Posted by: Jimmy () on Thu Jan 4 18:37:35 2007

> >
> > Hi Guru,
> >
> > I agree with you on the point about hitters avoiding numerous strikeouts and flyouts
by
> > learning the strikezone and what pitches one can handle best. But I also think that
hitters
> > do know what pitches they can handle best, the ones in the middle part of the plate
and
> > about thigh high. That is why they are hit the hardest and the most consistant.
> >
> > The problem is the lack of control in thier physical approach as well as the lack of a
plan at
> > the plate. The hitter needs a physical approach that will allow him to be aggressive
but yet
> > under control at the same time so that he can execute a solid simple plan at the plate
and
> > ultimately be productive for his team.
> >
> > As far as strikeouts. Exclusively rotational hitters have less control of thier swing
limiting
> > the ability to take pitches out of thier zone. They also have a smaller area in the
strike
> > zone that they can handle than that of hitters that use a combination of rotation and
linear
> > mechanics. The combination of these two things leads to a poor "two-strike"
approach.
> > This kills them because if they are too selective and get to two strikes, they get beat,
and
> > they can't offer at pitches early in the count because they won't be able to drive them
or
> > even touch them. (unless they get lucky and all the planets line up and they get the
only
> > pitch at the only speed that they can handle).
> >
> > So the cycle begins for the rotational hitter starting with the "wait and see if I should
start
> > my swing" type of approach, where they get rushed and are late with the barrel and
get
> > beat many times. Then they get into the "try to guess what pitch is comming"
approach,
> > where they look absolutely rediculous swinging at fifty foot breakingballs in the dirt.
> >
> > As far as the fly balls that rotational hitters hit, I think it has alot to do with the fact
that
> > thier barrel travels more and more toward the ground early in the swing with every
inch
> > that the front shoulder flies open. This allows gravity to work on it way to soon and
helps
> > to cause that path of the bat to come up and under many pitches. This also means
that
> > his bat is working against gravity most of the swing and actually slows his "bat-
speed"
> > down.
> >
> > The hitters that use rotational and linear characteristics in the swing can have a plan
at the
> > plate and execute it. That is being aggressive to an area of the zone and have enough
> > control to shut the swing off on pitches out of that zone. These are the hitters that
will
> > produce the most runs for any team.
> >
> > Jimmy
>
> Hey Jimmy
>
> "As far as the fly balls that rotational hitters hit, I think it has alot to do with the fact that
> thier barrel travels more and more toward the ground early in the swing with every inch
> that the front shoulder flies open. This allows gravity to work on it way to soon and
helps
> to cause that path of the bat to come up and under many pitches. This also means that
> his bat is working against gravity most of the swing and actually slows his "bat-speed"
> down."
>
> This statement has many faults in it and when you apply biomechanics and physics to
the statement it makes even less sense. The first thing you are describing a hitter who
casts there hands out away from thier body prior to passing their center of gravity or a
person who is 'spinning out' thier lower and upper body. That is poor rotational hitting
just like there is poor linear hitting. Rotational motion (centrifical force) actually works
against gravity and would assist keeping the bat aloft. Stand and spin in one spot with an
object in your hands that is touching the groud at the start it is never on the ground after
you finish spinning fast unless it weighs more then the centrifical force can lift.
>
> I have read most of your posts and I understand what you are describing and do agree
with many points but remember that you can have a terrible swing but if you can execute a
plan and swing at only pitches that you can hit and leave the others the terrible swing will
be successful too. They have greater limitations on their success but are still successful.
Please describe the correct techniques before lumping everyone into a category.
>
> DAve P

Hi Dave,

I do agree with you very much that there are poor rotational and poor linear hitters. That is why hitters that apply both characteristics have the most success. That is my point. I
can give the same examples that this site gives that shows the negative points to exclusive linear hitting as well but this site does a fine job of that.

I also do understand your point about centriugal force but you must understand that gravity works on everything at all times no matter what the force. That is why that object that you are spinning in your little expiriment never rises above the central axis. Try
swinging that object upwards to hit your ceiling, then swing it downwards to hit the ground and tell me which has more force applied to it. I also want you to get into your best rotational hitting stance with your open side facing a mirror. Start that front shoulder in then rotate it out slowly and you will see that barrel start to drop instantly into a weak top hand slot. This bat angle will allow gravity to work on it in a negative way throughout the entire swing just as it does in your spinning object experiment. If the hitter alows gravity to work on his barrel in a positive way in his path to the ball his bat-speed and his bat-control will increase.

The one point that I disagree with you about is that a hitter can have a terrible swing (strictly rotational or strictly linear) and still execute a successful plan. "Rotational" and "linear" hitters can get lucky occasionally with the inefficient swing but they will never reach thier full potential as a hitter with that type of approach. The players that help teams win the most are the most consistant with thier success.

Let's define success as a hitter. Is it getting a hit here and there or a hommer here and there? Those are nice but I think that it is consistency of quality at bats? You may be asking, "What is a quality at bat?". Or, "What does it take to put them up consistently?"

These are questions that have dozens of answers for dozens of situations so I won't answer all of them right now. But the point is that the most efficient swing to put up these quallity at bats consistently is neither "rotational'" nor "linear" but a combination of the two.

Jimmy