Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Feb 21 13:55:42 2007

>>> Jack,

Don't waste your time Jimmy will never change. He knows major league hitters so what can you say? It is people like Jimmy who learn linear mechanics when growing up who keep the debate alive. The debate he says should not be happening. All the while kids are being taught this linear mechanics only and once they reach high school they won't be able to swing a minus 3 bat with those mechanics. It is such a shame that coaches won't take the time to learn. The kids are suffering and the debate goes on. <<<

Hi Steve

I agree with you, teaching linear principles has stalled the progress of young hitters for decades. The inefficiency of linear mechanics becomes even more evident when they enter high school and must attempt to swing a -3 or heavier bat. This is the main reason I brought Batspeed.com online. I hoped that the information we provided might sway some of the youth coaches to reevaluate the principles they were teaching.

However, as Jimmy's posts reveal, linear principles have been so ingrained in coaches minds that the vast majority of them cannot bring themselves to accept anything that contradicts what they were taught. So, as Jimmy points out, after the seven years this site has been online, the debate still goes on.

I, like you, have little hope of changing coaches with Jimmy's mindset. Actually, it makes little difference to me what he personally thinks. When I respond to his posts, the purpose is not to change his thinking. My purpose is to better inform the other thousands of other coaches and players who read this board. Hopefully, after another seven years, this site may have contributed to the narrowing of the gap between coaches teaching linear or rotational principles to our youth.

Jack Mankin