Posted by: Kyle () on Fri Mar 10 07:51:46 2006

Jack,

I know one of the main topics on this site has been about weight shift and its role in hitting a baseball. I have found that hitting a baseball and throwing a baseball are similar in many respects. With this said, a pitcher (or anyone that throws a ball) combines rotation with momentum towards their target. I don't think anyone would teach a pitcher to just rotate without creating any momentum forward. I understand your emphasis on the importance of rotation, but I have found that many players have been taught to just spin and have their weight falling backwards as they are making contact. To me it doesn't make sense to have your weight falling backwards as you are trying to hit the ball forwards. I have always told my players that they must rotate until contact with the ball and then let their weight follow (similar to a pitcher). I have especially stressed this concept on outside pitches. Do you agree that a hitter who just "spins" and collapses backwards will have trouble driving an outside pitch? In addition, would you agree that most major league hitters get their weight through the ball on a pitch that is middle-out more so than on an inside pitch? Robert K. Adair stresses the importance of rotation AS WELL AS translation in his book.