Loose top hand or not?

[Stampede]

what are the benefits of a very loose top hand grip? Should it stay loose until contact?

[kimbercarry]

many instructors I've seen say it allows for a quicker swing. I'm sure if this is the case there has to be some study out there showing it does or doesn't.

[songtitle]

It's a requirement. Well... let's say one hand must be loose, but generally it's the top hand.

If you don't, you roll the bat over at the last minute and drive the ball into the ground.

You don't need a study. Just experiment yourself.

[Stampede]

Doesn't the top hand grip have to firm up at contact to apply force?

[Roothog66]

Doesn't the top hand grip have to firm up at contact to apply force?

Not really. The heel of the top hand and the top hand wrist sort of push into the swing at that point and a tight grip doesn't help that action at all and, infact, would lead to early roll over as the wrist would be forced to break.

[NoonTime]

Doesn't the top hand grip have to firm up at contact to apply force?

Some geek reading (more related to the question above than the OT): http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/grip.html

[dominik]

Doesn't the top hand grip have to firm up at contact to apply force?

No. accelerating through the ball is a myth. the contact time is so short that the ball leaves the bat before the vibrations reach the hand. Still accelerating all the way through is a nice goal since it prevents premature deceleration but from a physics standpoint the swing is over at contact. theoretically you could even let go of the bat although that usually won't work in practice. you need some grip tightness to controll the bathead but too much doesn't help.

however ted williams said the grip should be very tight. so it might be a preference thing. but at least stay loose during the pre swing and load.

[raptor]

No. accelerating through the ball is a myth. the contact time is so short that the ball leaves the bat before the vibrations reach the hand. Still accelerating all the way through is a nice goal since it prevents premature deceleration but from a physics standpoint the swing is over at contact. theoretically you could even let go of the bat although that usually won't work in practice. you need some grip tightness to controll the bathead but too much doesn't help.

however ted williams said the grip should be very tight. so it might be a preference thing. but at least stay loose during the pre swing and load.

Todd Frazier took Moyer deep early this year by literally throwing the bat at the ball..both hands were off at contact.

[NoonTime]

Todd Frazier took Moyer deep early this year by literally throwing the bat at the ball..both hands were off at contact.

The Frazier swing is in that link I posted but here it is as well

[dominik]

The Frazier swing is in that link I posted but here it is as well

thanks I was searching for that clip too. this shows that the main acceleration happens early in the swing and no gradual acceleration through contact. you launch with all you have and then just release (usually noot literally)

[pstein]

Ted Williams recommended an "extremely firm grip, with the pressure against the fingers". I agree. Keep it out of the palms, and don't worry about knuckle alignment or anything else like that.

[LAball]

Hitting thru the ball is defiantly needed. That one clip is just one hit. I will give you the end all proof of this. Notice what they wear on the top Hand thumb. Also know that Youkillis broke this thumb for a reason. Period