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=== Nick Franklin Frame 1, Ready Position ===
These photos are just random screen grabs from his swings in the 2010 MWL homer derby, around the 0:39 mark.
it ain't like we cherry-picked the best we could find; these are the first we found. The pic quality isn't great; the live video is going to get the point across much better. Two windows, gentlemen.
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Pic 1 shows Franklin's ready position. No big deal here, but note the following items:
- Hands beautifully shoulder-high and in fact imperceptibly "connected" with his shoulder plane
- Kinetic energy loaded calmly and explosively in the back leg (front leg unweighted)
- Lead arm already comfortably under torsion
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=== Nick Franklin Frame 2, Launch Position ===
Frame 2 makes you want to cry.
Keep in mind, that the MAIN thing that a hitter wants to do, as the pitch is being released, is to (1) push his hands back and (2) step forward to the pitcher.
This creates a "stretching the rubber band" effect and no hitter on earth can generate power without it. Jack Nicklaus, for example, coaching 70-year-old golfers, continually reminds seniors that they'll "give the ball a fine ride" if they can stretch the rubber band as far as it will go (within bounds of control).
There are many classical checkpoints the hitting coaches use here:
- Separate hands from body
- Keep hands high
- Back shoulder 2 inches above front shoulder
- Front shoulder closed (that is, tied to the catcher)
- Shift weight to center
- Be aware of how much the bat is wrapping behind the head (more wrap = longer swing)
- etc etc etc
But these are debatable -- see batspeed.com if you want actual debates -- and the real dynamic here is, are the muscles in Franklin's body being stretched almost to the point of pain?
Here, to get the idea of just how splendiferous Franklin's motion is, do these four things.
(1) Look at Rickey's ready position.
(2) Remember that Rickey was AWEsome, and that as a small man, he hit 20 
homers per year from ages 25-34.
(3) Stand up and do this bat-launch splay position -- lead hand wayyyyy back, front foot wayyyyy forward -- (A) with Rickey's bent back knee and super low CG, and then (B) with Franklin's "pike" straight knee and high CG. See the difference in torsion?
(4) Review the video of Franklin's swing to get a sense of Franklin's rubber-band dynamic.
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