Just read the title of this post and you’ll probably figure out what all the following hitters have in common …
When they load up on the stride, each one has the knob of the bat facing towards the catcher. Some do it more than others but they all do it to some degree.
When players are just starting out in the game and having trouble making contact – my 7 yr. old son falls in this category – I rarely mention this “knob to the catcher” stuff. I actually teach them to hold the bat and start their swing from here like David Wright (I wouldn’t have them hold it this high, though. Just look at the knob direction) …
It’s a shorter and less complicated swing that helps beginners just make contact. After they start to make consistent contact, I then add some things to get them to increase their power on the swing. “Knob to the catcher” on the stride / load-up is one of those things.
Of course, anything done to exaggeration can cause its own problems. Most coaches would say a young player who loads like Jose Bautista (right side of first photo above) is “wrapping the bat” too much around his head. Obviously, it isn’t hurting “Joey Bats” but it may be problematic for younger players since the barrel has to travel a longer distance to the ball.
The technique of how a batter points the knob towards the catcher may vary but the procedure of doing it on the stride remains the same for everyone. Even David Wright …
Next post: Swing until my eyes tell me NO
