Posted by: Coach Matthews/Grace Prep () on Sat Feb 17 20:22:20 2007

Everyone -

I don't really choose sides on this debate because from experience I was taught linear hitting in junior college as well as rotational. I am a good friend with the New Mexico Junior College coach in Hobbs, NM. He is very big on linear hitting. I was playing for Howard JC at the time, but I actually stayed with him for a couple of days over the summer to learn what he was teaching because I was curious as to why as a team every year for 4 years they managed to have 5 guys hit double digits in home runs, team batting average was over .400, and a monstrosity of RBI's were put up. Just recently he won the JUCO World Series.

I learned that linear hitting had to do with my hands. I still had hip rotation, but I was more hands with body momentum towards the pitcher. Somewhat like an inside-out swing.

Mentally though it was different. He taught me as a right handed hitter:
1. on fastballs that cross from inner third to the outer third of the plate, you try to hit them to the Left field gap, over to Right field foul pole.
2. on offspeed that cross " " ", you try to hit them from Left field foul pole, over to Right field gap.

Mentally it made sense because most pitchers try to set up hitters with fastballs inside to yank them foul. Then come offspeed away and catch them out in front. The linear way eliminated that.

I had great hands as a hitter, but I didn't prefer this way because the body momentum part made the pitches look faster. I couldn't slow the game down so to speak. I did hit over .500 during a summer using this style, but it was like I either got on base or I struck out.

Whatever works for hitter is what counts. I do know this though I see the ball better, and hit the ball harder being a rotational hitter.

Coach Matthews