Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Thu Nov 9 12:40:46 2000

>>>..i too would like to put some names behind these numbers because i find it hard to believe there were that few in number who were rotational......to jack.....is it safe to generally equate linear with weight shift & rotational with circular hand path?....if so, then i think your numbers are WAY off....respectfully, grc.....<<<

Hi grc

Of course you will not find many good hitters using linear mechanics. That's the point - why are the young players being subjected to it. It certainly was not me who defined the mechanics presently being taught (linear mechanics) as "A to B"- "Knob To The Ball"- "Throw The Hands" or "Keep the Lead Elbow Bent"- "Keep Your Shoulder In There"- "Transfer Your Weight Forward To A Firm Front Side." Of course that is not what videos of good hitters will reveal. But, I am sorry to say that is just what most of the kids are being taught. Do you think the "Fence Drill" is taught to promote a circular-hand-path? Hell no, they do everything they can to discourage it.

So most batters rotate and most have some arc in their hand-path but they do not apply forces to the bat that generate great bat speed at the contact point. --- Once again here is what I said earlier:

"If we define a linear hitter as having a hand-path that is straight all the way from A to B, we would find few of them in the professional ranks. This would require the hands to be 6 to 8 inches away from the body at initiation. Although many batters may have the hands away from the body in their stance, most will bring the hands back and in before they are started forward. So most all hitters will have the hands start with some arc in their path.

RQL, to me a linear swing is also defined by the direction of force of the hands at initiation. If the force of BOTH hands is directed more back toward the pitcher - it's linear --- If the forces are in opposing directions - it's rotational."

Jack Mankin