Posted by: rql () on Tue Jun 22 21:23:33 2004

>>> When I said they were clobbering the ball, I meant they have obviously clobbered the ball in college, with >.350+ batting averages.
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> I would suggest most of the players we are seeing in the CWS are using the techiniques I have indicated. This is no different than in the major leagues, as Jack has indicated. I saw BJ Upton being instructed last year almost verbatim what Harold Reynolds was talking about the other night, ie knob the the ball.
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> It would be a lot easier for you to point out the college players ones that are using really good rotational mechanics. <<<
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> Hi Nick
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> Can to show, or refer us to, any clips of Major League hitters who consistently hit for both power and average (.300+, 30+ hr) who exhibit the linear mechanics shown in the six clips you presented.
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> Jack Mankin
> I will pass on my thoughts with the experience that I have played in the CWS,caught right in front of the umps and had a homerun record there before they messed with the bats and the field dimensions.1st off most hitters are taught all the linear mechanics growing up and even in college,I have watched the drills and talked to players.The metal bats allow this technique to prosper and good batting avg. can be had with these bats,ex[look at the 2 hoppers up the middle on balls middle in and slightly jammed,they inside out the ball, outside the sweet spot but with enough pop to jump through the infield.How many jammed texas leaguers fall[many]that would be broken bat pop ups to short and 2nd with a wood bat.Mississippi state teaches hit the other way and when they get a Will Clark or Palmeiro in the program they shut up to them.They try to milk the most out of what the metal bat will do for the team instead of teaching dominating mechanics.The air is light in omaha and when the wind blows out to left a linear swing can get the ball out of there.However even though someone may be taught linear and they may exaggerate linear in the on deck circle good hitters at that level have a percentage of times where they just naturally turn on the ball and do things right and the ball just jumps out of there.There coach won't jump their butt for not leading with the knob,so it slips in sometimes and you get guys with double digit homers and big avg.in college. These hitters have great handeye and good ability to think along with the pitcher[important part of hitting,it allows good mechanics and timing to evolve.]The big question is can the hitters adjust to the wooden bat in pro.Either you need tremendous handeye[Boggs and Gwynn and be able to stay somewhat linear and smarter than a pitcher or you have to adjust your swing,many power hitters in college are never heard of again because there routine homerun in college is just a fly ball in pro and they must step up to somewhat better pitching day in and day out.
The umpire is not a real issue on balls and strikes the hitter still looks for and gets his share of hitters pitches,on tv at least the camera is at a slight angle and makes some pitches look off the plate and they will miss a few but not an issue on how you start the at bat off.Big error by ump was throwing usc millelo out on play at the plate when he bumped into catcher.I had my teeth knocked out out there by a guy throwing an elbow trying to score the winning run at home plate and I was determined to stop him[big price but it was well worth it to me at the time to save the game,as the ump called him out I just stood over him and spit my blood on him and dared him to jump up,then I went to the medic had him chew some gum soft and packed it around my front teeth to hold them in ,walked up to home plate to start the inning off spit some more blood on home plate and drove the 1st pitch off the wall.All of that was legal then and I did'nt give it a second thought that was how the game was played but if I was millelo and the call would have stood [being thrown out]I would have went back on the field and punched that old son of a bitch right in the forehead for throwing me out of my dream on something like that,but that's just me.Otherwise I would say they are okay out there behind the plate but I have not seen all the games.
Last on hitting thought,if I could take the rotational swing that I have learned from Jack and consistently and consciously try to apply it to every at bat I believe I could have hit 35 homeruns in college and still kept my b.a. over 400 as I did with the linear swing most of the time.rql