Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: jlp (james.pohl@kiski.org) on Fri Jan 31 19:12:24 2003

If anyone doubts that linear principles still rule in the world of baseball instruction, please take a gander at the following link, and open up the discussion entitled “8-yr old hitting mechanics.” This thread promises to expand, but already some of the advice is astonishing.
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> > > > > http://www.eteamz.com/baseball/boards/baseball/
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> > > > Wow. Think of it this way - if that many people think the youngster's swing is better, that makes it so much easier for the kids with good swings to succeed!
> > > > Perhaps we should have Darwin awards for hitting tips and hitting posts...
> > >
> > > Major Dan:
> > >
> > > My thoughts exactly. Whenever I see this kind of “advice” doled out to another kid, I figure my 11 year old is a notch closer to someday making his high school team. I do note that Tom Guerry has now joined the discussion over there and is endeavoring to introduce a bit of rotational good sense into the mix. I do believe it is a noble fight that we Mankin and Epstein “cultists” (as one would have it) must wage.
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> > <<>>
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> I agree. I used the word facetiously (that’s why it’s in quotes) because it was used by one of the linear proponents on the eteamz board to refer to followers of Epstein. If there is a cult, it is comprised of the blind loyalists who refuse to believe that what they learned as youngsters just might be imperfect.

Steve,
Every time I run across posts by those who find it necessary to combat science, careful research, and common sense with effete buzzwords, I am reminded that Leo Tolstoy once said that there will always be men who "can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it would oblige them to admit the falsity of their conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven thread by thread, into the very fabric of their lives." (And I might add, those which they have promulgated on their websites)

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The sorry state of the art/science of hitting Mark H. [ Sat Feb 1 21:12:53 2003 ]

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> If anyone doubts that linear principles still rule in the world of baseball instruction, please take a gander at the following link, and open up the discussion entitled “8-yr old hitting mechanics.”  This thread promises to expand, but already some of the advice is astonishing. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > http://www.eteamz.com/baseball/boards/baseball/
> > > > > > 
> > > > > Wow. Think of it this way - if that many people think the youngster's swing is better, that makes it so much easier for the kids with good swings to succeed!
> > > > > Perhaps we should have Darwin awards for hitting tips and hitting posts...
> > > > 
> > > > Major Dan:
> > > > 
> > > > My thoughts exactly.  Whenever I see this kind of “advice” doled out to another kid, I figure my 11 year old is a notch closer to someday making his high school team.  I do note that Tom Guerry has now joined the discussion over there and is endeavoring to introduce a bit of rotational good sense into the mix.  I do believe it is a noble fight that we Mankin and Epstein “cultists” (as one would have it) must wage.   
> > > 
> > > <<<Steve, I cringe when I hear the word "cultists". Mankin and Epstein and other quality teachers teach a swing that great hitters have used for years. There are words that will drive away young players and aspiring teachers, and "cult" is one of them. I like to refer to Jack and Mike as men who know how to teach hitting and make you as good as you can be.>>> 
> > > > 
> > 
> > I agree.  I used the word facetiously (that’s why it’s in quotes) because it was used by one of the linear proponents on the eteamz board to refer to followers of Epstein.  If there is a cult, it is comprised of the blind loyalists who refuse to believe that what they learned as youngsters just might be imperfect.
> 
> Steve,
> Every time I run across posts by those who find it necessary to combat science, careful research, and common sense with effete buzzwords, I am reminded that Leo Tolstoy once said that there will always be men who "can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it would oblige them to admit the falsity of their conclusions which they have  delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven thread by thread, into the very fabric of their lives." (And I might add, those which they have promulgated on their websites)

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