Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat Jun 12 14:10:51 2010

Hi All

Below is my reply to a dad whose daughter plays softball at Oklahoma State. He was interested in who hits with rotational rather than linear in the WCWS games. In particular, he asked if UCLA's Magan Langenfield was using rotational or linear mechanics?

Hi XX

Thank you for the e-mail and congratulations to your daughter for playing college ball. -- First, we must define the difference between linear and rotational mechanics. Most batting authorities think it mainly depends on the movement of the body - basically, a long stride = linear, no-stride = rotational.

However, video analysis shows that regardless of the length of the stride, all good hitter's forward movement of the body slows to a stop before the swing is initiated and they rotate around a fairly stationary axis. Therefore, this Web Site defines "linear versus rotational" in terms of the batter's upper-body mechanics.

We define a batter's mechanics as more linear when the limbs (mainly the elbows and hands) follow a straighter (or, more linear) path. We also find linear hitters are "top-hand dominant" and make inefficient use of the lead-side. This causes the back-elbow and forearm to accelerate faster than the lead-elbow. In poor swings, the back-elbow will swing under the lead-elbow.

Many linear hitters initiate the swing with a "boxed" lead-elbow and allow it to straighten during the swing. This action disconnects the lead-elbow and bottom-hand from lead-shoulder rotation and results in the bat dragging behind the hands in the optimum contact zone. -- To generate maximum power and bat speed, the angle of the lead-elbow must remain constant from initiation to contact.

With sound rotational mechanics, there is more balance in the power applied to accelerate the elbows, forearms and hands. The pull from lead-shoulder rotation pulls the lead-elbow around at the same rate the back-elbow is being accelerated -- the space between the elbows remains constant from initiation to contact.

Below is a link to a site that shows UCLA's Megan Langenfield's swing. Note (1) that her lead-shoulder starts to rotate at the 'beginning' of the swing - (2) her lead-elbow maintains its angle from initiation through contact - (3) her elbows and hands accelerate in circular paths - (4) her elbows accelerate at the same rate and the distance between them remains relatively constant.

WCWS Hitters

Note: I am currently downloading video from the WCWS and will have them ready soon.

I congratulate the UCLA's coaches. I studied their hitters and noted that many of them exhibit the principles outlined above. I seldom find a team that will have even one or two hitters with these mechanics. But, for a team to have that many hitters exhibiting these mechanics means -- they must have been taught at UCLA.

Jack Mankin