Over the last several years I have learned a lot about what it means to be short to the ball. You might ask how? Camps, watching tapes with my dad and talking with some of the best in the business. When you hear MLB Powerhitters talk hitting all they do is talk about their hands, hand speed and hand location. I know this from when I trained at a professional indoor facility in Lisle, Chicago with my hitting coach there. Mechanically speaking though you have to look good on tape in order to get a shot to play at the highest level but you must have fast hands at the plate. Fast hands are not developed; you are born with or without them. 

Regarding mechanics, if you are a contact hitter, gap hitter or powerhitter the mechanics of the swing should not change. 

Short to the ball is "any" swing that is not long & loopy. If you have a long & loopy swing the pitching will only get better while you stay long & loopy having holes in your swing. Chances are if you are long and loopy your first move to the ball is more than likely with your hands opening up to early on your backside at launch - can be a power reducer and separation from your vertical axis. Chances are if you are doing this you are also opening up to quickly on your front side which needs to be blocked out firm. Also, being long at the top with the bat wrapped flat around your head is a No, No and barring with your top hand past your top elbow is not good either.

Many coaches and players do confuse hand path with swing plane of the barrell of the bat when teaching it. Hands do come down naturally inside the ball and bottom out by themselves without leaking to the backside and the knob of the bat does come out towards the pitcher (mili-second) causing the barrel to get on the plane of the pitch. However, you swing "naturally" to this postion without opening up your hands to early on your backside.  

My set up at the plate is what I call my style or rhythm & it is unique to me. My lead arm is bent with my hands near my right shoulder area fairly close. My stance is tall, narrow - slightly open but my knees are inside my ankles. However, when I load I advance to a great 50/50 power position walking away from my hands loading my trigger to create my torque. My front foot is blocked out at a 45 degree angle or less when it lands. All good hitters get to this Power Position at launch.The barrel of my bat at Full Load is in a Tip N Rip position up and out with pressure on my top hand.

My 1st move to the ball starts my swing from the ground up meaning my knee turns in pulling my back foot up (no squish the bug), my hips turn, I rotate and swing with my hands all when my front heel drops which is my launch. When I rotate, you see the front of my "BODY" 1st, then my "BAT" next - front view speaking and Ken Griffey Jr. did this bat lag better than anybody else in the business. However, when I put it all together it is all one fluid motion! 

Before contact my hands are inside the ball. You will see both of my arms in a power "V" window shaped position with my lead arm, hands, and barrel all in good alignment at contact when the ball gets deep. My follow through is with both arms that completely straighten out with the barrel of my bat pointing outward to where the ball is going. I do NOT rollover my wrists after contact as it looks horrible on tape as I keep pushing through with my hands. My finish is described as a High finish if it is a low strike or a Low finish if it is a high strike. My finish is usually with one hand depending on the pitch location or my swing plane as I try to match my swing plane to the plane of pitch.  

Consistency is the name of the game and being able to understand and break down your swing is a must. Once in the batters box your "Muscle Memory" must take over and you must relax (NOT RIGID) but be ready to attack & react. In order for this to happen with confidence you must practice, practice, practice. If you want to be the best you must also try to "mechanically" mimmick the best players. Ask yourself, do we really teach what we see?

On a personal note, if you are take hitting lessons and your instructor does not videotape you...you are doing yourself a huge disservice. Videotaping is a must and it needs to break down the swing in mili-seconds, frame by frame to see exactly what you are doing. Ask yourself would you pay to go to a doctor to operate on you without having X-Rays, Ultrasound, Catscans or an MRI taken? 

Many people ask me about my training and approach to hitting. I work with my dad in the cages several days a week off the tee doing 10 different drills, 8 reps each. This helps my mechanics before my dad tosses to me live just 15' away. He mixes up the pitches....in, out, low and high and changes up speeds. What makes me a different hitter is that I have patience at the plate and I can handle all pitch locations over any part of the plate. I work the count to my advantage and I look for the mistake which is the pitch I am going to hurt them with. I do not force things by trying to make things happen on a lousy pitch. I get a lot of walks as I know how to be patient and work the count.  

I hope this information helps you become a better ball player.

Jordan#16