Posted by: Coach C () on Tue Dec 23 02:01:22 2003

As it is in golf:

Linear: Head past center during the swing and at contact.

Rotational: Head at center or behind center at contact.

In other words move head past center at foot plant and you are not pure rotational. Even great hitters become linear (head past center)when they are fooled.

100% of amateurs use the lower half incorrectly to drive rotation. Rotation is the art of sitting or standing between the legs (never on) while we swing. This is also how the head stays quiet during the stride and swing. The upper body must lead the swing (although video will show the hips lead in all swings) with loose limbs (shoulders/arms/hands)and never with the front side pulling, which is what happens when the lower body try's to rotate. As I've mentioned before in previous posts I can stride 15 inches (ala Hank Aaron) and be completed rotational if I follow the not so simple rule of staying behind my center. Today's hitters have figured out that with a little stride, power is maintained and head movement is extremely minimal so they've adapted (in part to better pitching I'm sure).

I do not agree that A-rod is linear with his upper body at all, because he normally hits between his legs (even bent at times).

I would ask Lamber this question........

"Who has a tighter hand path...Bonds or A-Rod. I'll give a hint.....one stands on the plate.

If A-Rod were linear with his upper body, why doesn't he have a tighter hand path then Bonds? A-Rod has a wider swing radius, because his lower body is over-rotatiing too far ahead of him and without lead arm extension he'd top a ton of balls and probably fall over. You see this often with A-rod with excessive body lean over the plate on some hits.

I see A-Rod as a superior hitter, but he would do even better by quieting his lower body, which would minimize his sometimes excessive head movement. This one of the reasons he's tapered off in recent years in average, while Bonds has improved!! Bonds hits out of box in his minds eye that never moves, while A-rod's hitting box is somewhat distorted, when he moves to the ball with his active legs. Bonds waits for balls to get to him, while A-Rod goes to balls. Imagine that...an MVP with room to improve and if I see him, I'll tell him!!!!

Late,

Coach C