Posted by: Major Dan (markj89@charter.net) on Wed Dec 19 05:10:22 2001

Jack,
> > >
> > > Sorry for the miscue earlier.
> > >
> > > Thank you for responding to my post about your professional experience. I am new to your site so if I ask questions already answered, please bear with me.
> > >
> > > In my 30 year semi-pro and professinal career, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best hitting coaches and players in the world. I consider myself a student of hitting and the kinesiology involved. I too have studied thousands of hours of tape and computer generated swings of some of today's great hitters.
> > >
> > > I won't get into anything too deep until I view your tape. But in reviewing the material from you internet site, there might be a couple of things you might want to think about.
> > >
> > > Major league hitters are some of the most talented athletes with some of the most exceptional eye/hand coordination of any athletes. There are some who have fundamentally perfect swings and more who do not. By studying successful major league hitters you limit yourself to studying their movement. As a Kinesiologist, I study human movement. Taking the way that our body works effectively and use that in developing good hitting fundamentals. Then taking my professional playing experience and draw the connection between the physical part of hitting and the mental part.
> > >
> > > Second, the most important part of teaching and developing hitters is the ability to put your body in a position for your hands to make adjustments. If you linear shift is finished when your front foot hits the ground, you loose your ability to adjust your hands to certain pitches.
> > >
> > Troy-
> > "If your linear shift is finished when your front foot hits the ground, you loose your ability to adjust your hands to certain pitches."
> > Could you explain what you mean here. I assume you are referring to Jack's theory of rotation around a stationary axis - any forward weight shift stops before rotation.
> > There are many no stride hitters (Nomar for one) and a few negative stride hitters (Bagwell) who hit very well at a ML level.
> > Could you explain the relationship between continuing a 'linear shift' and making hand adjustments to pitches. What sort of adjustments would you make?
>
> Yes, I will agree with you there are many hitters that are very successful using less than perfect mechanics. When I was in Spring training Sparky Anderson said something to me that drove the point home. We were around the batting watching K Gibson hitting. I asked Sparky if he had ever thought of changing Gibby's swing to complement his strength. He told me if you can hit 20 to 30 home runs in the major leagues with the bat in your mouth, put it in your mouth.
>
> With me and my students, we want to create a swing that even though you are alittle early or late with getting you hands to the ball you can have a workable result. In today's game exploding sliders, ugly splitters and some balls pitchers throw that have no names are the norm. As a hitter we have to have our body, hands, head and weight in a position at foot strike that will enable us to make the necessary adjustments. Did you see the adjustment that D Jeter made in the ALCS to drive the middle inside pitch down the right field line for the game winning HR. That is the ultimate adjustment.

Troy-
"As a hitter we have to have our body, hands, head and weight in a position at foot strike that will enable us to make the necessary adjustments" I agree, that is necessary for successful hitting.

You didn't answer the question - "Could you explain the relationship between continuing a 'linear shift' and making hand adjustments to pitches." are you suggesting shifting weight while swinging?

Sparky Anderson's comment to me is more confirmation that at the ML level, they don't teach, they just try to not mess anyone up. Sparky was a great manager, but that doesn't mean he knew anything about hitting mechanics or had any clue how to change Kirk Gibson's swing - which as I remember it was short and very rotational - almost put the bat on his hips and spun around. Maybe Sparky was blowing you off because he knew Kirk was already a very good hitter.

Jeter's 'adjustment' is the same adjustment he makes on every at-bat. Pitchers bury him inside because his elbows lead his hands and he is so 'busy' he can't get around on inside pitches. Thank goodness for him that the Yankee Stadium right field fence is 300' away or he'd never crack 10 hrs in a year. I'm waiting for teams to overshift on him - opposite field.