Cleaveland indiands' position player Russ Canzler hit his first career home run in MLB at september 7, 2012. He read this page and sent an impression to me. Congratulations on your start of dazzling career.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUNI4zOlfbI&feature=plcp
Now, I wont to write about some suggestions on your batting. As I had ever said, flexibility and smoothness are strong points of your swing. So you are good at hitting to opposite field like this video. This type extra-base hit can be said as your trade mark.
Then, I would like to give you two examples of succeeding hitter. They have taken little minor change in their behavior at batters box between 2011 and 2012 season. And they are marking remarkable batting stats in this season (2012 season). "They" means Andrew McCutchen and Josh Hamilton.
Andrew McCutchen (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhCubz2qbH0&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbmmvk69C0g&feature=plcp
Andrew McCutchen (2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrrHVIv7aW4&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ShZGfmZEk&feature=plcp
Josh Hamilton (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTvOkXhFi4U&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2_NqJ3YsaU&feature=plcp
Josh Hamilton (2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1cvX-k3OiI&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOq_cE1Tjo4&feature=plcp
As you can see, in 2012 season, these two hitters are putting their bat on the shoulder while they are waiting next pitch. As a result, their arm's muscle can avoid from heavy load of their bat. So, they can keep muscle flexibility and produce the smooth swing. I,m sure this effect must be one of the primary reason of their high batting stats in 2012 season.
However, their way are only just one way for the smooth swing. The most important point is that arm's muscle does't get tired by bat's weight. Because if arm's muscle get hard, swing will lose smoothness and flexibility.
For example, some hitters keep their bat-head down till just before the pitch is thrown. Mark McGwire (0.12~) was a typical case of that. And a case of Alex Rios in 2010 season, he had been keeping his bat in low position and standing it upright. These any ways are effective on keeping arm's muscle flexible.
The most important point is that you should not keep a bat in launch position for a long interval. In particular, if you lays a bat down over the shoulder (or tilts a bat over 45 degrees) at launch position, this theme must be considered as an important theme. Because a stick like a baseball bat is felt so heavy when it is tilted. It is effect of lever principle.
But there is one thing that I must say as a supplementary note of this theme. That is to say, it does not mean that the more short time your bat is put in launch position, the more better your swing will be. A certain amount of time is necessary before the swing after you set your bat in launch position. While this time, you can check the balance of batting stance or weight distribution, and you can feel your body weight goes down to the ground through your both feet. These are very important for good and strong swing. Then, I give here some examples of good swing that has just right interval before the swing.
George Cantu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwz9Y0KImEY&feature=relmfu
Mark Trumbo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paj8whCPaTM&feature=plcp
Adam Dunn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drQND-WBRuY&feature=plcp
Cartis Granderson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG56S5_Z2SA&feature=plcp
Josh Willingham http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WWoXPmnJNM&feature=plcp
Derek Jeter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3VfEhSMW5o&feature=plcp
Adrian Beltre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q03x2BmCf04&feature=plcp
Ichiro (1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fc6YB1BRw
Ichiro (2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_3qrcPQmaU
Yoennis Céspedes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJMTjKvtsko&feature=plcp
Robinson Cano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZSD0FvdGBc&feature=plcp
Joe Mauer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj4kwQlopD0&feature=plcp
Ryan Howard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIcTRuJWpDE&feature=plcp
Paul konerko http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdWY7qnhEoc&feature=plcp
Joey Votto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICfR09dEnz4&feature=plcp
Jim thome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Siyqza1N-oY&feature=plcp
Adam Jones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp5qLqeTiyU&feature=plcp
The reason why I am emphasizing this theme is that Russ Canzler's batting needs to be considered it especially.
So now, I give you the reason in itemized form below.
1) At the batting stance, your bat is been setting comparatively high position and it is near launch position (top of swing). ※ This is a good position in terms of position itself. But in that position, arm's muscle is easy to get tired.
2) At the batting stance, your bat is tilted over 45 degrees. This angle is slightly too much tilted compared with the right angle. However, physical characteristics depends on person. And right position of batting stance depends on physical characteristics. Therefore, I will not say that you should stand your bat slightly up to about 45 degrees. But there is one thing I can say is that baseball bat is felt so heavy by lever principle when it is tilted. So in the case of "tilting bat hitter", hardening of arm's muscle must be considered as very important theme. Then, let's compare "tilting bat hitter" and "standing bat hitter" from the point of view of strength and weakness.
"tilting bat hitter"
Alex Rodriguez http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3oYx-w-_Gs&feature=plcp
Ryan Howard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVUZXBE8jbc&feature=plcp
Joey Votto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICfR09dEnz4&feature=plcp
strength: It means good posture from the point of anatomical view and it makes easy to start swing quickly. (because near to the launch position)
weakness: Arm's muscle tends to get hard.
"standing bat hitter"
Edwin Encarnacion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq_V3LRLopA&feature=plcp
J.J. Hardy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUt-HIeW34E&feature=plcp
Michael Morse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPLjm9iOLAM&feature=plcp
strength: It makes easy to keep arm's muscle relax.
weakness: As an anatomical form, it can't be said as ideal form.
3) Russ Canzler is essentially a spray hitter with smooth and flexible swing. He is not a big muscle power hitter like Jose Canseco, Albert Bell, or Juan Gonzalez.
hitting to right fieid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eapf48lx4d8&feature=plcp
hitting to left field
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1c1aM-82gw&feature=plcp
hitting to center field
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Q3Q9uc4H8&feature=plcp
In the case of spray hitter, muscle flexibility is lifeline of smooth swing. So, it should be considered as one of the most important theme.
From the above (1) to (3) point, especially for Russ Canzler, this theme can be said as a key point.
And as the end of this article, I give you some patterns of way for waiting next pitch with keeping arm's muscle relax.
1) putting a bat on shoulder
Josh Hamilton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZaka5CCXpo&feature=plcp
Andrew McCutchen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxU6rYS9PK8&feature=plcp
Adrian Gozalez http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq0tWQnH6Zc&feature=plcp
Robinson Cano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL0A_sqLbxY&feature=plcp
Alex Rios (09) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGawgtFCBAM&feature=plcp
Russ Canzler http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Q3Q9uc4H8&feature=plcp
2) keeping bat head down
Mark Mcgwire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE1Y9pVdk6c
Adam Dunn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hZT9vXKywo&feature=plcp
Yoennis cespedes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U2CVO1Jn5o&feature=plcp
Hanter pence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF8g72a9M0M&feature=plcp
Carlos Beltran http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEoLvWGatXM&feature=plcp
3) waiting with standing a bat upright and putting it in low position
Alex Rios (10) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnIhDWm9pss&feature=plcp
Adrian Beltre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfQcuKKGAi4&feature=plcp
4) waggling a bat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg2-ci7jpB0&feature=plcp and other many hitters
Epilogue
Dear Russ
You have already given something impression to Major League Baseball. Now, things are going smoothly. So now, I want to take a wait-and-see attitude for your concentration on left of this season. And if you can not sleep before something big game, You should drink vegetable juice. I am drinking it 1liter every weekday. Vegetable juice contain melatonin rich. For being a winner in life, studying sleep is important. That's my philosophy. Congratulations and good luck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Q3Q9uc4H8&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1c1aM-82gw&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eapf48lx4d8&feature=plcp
