[BerntR]

Can you help me with a better understanding of the why? for right elbow/forearm/sholder anction as it relates to pitch vs. punch when swinging?

The why is that the further forward you can bring your right elbow the later and snappier release you can have.

But what you say about right arm not moving fast enough etc... makes me suspect that you have issues with the synchronization between arms and pivot. Are your arms running away from the pivot perhaps? Your arms should be lagging the pivot all the way through the ball. And you should feel the lag pressure - that the "rope" is tight until low point - through your left hand and your left shoulder. Trying to hit down down down - or even trying to hit down far behind the ball - may help to maintain the lag all the way. Same with thinking that the swing should be completed by a big, long finish.