Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon Jul 10 21:41:01 2006

>>> The majority of major college and pro hitting instructors teaching a form of linear hitting would laugh at that example... <<<

Hi Scott

How I wish that were true. However, that is not the case with many of the high school and college coaches I have debated swing mechanics with. When I demonstrate the mechanics of generating a circular hand-path, I am often told I am either promoting “casting” or “spinning” or a “long swing” or a combination of the three.

When I asked them to demonstrate the correct hand-path, the mechanics they demonstrate are very close to the mechanics exhibited in the clip you are referring to. Many of these coaches advocate the “fence drill” to reinforce that hand-path. At - http://firstpickclub.com/video/fencedrill.mpg – there is a clip of a batter performing the drill. This is representative of the mechanics I find in my clips of the drill. It is also fairly close to the mechanics shown in the first clip ( http://webpages.charter.net/nickkio/HandstoBall/Linear05.mpg ).

Jack Mankin