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Million Dollar Swing Mechanics

Prince Fielder just agreed to a 9-year $214M contract with the Detroit Tigers. He was the top free agent on the market after 6 great seasons in Milwaukee, in which he finished in the top five in NL MVP voting three times. He has the most majestic swing in baseball.

But he ain't just heavy. Prince Fielder has a great swing, as shown in the video below (3:36) from the 2011 Home Run Derby. This was a pretty special event, as it showcased several of the very best swings in baseball: Adrian Gonzalez, Jose Bautista, David Ortiz, Prince Fielder and Robinson Cano.

You can say the same things about each hitter in this video: The hands take a direct path forward to the ball. The back foot and hips rotate to face the pitcher. The front leg is braced and back knee is bent 90 degrees at contact. The top hand is under the bat when it meets the ball - not pushing from behind or rolling over the handle too soon. Once the front foot lands, the head is incredibly still and down on the ball. The finish is high, with hands above the shoulder. These are the keys to great swing mechanics. Love this video.

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