Posted by: grc () on Fri May 11 12:13:55 2001

by popular demand, here is my analysis of what i think is one of the most fascinating exchanges in recent times.............ray said " i think watching the head in relation to the feet and the distance the head travels, is the key to defining weight shift and balance.
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> > > > > > > > take 3 hitters (all RH). all start with their heads centrally located between their feet, which are spread apart shoulder width. the first, strides forward 6 inches with the left foot (he does not shift his head PRIOR to lifting his stride leg). as his stride leg goes forward, his head must go forward, but this hitter tries to keep his head centrally located between both feet. the second hitter DOES shift his head (over his right leg - balancing in the process) PRIOR to lifting his stride leg. now he steps. his head does not have to shift (or go forward). the third hitter shifts his head OVER his stride leg upon striding."........a most insightful experiment indeed!!!!.......and then major dan said "I'm thinking, the longer the stride, the more the head travels. A true #3 is a lunger. A true #1 is a back foot spinner/squish the bug guy. A #2, a balanced hitter."........i can tell you that in my son's experience this was exactly true!!!....coaches keep saying "keep the weight back!!!"...they said "just "reach" the stride foot forward"....and guess what?....he was a "spinner"!!!....so # 1 did not work for my son....of course # 3 was certainly out of the question, so what was left was the one in the middle, # 2............major dan contined by saying "But it is not the feet and head that we should be looking at. Where is the torso going? Do the hips/torso shift forward past the rest of the body before roatating?
> > > > > > Rotational - shoulders turn arms/bat into contact. Linear - arms push bat forward away from body into contact."......and he's right....in the weightshift vs. rotation debate, i think there is too much emphasis on what the lower body is doing...i think the distinguishing chacteristics are with what the HANDS and ARMS are doing!!!!...."Rotational - shoulders turn arms/bat into contact. Linear - arms push bat forward away from body into contact."....another way of putting it: rotational = circular hand path and weight shift = less of a circular hand path....or yet another way of putting it: rotational = relying more on the lower body and weight shift relying more on the hands and arms....therefore.......rotation = more power but less accuracy and weight shift = less power but more accuracy....and correct me if i'm wrong, but with the exception of THE GREAT EXCEPTIONS such as WILLIAMS & COMPANY,(THE GREAT EXCEPTIONS were the rotaters who could hit for significant power AND average), isn't it generally true that the true weightshifters were hitters such as rose, gwynn, carew , and they did indeed rely more on arms/hands?......but finally, ray pointed out that "even weight shift hitters (and i'm starting to not like categorizing this way) rotate. what i'm talking about is DEGREES of weight shift, and to what degree this has to happen for you to be
> considered weight-shift or rotational.".....and it is a matter of degrees....enough in a matter of degrees to make a difference in what kind of a hitter you are, but maybe not enough difference to always be able to really tell from a video clip !!!!....respectfully, grc......
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