An Analysis of Albert Pujols' Swing

2/14/2008

Of all the swing analyses I have put together, the ones I have done of Albert Pujols are probably the most popular. For that reason, I have been searching out other clips of Albert Pujols to analyze.

Albert Pujols Swing

I recently came across the clip above of Albert Pujols hitting what I think is a home run to Left Field during the 2005 NLCS. Let's go through some of the key frames of this clip and see what it can teach us about how Albert Pujols swings the bat. Keep in mind that all of my analyses are done from the perspective of Rotational Hitting. Also, I have created a PDF version of this analysis of Albert Pujols' swing if you would prefer to view my analysis that way.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 02

The first thing to notice is Albert Pujols' posture as he sets up. While his stance is a little wider than is typical, the things to focus on are how his weight is more on his back leg (which will help him shift his weight onto his front side), his knees are quite bent, and his butt is sticking out toward Third Base. All of this will enable him to swing with his entire body, and in particular with the muscles of his core, rather than with just his arms.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 20

In Frame 20, Albert Pujols is in the middle of his short stride (which is only 6 or so inches). The point of Albert Pujols' short stride is to shift his weight onto his back leg so that he can then shift it onto his front leg which will help to power his hip rotation.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 29

In Frame 29, Albert Pujols' front heel is in the process of planting and he is just about to start his swing.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 30

In Frame 30, Albert Pujols' front heel has planted and he is just starting to swing (notice the blurring of the head of the bat. One thing to notice in Frame 30 is how Albert Pujols' hips are rotating ahead of his hands (and his shoulders). Compare the position of the team logo on his chest in Frame 29 and Frame 30. Notice how his number has rotated farther to the right in Frame 30 than it is in Frame 29.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 31

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 32

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 33

In Frame 33, Albert Pujols' hips have continued to rapidly rotate. This is doing two things. First, it is pulling his shoulders and thus his hands around. Second, it is pulling him up onto the toe of his back foot. Some people think that hitters push off of their back feet to get to this position, but you can tell from how Albert Pujols' back foot is moving (and how there is no bend in the front part of his shoe) that this is a pull and not a push.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 34

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 35

Although it's a bit hard to see in this clip, in Frame 35 Albert Pujols' back toe has just come up off the ground. Albert Pujols certainly does not squish the bug through the Point Of Contact (POC).

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 36

In Frame 36, Albert Pujols' shoulders have pretty much stopped rotating, which is causing the head of the bat to start whipping out into the path of the ball. One thing to notice in Frame 36 is Albert Pujols' connection; how his hands are turning with his back shoulder rather than extending and flying away from his back shoulder. Albert Pujols does extend his arms, but not until after the Point Of Contact.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 37

In Frame 37, notice how Albert Pujols is extending his front knee, which is helping to power the rapid rotation of his hips.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 38

Frame 38 represents the Point Of Contact. Some things to notice are how Albert Pujols' back toe is up in the air, how his front knee has continued to extend, and how his hands haven't moved much while the head of the bat has whipped out into the path of the ball. Also notice how Albert Pujols is connected, rather than extended, at the Point Of Contact. Notice how Albert Pujols' back elbow is bent 90 degrees, how his back elbow is relatively close to his side, and how his hands are still relatively close to his back shoulder.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 39

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 40

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 41

In Frame 41, the centrifugal force of the bat has started to pull Albert Pujols out into a position of extension. However, the thing to notice is that this is happening after the Point Of Contact. This means that extension is the effect of a powerful swing rather than the cause of a powerful swing.

Albert Pujols Swing - Frame 59

One final thing to notice is that in Frame 59 Albert Pujols is in a position that looks like squishing the bug. While this may be the case, the point is that this is well after the Point Of Contact. At the Point Of Contact, Albert Pujols was not squishing the bug. Instead, his back toe was up in the air.