Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Feb 27 13:11:42 2002

>>> the inside part of the ball is the optimal part of the ball to contact on outside pitches....it has to do with at what point the wrists roll over...better to hit the inside part of the ball (os pitch) with 90 per cent as much power than to pull an os pitch with 100 per cent power but hit it into the ground.... <<<

Hi Grc

Video analysis shows that a batter with even fair mechanics, the wrist does not start to roll until the bat has well past the contact point. This is true whether the batter is pulling the ball or hitting to the opposite field. --- With the correct swing plane, there is no reason a pulled os pitch should be hit into the ground. Good hitters constantly hit the ball square or even pull outside pitches without beating them into the ground. Granted, the results you describe may very well happen to a linear hitter.

Hitting the inside of the ball may be a good rule for an extension hitter, but I see on reason for a rotational hitter the limit himself to opposite field hitting unless he has a particular reason for it (e.i., hitting behind the runner) . --- Personally, I think concentrating on hitting the inside of the ball promotes a more linear hand-path. Ask a young batter to demonstrate (dry) hitting the inside of the ball and watch how he uses his hands.

Jack Mankin