Posted by: mrh (indyhoopy@comcast.net) on Sat Nov 15 20:04:35 2008

Jack, my son is attending a Mike Epstein hitting clinic this weekend. He is being taught a combination of rotational and linear mechanics. The hips open, then the shulders deliver the hands straight at the pitcher with the bat 90 degrees to the ball, until contact and then the hands "roll" after contact. Mike is also teaching the straight front leg and the tilt in the axis as a result of the batter "sitting" on his rear leg.

I am a little confused as the instructor showed photos of Josh Hamilton and Barry Bonds the first evening claiming they use the same rotational hitting techniques they teach. However, in the photos they showed, neither had their hands moving in a straight (linear)path towards the pitcher. The only way to substantiate their hand position at impact would be the use of circular motion.

My son also mentioned that the instructor told them not to watch the bat hit the ball. That seems a little radical, even golfers swinging at a stationary object must "look" at the ball, seems like baseball is even more important. Also, the photo of Josh Hamilton, shows his eyes looking down the barrel of the bat, at the ball making contact.

MRH - confused