Posted by: Andy (aaa.com) on Fri Jan 6 03:17:04 2006

> . "It is common knowledge that Alex Rodriguez is one of the top hitters in the game. But almost without fail he has problems with men in scoring position as well as in big games"

ARod is a lifetime .307 hitter, .305 in the postseason and .304 with runners in scoring position. You've taken one at bat (8th inning of game 4 in 2004) and made an incorrect assumption.


" Do you think he might benefit from a different technique in order to at least put the ball in play? "

You're suggesting the best player in baseball should change his entire approach to hitting (develop an "ecktein slap) during a crucial moment? As Jack brought up, you stay with what got you there.

"I just do not think that it is acceptable for a player to strike out over 100+ times consistently"

For the most part, an out is an out. Offensive prodcution is about scoring runs, If a players develops an approach that makes him strike out 10% more, but he creates more runs that way, it is an effective approach.

IMO "hitting guru", it sounds like you've only known linear-type theory, and you've just read rotaional for the first time. This is a common response to these thories; i.e. asking "isn't it a longer swing, don't you strike out more, don't only stong guys use rotational", etc. I know that was my response when I first read rotational theory years ago, but after doing a little research, especially on video, things become clearer.
Look more into the subject beyond the idea that "Sosa is a rotational guy and Boggs was linear. Rotaional is all or nothing, linear is consistent". It's not that simple.