Posted by: jima (andyii@cox.net) on Wed Mar 7 05:32:45 2007

BHL,I think you are probably right re: force applied relative to a jab vs hook. My only point (obscure at best)is that a straight line is more accurate and gets to the target quicker. Now nobody actually believes that hitting is purely straight line, clearly the lower body turns first to create separation. What happens next and in what sequence seems to be the question...then the bigger question is how do you teach a kid to be effective hitter and finally how does that translate into a higher level swing in high school and college. From what I've read, on a variety of websites and books, no one seems to agree. I've consistently felt that to play at the higher levels of baseball, you have to be able to control the bat head and that a purely circular swing is not the most effective method...it may create the most bat speed, but that in and of itself does not make a high level baseball hitter. In prior posts, I've described my disillushionment using the Epstein approach with my son and how working a major league hitting instructor helped him. I've described how my son, when he got to travel baseball had a hard time hitting the outside pitch and changeup...which I believe are the inherent difficulty in a pure rotaitional motion. That being said, I'm sure that their are Dad's and coaches out there who are using Jack's or Epstein's methods and are perfectly satisfied. They should stay with it...maybe their kids are better athletes than mine. Dennis, I'm not trying to sell anything and I don't have a website. I'm trying to let parent's, who have had similar experiences to mine, know that there are other teaching methods to hitting a baseball that incorporarate turning and hands to the ball. Anyway, too much coffee this morning BHL...continue your quest. jima