Posted by: () on Mon Apr 21 17:13:29 2003

>>> It's called linear. Some can hit that way. Most cannot. <<<
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> > > > > Hi Teacherman
> > > > >
> > > > > If by “linear” you mean "hands straight to the ball", please explain how he makes up for the loss of bat speed generated by the angular displacement of the hands (circular hand-path)?
> > > >
> > > > IMHO every hitter has a circular hand path. Everyone rotates therefore everyones hand path turns circular at some point. I believe the tightness of the circular hand path is the issue. If your hands go straight to the ball they eventually turn circular as you rotate. But the path is not very tight. If your hands never go straight to the ball they turn circular immediately. This latter example is a much tighter hand path and allows much more quickness.
> > > >
> > > > IMHO ARod is very linear and relies on his athletic gift to accomplish what he does. Less athletes cannot do what ARod does. And, it is my opinion, that ARod would have Bonds like numbers if he was rotational.
> > >
> > > Teacherman, After 7 full years in the big leagues at age 26, A-Rods numbers are much better than Bonds after his first 7 full seasons. In fact, it is not even close: A-Rod .309 BA, 298 HR's, 255 2B's and 872 RBI. Bonds .270 BA, 166 Hr's 212 2B's and 556 RBI. Also, this year A-Rod became the youngest player in history to hit 300 Hr's. I have a good idea-----lets change A-Rods swing and approach.
> > >
> > > Doug
> > > > >
> >
> >
> > Doug, I HAVE AN IDEA. Let's compare Bonds and A-Rod when Bonds was not as good as he is now. Do this. Go to espn.com, look up Major Leage Baseball players, and look up both Bonds and A-Rod. Compare their last three years (2000, 2001, 2002). Now tell me who is the better hitter.
>
> How about the past 7 years? Bonds, .309 BA, 321 Hr's, 208 2B's and 788 RBI. A-Rod .309BA, 298 HR's, 255 2B's and 872 RBI.And A-Rod is just getting started.
>
> Doug


Why go back seven years? That is a pretty long time. Bonds is the best hitter in the game today, right now, no questions asked. When I talk about "today" and "Bonds like numbers", I'm talking about recently (last couple of years). It's no secret that Bonds is a much better hitter now vs. when he first came up. "Bonds like numbers" are talking about his unbelievable last couple of years in which he destroyed the single season HR and set the record for most walks in a season. Yes, A-Rod may end up a better hitter, but only time will tell. And he is not better than Bonds right now! And you failed to include some important stats: slugging percentage and on-base percentage. I know (at least in the last three years) that Bonds is much better in those categories than A-Rod. And to prove my point:

If you had to pick between Bonds and A-Rod to be the DH (to make it fair by not including different defensive positions) on your team for this year, who would it be?