Posted by: Dave P (cdpaetkau@telus.net) on Thu May 8 16:38:58 2008

> Jack, great way of putting it.You're right. I'm lucky to be able to watch some great hitters here in Red Sox Country.If someone can effectively let the ball get deep, in thoery anyway, they will be able to use the priciples of rotational hitting. Now, regarding Manny, Youkillis, Ortiz, etc.,when the ideal swing is not executed, typically due to being fooled by a pitch or, maybe just protecting more with 2 strikes, there is definitely linear ocurrences here. I've seen many times when Manny has reached away from the body and, just hit the ball away. It was definitley not an example of letting the ball get deep.Youkillis, has done it many times as well.

Just a comment

Linear swings should be defined as a swing where the back arm and the bat are at a 90 degree angle to each other through a major portion of the swing and thus causing the bat to be pushed forward by the back arm while maintaining the 90 degree angle. The wrists become uncocked early in the swing and maintain a rigid position through the pushing part of the swing.

Rotational swings the bat is paralle to the back arm (elbow to wrist) until the body rotates (hips and shoulders)around the spine. The wrists then uncock causing the bat to have an elipitical motion around the spine with the extention of the arms forward as the wrists finish completely uncocking as the driving factor in timing the pitch.

Hitting the ball is a combination of technique, eye hand coordination, timing and the ability to identify the influencing factors that propel the ball and the effect they will have on flight path, direction and speed.

Physical adjustments made by the body during a swing is influenced more by hand eye coordination and the influence factors on the ball more then technique. The technique is the efficent movement of the body and bat to consitantly hit the ball hard with the greatest room for error in judgement of ball flight.

Dave p