Swing Analysis - Manny Ramirez

8/8/2008

The video clip below of Manny Ramirez is from a couple of days ago when the Dodgers were in town to play the Cardinals. The pitch was a slider low and away from Kyle Lohse. The result of the swing was a single to CF that landed 50 or so feet behind the Second Base bag.

Manny Ramirez

There are a couple of interesting things to note about this clip of Manny Ramirez.
     First, notice how Manny Ramirez doesn't grip the handle of the bat with his top hand until Frame 19, which is in the middle of his stride. He likely does this to keep tension out of his hands and forearms and thus his swing. Kevin Youkilis of the Red Sox does something similar with his top hand (but a little earlier), likely for the same reason.
     Second, notice how Manny Ramirez has the barrel of the bat tipped forward toward the Pitcher at the moment that his front foot plants in Frame 47. People call this either "Tip 'N Rip" or "Running Start" and assert that it improves a hitter's ability to hit for power, reduces bat drag, and increases swing quickness. I'm not certain of that, but I will admit that you do see Tip 'N Rip in the swings of many great power hitters.
     Third, in Frame 54 notice how Many Ramirez's hands are rotating with, and thus slightly ahead of, his back shoulder. This keeps him from having a problem with bat drag.
     Finally, in Frame 59, notice how, because he chased a slider, Manny Ramirez is quite extended at the Point Of Contact and is lunging forward. This is why he wasn't able to get much on the ball. Instead, he was just able to get the head of the bat on the ball and punch the ball out into shallow Center Field.