Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Fri Dec 5 09:12:08 2008

>>> For my money, rotational hitting with a stride is the way to go. One problem I see often is there are many parents and coaches who see a Major League hitter making millions seemingly without any fundamentals at all and they say if it works for Frank Thomas.... I always tell these people that trying to compare your child with a Major Leaguer is a bad idea. These athletes are so rare and talented that many of them rely on natural talent. There are 30 MLB teams with 25 players on the roster, that means there are only 750 players, 300 of them are pitchers, that leaves only 450 MLB hitters IN THE WORLD...I'm sure you get my drift. Be smart and teach the tried and tested fundamentals, then when your childs becomes older and more sucessful, he or she will develope his or her own style that will make them unique. <<<

Hi Coach Theune

We agree, rotational principles are the way to go. However, you go on to say, "teach the tried and tested fundamentals." I would point out that those "tried and tested fundamentals" that most coaches teach are linear principles that have stalled young hitter's progress for decades. I must also take exception your inference that MLB hitter's talent allows them to succeed without sound batting fundamentals.

Granted, the best MLB hitters do not rely on the linear "tried and tested fundamentals" you referred to. However, they all do exhibit the sound rotational principles for generating bat speed I refer to as the "absolutes." -- Below are a couple posts from the Archives on these topics.

'Style vs Absolutes' --

Fitting square pegs in round holes --

Jack Mankin