Posted by: Doug () on Thu Mar 6 12:10:00 2003

>>After 37 years in this game, I have still never figured out what a LINEAR hitter is or who teaches it. I see posts every week about linear vs rotational, but no one has ever given me an explanation or pointed out a book that teaches linear hitting. Who teaches it and what is it. I know what it says in the dictionary. Does any one know?<<<<
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> > Hi Doug
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> > If you have not been a long time visitor to Batspeed.com, it is understandable that you may not be familiar with the Linear vs Rotational controversy. We may not have coined the terms, as 55 speculated, but we were at the forefront in pointing out the difference in the two terms. Therefore, I will try to give a short, clear definition of the two mechanics.
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> > Linear mechanics has been taught by most (probably 98%) of the batting instructors for decades. “Linear” refers to mechanics that promote an inline (A to B) thrust of the hands straight back at the pitcher. It may be referred to as “quick hands”, “knob to the ball” or similar batting cues where the muscles in the arms are mainly used to accelerate the hands away from the back-shoulder toward the pitcher.
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> > With Rotational mechanics, the muscles in the arms are not used to accelerate the hands. The hands stay back at the shoulder and are swung (or flung) into a circular path by the rotation of the body. --- The bottom line --- Linear mechanics produce a straighter hand-path – Whereas, Rotational mechanics produce a more circular hand-path.
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> > Note: Regardless of the length of stride, all good hitters rotate around a stationary axis. Therefore, length of the stride or amount of weight shift has little bearing on whether or not a batter is Linear or Rotational.
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> > Jack Mankin
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> I think that's a great definition and I think this site had defined the difference in the two very well. The names are only phrases coined to describe two disciplines. The fact that nobody is teaching this doesn't surprise me. Many great hitters Like Ted Williams don't even know how to describe what it is that they do. Same with Bonds. I've heard many people feebly try to describe how and what he's doing but don't know how. What you have here is someone who's finally carefully and analytically done that. I was pretty excited about this and am experimenting with my son. I'll let you know how it goes but I'm always looking for the leading edge. Someone whose got a new or better angle on something and I believe this could be it.
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> Remember any coach’s worst enemy is ego. Years of experience and all don't mean diddly when someone comes up with a better way to do something or a better way to describe something. I think it's obvious now after reading this that the big name hitters today are doing this.


Darrell, Why would you pick on Ted Williams and Barry Bonds? Ted wrote a book 33 years ago that was right on, and he did not have video equipment with slow mo and stop action. He did not have computers and the available tape of thousands of games each year. Barry Bonds was taught by his father who is a fine hitting coach. Barry has the best feel for the strike zone of possibly any player that has ever played. When I first started taping hitters in 1979 when I purchased a dish to watch and a beta max to tape with, my goal was to find out what the good hitters did that the poorer hitters did not do. After about 10 years, I found out that if I had limited my expenses to the $10.95 that I spent on Ted Williams book, I would be much better off. 8 years ago when my son was 10, I gave him a copy of that book and asked him to read it as often as he had time for and it would be all he needed to improve as a hitter. He is now a frosh at a top D1 program, is in the starting lineup and leading his team in hitting. He has a very good swing and better than average plate discipline. Because a guy was a great hitter does not mean that he is not a good teacher.
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