Posted by: The Hitting Guru (hitman3527@aol.com) on Mon Mar 20 18:16:23 2006

> Go to this website and give me your take on what it says under the Ted Williams - Charlie Lau section. It says how it is better to start off with a linear swing and then finish cirvular. Please reply and let me know if any of this information is right or wrong. Thanks!
>
> The website is http://www.qcbaseball.com/newsletter/newsletter0205.aspx#2
>
> Go to the Ted Williams - Charlie Lau section



Mike. Good research on this topic. The article you chose has a lot of information that brings light to a never ending debate on which method or combination of methods is most effective. And for the sake of argument let us use Ted Williams as our standard since he was a non steroid user but a strong hitter who was rotational and did not make much use of the opposite field.

Ted Williams believed in the slight upswing (as opposed to an uppercut or a chop swing). He believed in the upswing because a pitched ball has a downward movement and as such a better chance for connection is made if an equally upward movement is made in order to meet the incoming pitch.

With regard to your question, the point being suggested is that a swing that is level with the incoming pitch is desired as long as a full rotation is made to complete that swing. In Ted's drawings, he pictures himself or a characiture thereof swinging in an almost level plane (probably in an effort to hit the bottom half of the ball). Whether this or what was said is right or wrong probably depends more on the results.

As a side note, I think we really have to put an asterisk next to comments or references made that include Sosa, McGwire, Bonds, Palmeiro and Giambi. Even though they are considered great hitters, the results achieved by them would not have been gotten had they not used methods that are now ILLEGAL. To prove this point, observe the dramatic drop off once they were considered found out. With the exception of Bonds only McGwire was able to hit for more than 40 homeruns which he did in his first season. Palmeiro was traded from the Cubs because he did not hit for enough power. Sosa was considered not to fit in with the White Sox because of his lack of contact and is now running from the sport. And also had to use a corked bat in order to boost his confidence. Giambi cost the New York Yankees a championship after his loaded body went haywire and could not contribute to their run. And though Barry Bonds still has his skills, there is no telling what damage he has done to his body for which he will have to deal with for the rest of his life. Kids and others need to know that the players who have used and who continue to use these drugs are lucky to be alive let alone be playing in the big leagues. McGwire and Sosa especially have done the game of baseball irreparable damage. Their homerun hoax and having the Maris family follow them that season ranks up their with the Black Sox scandal.