Posted by: Pro_Hitter (andygreen29@hotmail.com) on Mon Nov 3 10:11:05 2003

Does Hideki Matsui use Rotational hitting or Linear hitting styles?
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>Pat,

Doug makes some very good points here. The way I like to say it is that if a hitter is going to have linear motion in his swing that it completely ends once the front foot hits the ground. Linear motion end when rotational motion begins. Furthermore, linear motion is not necessary but should be allowed, I think. If a hitter is comfortable starting deep and allowing his body to move 12-18 inches forward in order to center his weight, then that is ok. At this time though (when the foot comes down), nothing else should leak forward. So the real part of hitting is still rotational even if a hitter has linear movements.

Andy

Pat, I don't believe there is a linear hitting style. I believe that some hitters will make linear moves, but that real good hitters make rotational moves once the front foot comes down. Matsui is a fine hitter who is rotational, but will make some linear moves. He is not the norm, but he is still a fine hitter. He also tries to roll his wrists into contact and as a result lead all of baseball in groundball outs....I won't tape him and then use him for a model anytime soon.
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> Doug