Posted by: The Hitting Guru (hitman3527@aol.com) on Sat Jan 7 18:35:05 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"
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> 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.
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> " Do you think he might benefit from a different technique in order to at least put the ball in play? "
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> 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.
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> "I just do not think that it is acceptable for a player to strike out over 100+ times consistently"
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> 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.
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> 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.


Excuse me, as I stand some what corrected on some of my points. But I feel that I have to take my comments to an extreme to get across a topic for further review and discussion.

Though A-rod may have statistics that are normally used to explain production, the question statement comes to mind "don't tell me what you hit, tell me when you hit it. Basically that means does a player perform in the clutch or is he caught clutching his throat.

Don't get me wrong A-rod is a great player. But around the league if a game was on the line and you needed a hitter to come up with a big hit his name would probably not be among the top five (perhaps not among the top 3 on the yankees.)

With regard to my point about him changing his entire approach during a crucial moment, this was food for thought. And an eckstein slap might just be better than an A-rod wiff or pop up to right field. But I agree with Jack as well to stay with what got you there. The problem though is what do you do when what got you there is not working. Some type of adjustment has to be attempted.

An out is not an out for the most part. Sometimes a player has to put the ball in play in order to advance runners. That is how the White Sox prospered. And for the record, the player mentioned are stiking out closer to 25% of the time as opposed to 10%.

I appreciate the rotational theory and realize all players can benefit if done correctly. My major concern is what adjustments if any can be made if a player is looked upon as having a slider speed bat as A-Rod was referred to on ESPN's scouting report or if that player is getting over matched consistently under playoff pressure. But I will look further into your constructive opinions.