View Full Version : Waggle the Bat
rkbenn
05-24-2009, 04:44 PM
Me and the boy went to 2 Oregon State/Stanford games this weekend. I was watching most of the players waggle the bat when they were in batter box. Most of them were waggling the bat from straight up to parallel with the ground behind them. Does anyone know who or why this is being taught to so many players?
DukeK
05-24-2009, 05:50 PM
My take is that it's to get some awareness of where the bat head is and make sure it's slotted in the right spot once they begin their load sequence.
Jeter waggles his bat a bit:
http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww63/lk2500/DJHRF.gif
songtitle
05-24-2009, 05:54 PM
Makes no difference one way or the other during the stance.
Jake Patterson
05-24-2009, 06:34 PM
Me and the boy went to 2 Oregon State/Stanford games this weekend. I was watching most of the players waggle the bat when they were in batter box. Most of them were waggling the bat from straight up to parallel with the ground behind them. Does anyone know who or why this is being taught to so many players?I feel its simply a means to stay loose. What they do in their stance matters not, where they are at go is what is key.
Vlad Guerrero is the most prominent of this move. It is for bat awareness.
My son was having trouble with bat wrapping. Coach Cohen, Miss. State's head coach, suggested to me to have him waggle the bat back and forth with the wrists prior to load phase. It made an immediate impact. Bat wrap was virtually gone...plus, his contact improved due to his being more in control of the bat prior to launch.
(Also, I keep watching it, and I'm not a big fan of that Jeter clip.)
rkbenn
05-24-2009, 07:59 PM
I think the waggle is important to establish some kinda of rhythm. In this game they waggled the bat up and down, straight up and parallel to the ground behind their back. I teach a little waggle but not what I was seeing, and it was consistent with most of the hitters on both teams.
They are trying to have barrel awareness but what, IMO, the biggest reason is, to feel the resistance of the barrel in the hands. To prepare the body for what the hands are about to do.
They are trying to have barrel awareness but what, IMO, the biggest reason is, to feel the resistance of the barrel in the hands. To prepare the body for what the hands are about to do.
Yeah, I think this sums it up nicely. Just letting the bat sit there behind the head ready to go could cause the hands to not be ready...I think naturally you'd want to do something with the hands to prepare for the swing. Pulling the bat behind the head or maybe dropping the hands would both be options Doing the waggle gives the hands wrists some action prior to getting the bat in the slot.
AgentX
05-25-2009, 09:09 AM
Yeah, I think this sums it up nicely. Just letting the bat sit there behind the head ready to go could cause the hands to not be ready...I think naturally you'd want to do something with the hands to prepare for the swing. Pulling the bat behind the head or maybe dropping the hands would both be options Doing the waggle gives the hands wrists some action prior to getting the bat in the slot.
I liken it to infield creep. Approaching a situation where your body needs to react quickly, it's best to put yourself in motion so that you're not responding from zero.
Jake Patterson
05-25-2009, 03:16 PM
I think the waggle is important to establish some kinda of rhythm. In this game they waggled the bat up and down, straight up and parallel to the ground behind their back. I teach a little waggle but not what I was seeing, and it was consistent with most of the hitters on both teams.As long as the bat starts in the same position at go.
Rajun Cajun
05-25-2009, 03:21 PM
My son just started doing the waggle thing. It doesn't appear to be excessive. If it was I would address it. He nailed 2 doubles and a stand up tripple this weekend so I kept my mouth shut. Since I haven't seen him hit the ball that hard before this season I figure he must be using it to get his hands back a bit as sort of a coil or pre-load.
rkbenn
05-25-2009, 05:20 PM
As long as the bat starts in the same position at go.
I understand that. In this game it was how they where doing it, not that they were.
skipper5
05-25-2009, 06:41 PM
I liken it to infield creep. Approaching a situation where your body needs to react quickly, it's best to put yourself in motion so that you're not responding from zero.
Agent X,
What you said, and the way you said it. I admire your economy of words.
However, many youth and teenaged hitters can't reliably go from bat waggle to their optimal launch position.
Baseball gLove
05-26-2009, 02:52 AM
My 9 year old is a bat wagler. He seems to wagle more than his bat and seems to have very good hand-eye coordination. This is when he was 8U
AgentX
05-26-2009, 05:50 AM
Agent X,
What you said, and the way you said it. I admire your economy of words.
However, many youth and teenaged hitters can't reliably go from bat waggle to their optimal launch position.
Thanks.
I think it depends on what kind of pre-load bat movement they have. For instance, having the bat dip up and down so that it becomes parallel to the ground can potentially leave it wrapped behind the head when loading has to occur.
However, when compared to those who become statues at the plate while waiting for a pitch, it appears to me that there is still more advantage in it.
Drill
05-26-2009, 08:41 AM
Its a personal preference/style/relaxing and pre-load thingy
IMHO,
drill
PS agree very much, its an advantage in that they have the timing down of the waggle and load. Just another reason for getting paid to play.
However, when compared to those who become statues at the plate while waiting for a pitch, it appears to me that there is still more advantage in it.