Posted by: bill c (billchristina@verizon.net) on Fri Apr 8 08:00:55 2005

> > > Hi Bill:
> > >
> > > If you are successful in pulling everything, keep doing it! Pull hitting allows you to "knock" the ball over the shortest fence--more precisely, the fence where the ball can be struck with the greatest authority. Ott, Williams, and McGwire pulled almost pitches--regardless of rotation in the strike zone. For more information on pull hitting, see my March 2004 posts called "Power (or Pull) Field Orientation)."
> > >
> > > Best Wishes,
> > > BHL
> > > Knight1285@aol.com
> > >
> > > P.S. My advice is to keep pulling everything!
> >
> >
> > Find me one credible source, either a big league hitter or hitting instructor that is in favor of this "pull everything" philosophy and I will at least think about not laughing out loud at this hitting advise. And I’m not talking about your opinion of McGuire’s swing or Williams swing, I’m talking about from the horses mouth...I’m talking about a big league hitting coach or an organization attempting to implement this philosophy...?
> >
> > Why and how do Steve Avery and Kirk Reader (two or three ago all be it) get people out?
>
> Hi Scott:
>
> Jr. Griffey, for sure, is a PFO.
>
> Scott, pulling every pitch is more of a mental strategem than a hitting mechanic.
>
> I would never tinker with Piazza's opposite field approach during his prime because he was successful doing it.
>
> I'm going to have to disagree with you politely on this issue...if Bill's successful pulling every pitch, let him do just that. Besides, it is easy to pull every pitch in Slow Pitch Softball. At the Superlevel, Wendell Rickard employs this strategy, as does Mark Martin, Scott Holt, Doug Johnson, and Mike Weismar. The only person who is not a PFO is Ric Lucas.
>
> The first priority of coaches, in my opinion, is guidance, not superimposing their mental strategies on others.
>
> Finally, I am diametrically opposed MLB's cliches, one of them which is hitting to all fields. For instance, when instructors herald a guy like Ken Griffey Jr. as a spray hitter, they ignore the fact that statistics prove him to be a dead pull hitter.
>
> Well, it's nice to debate.
>
> Sincerely,
> BHL
> Knight1285@aol.com
>
> P.S. Scott, let's not rely on instructors--they have their opinions. Let's agree to analyze what percentage of pitches--regardless of location--the top home run hitters in the league pull. This idea came from an unnamed source in my March posts, and now I feel it is time that I put it to good use. By the way, if you search through the months with questions about PFO's--I believe it is late 2004--there is a person that names an individual that teaches my way of thinking.
>
> One last thing--the presentation was dynamic. I'll give you feedback in a day or so on the hitting material.

Thanks BHL,
I’ve read your previous posts and a number of others and I think I understand where you are coming from. If I’m reading you right, then I believe you are saying/implying that the following are true:

1) If a batter hit the same exact pitch/ball to different parts of the park, it would naturally travel farther—all other things being equal—to the pull side of the park.

2) The fundamental mechanics of hitting the opposite way are at odds with proper rotational techniques.

3) The increase in velocity of the ball through the infield using rotational hitting should compensate for what I might lose in hitting to the holes in the defense in all parts of the field.

4) (All?) hitters will have the ability to hit HR’s if they use proper technique. There seems to be a clear assumption that rotational hitting will result in HR’s.

If I have this correct, the only point I think is worth making about this (especially from the coaching aspect of it) is that “productivity” rather than the single-mindedness of hitting HR's should be the emphasis. In watching the DVD, they do emphasize power, but they don’t necessarily equate that to home runs. I’m reluctant at best to use this hitting method for the purpose of hitting home runs, although I’ll be glad when I get them. I think that that I is the mentality of players playing for stats rather than the team. My bottom line is: will I be a more productive overall hitter simply using rotational mechanics or by using these mechanics while still trying to hit all parts of the field?
Thanks

FYI—I hit RH and can hit it out to all fields, although I don’t go yard often. Our right field is 30 feet shorter than left, but the fence in right is 40’ high.