Posted by: Saat () on Tue Dec 18 07:56:38 2001

Whether your view agrees or disagrees with my view on the optimal way to contact an outside pitch, I will probably give a great deal of weight to your view on the matter, given your pro experience as well as your background in kinesiology. In fact,I am quite open to being persuaded that my view is incorrect , and I hope the "rotationists" have the same open mind. Now with the question.

I feel that an outside pitch should be contacted on the inside part of the ball (maybe an inch or so to the right of the center & assuming a left handed hitter). I think the hands should be leading, the bat head trailing behind the hands, & the ball should be contacted closer to the plate. For example, if a hitter contacts an inside pitch 18 inches in front of the plate, the outside pitch should probably be contacted even with the front edge of the plate. The hitter should have the feeling of sort of "pushing" or "shoving" the hands/bat toward the outside part of the plate. I feel that trying to "rotate" on an outside pitch will frequently result in a weak ground ball to the pull side.

Again, if you think I am completely off-base, I am quite open to reconsidering my position. Your thoughts, please.