Aaron Cunningham's Swing - Your Thoughts
by Kyle Boddy on Jan 10, 2009 11:31 AM PST
in Hitting Mechanics
16 comments
(Hat Tip: ProspectTube)
This is Aaron Cunningham hitting a single while in the Visalia Oaks organization.
What do you see?
I'll post my thoughts later if this post generates enough interest.
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Am I imagining things
or does he almost fall down at the end of this video? His right foot looks like it ends in a very awkward position.
by jwiscarson on Jan 10, 2009 12:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
I don't know
how you are going to hit for any power sliding your back foot like that
by eaheckman10 on Jan 10, 2009 12:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Frank Thomas could
but big frank was one massive dude.
Mass X Acceleration = Force
by SteveP on Jan 10, 2009 4:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That is a very quick swing through the zone
I’m also not entirely sure what the left foot lift-plant thing is, a timing tap perhaps? It doesn’t look it’s generating much leverage and he seems to put it back down in almost the exact same spot.
As an A’s fan I definitely would appreciate it if you did share your thoughts.
Can't get enough of the Oakland A's? Visit Oaktown Awesomer's
by iamawesomer on Jan 10, 2009 1:11 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
His head goes up
I went back and looked at the videos for Smoak and Mauer and their heads go down, perhaps following the trajectory of the ball? Cunningham shifts back but goes up and over in route to the ball. He’s got a quick swing but he seems off balanced or out of whack in his legs.
The monster at the end of this blog.
by grover on Jan 10, 2009 1:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
newbie here
but i just love all this analysis and hope i can keep up. I agree with the upward motion, thats the first thing that caught my eye. His back elbow is almost a little too high for my tastes as well.
by BamaVon on Jan 10, 2009 2:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Looks very short and quick.
i’m not sure if he’s inside-outing the ball but it doesn’t look like he would generate a lot of power. He doesn’t extend his arms very much, they look very tight.
by Brendan Scolari on Jan 11, 2009 12:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Reminds me of Ian Kinsler.
"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract
by tyd3311 on Jan 11, 2009 6:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
His upper body….what I call his Second Engine….is pretty good. But, this swing is almost completely an upper body swing. He gets nothing but momentum out of the lower body. There is no ‘engine’ there.
How does one know?
Watch how he doesn’t allow the rear hip to get in front of the hands. That rear hip must be TURNING forward before the hands go. It is not. He has short cut the system. He has bypassed his biggest power source. Therefore…..he can not achieve the high level ‘stretch and fire’ mechanics.
The fix is simple….on paper. He simply has to allow a lower body running start to allow him to get to the proper launch position. He never achieves the proper launch position….therefore he short cuts the system and doesn’t reap the benefit of the whip.
Notice all that Bonds gets out of the way before he launches. Notice how deep into the swing he gets BEFORE he swings.
Bonds ‘whips’. Cunningham ‘pushes’. Bonds gains the mechanical advantage. Cunningham does not.
P.S. I have one two many ‘nopes’ in the clip.
by Teacherman on Jan 11, 2009 8:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
How do you know?
"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract
by tyd3311 on Jan 12, 2009 11:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
talk about using absolutely no lower body
Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.
by doublestix on Jan 12, 2009 2:46 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
I wasn't very impressed with Cunningham when I saw him play the Royals
I find it highly doubtful he ever has the bat to carry a corner OF spot.
Zack totally overmatched him with the fastball and I think this video shows why. Bad hip movement and he doesn’t appear to use his left leg well as a block.
It takes 46 muscles to frown but only 4 to flip 'em the bird.
by kcscoliny on Jan 12, 2009 1:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Tight, compact swing, very short stride. Hard to know if this is typical (especially the short stride) or a specific response to this pitch, i.e. speeding up his stride to catch up to heat. Obviously the swing won’t generate much power, but is this a typical swing for him? If so, I would guess he posts good contact rates and very little power (relying on line drives into the gaps for doubles).
by kirkd on Jan 12, 2009 6:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
My thoughts...
very quick hands… straight to the ball… great loading mechanism for him. Not much drive off the back leg, won’t hit for much power, looks like a decent average type hitter. Probably a pesky hitter. Looks to get the bat through and probably can hit all types of pitches for decent contact. Good stiff front leg at contact although on this swing his upper body was a little tilted back…
I don’t know anything about this guy so someone let me know about him.
That's why we play the season on paper.
by 306008 on Jan 14, 2009 12:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
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