Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Fri Apr 8 11:59:46 2005

> > > > > Jack,
> > > > > I can't say how impressed I am with your DVD. You were able to credibly articulate how to swing a bat in a way that is not only counter-intuitive, but contrary to all the so-called "fundamentals" most of us have learned. Now if I can unlearn as much as I have learned, I will do OK.
> > > > >
> > > > > As the (ehem) Coach on my slowpitch team, I have always appreciated the merits of NOT going 1-3 with 2 popups and a sexy 400ft. solo shot, so I have preached the merits of "humble hitting". Consequently, I have used our right field, Green Monster-style wall the way Wade Boggs did to hit doubles and for average. I have made a good living off of hitting to the spots on the field the defense gave me, and keeping runners moving. But after watching the Final Arc and doing my early stages hitting with the prescribed mechanics, I am flat-out unable to reconcile my wish to hit to the opposite field with proper rotational technique. I'm pulling everything. To be fair, I am hitting laser beams already that no one may get to, and if I can continue to hit the ball this hard, my average will not suffer at all. But I still want to know if/how to "go with the pitch" or hit to spots. I realize pitch selection is key, but keeping my hands out in front is not an option anymore with rotational mechanics.
> > > > >
> > > > > Should I just concentrate on pure technique for now, or is there a way to develop my ability to use all fields with proper rotational technique at the same time?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > > Bill
> > > >
> > > > 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.
>
>
> A slowpitch softball approch and a baseball approach is different...what you can get away with in slowpich will be exposed at the MLB level.
>
> Are we discussing "good hitting" or are we just trying to talk about how to hit homeruns?? As much as you would like to think the Jr. is dead pull, when he looks away he has just as much power to left center as he does to right center...
>
> I'm a true believer in this concept...with very little coaching all kids (even those with very little talent) can pull the ball...there is a transformation a young hitter must go through in understanding how you hit the ball squarely and with power to the right side. Once the hitter understands this they then must re-learn how to hit the inside pitch correctly...without a hook swing. Hitting the ball HARD (squarely with backspins) should be the goal...depending on the tactful advantage of counts and pitchers tendencies…this dictates where and what the hitter wants to look for, or , what side of the plate (or what speed) he is going to aggressive with or take. The problem some hitter have is learning how to do this is difficult...pulling is easy...just because its easy doesn’t make it the best way.

Hi Scott:

Even before Mac went from to 225 LBS, in 1994, to 250 LBS, in 1995, he spoke of important lessons in his biography, "Home Run Hero," authored by Rob Reins: that hitting the ball to all fields would be detrimental to his mechanics.

On the other hand, Greg Vaughn, under the tutelage of Tony Gwynn, learned to go to all fields, and hit 50 home runs.

This brings up an individual's polar inclinations and roots of questions. The question to the former can be phrased accordingly: why have I been trained to cater to my weaknesses, rather than my strengths? The question to the latter seeks a solution: how do I fix my problems to cater to my strengths?

Unfortunately, Big Mac, and some small baseball players with bat speed, can "demolish" the ball if they pull everything, but they have been taught to use the entire field. The moment they realize pull hitting is in their best interest, the career will take out, as did Big Mac's.

Contrariwise, if a big player is told to pull all pitches, and he / she can hit low and away pitches over the opposite field fence, this can impinge on his / her development. The solution he / she seeks will be the same remedy that Greg Vaughn sought.

I'm a PFO supporter, but would never force my opinion on anyone else--I merely argue my case, and welcome input.

Best Wishes Scott and Bill,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com

P.S. In Mac's biography, I believe that Merv Rettenmund said that in 1989, Mac was hitting the ball hard, these translated into "tough outs." Scott, you have a good point here.