Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Sep 28 22:19:28 2005

>>> No great hitter has a straight hand path?

Your mistaken. No great power hitter has a straight hand path. But almost all the great high average hitters have a straight hand path.
(I use Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners as a prime example, as unothodox as his swing may be, he still takes a straight path to the ball.)

That fact is this! As we all know the shortest path to a point is a straight line, not a curve, and not a circle.
A short path to the ball allows a hitter to wait longer and see the ball better so therefore he will be more percise with his swing.

A curved or circular path to the ball is longer, which causes the hitter to have to start his swing a bit earlier (cheating) although more momentum and angular displacement (faster bat) may be generated a long circular hand path to the ball makes for a less percise swing.

This is why homer run hitters tend to bat for lower averages, and high average hitters tend to hit less home runs.

It's a matter of preference, and I prefer the high average.

Hi Chuck

I agree with your assessment of Suzuki. There are also fastpitch players with great speed that use a similar swing. If the hitter has that kind of speed and feels that is their cup of tea – I say, why not go for it.

You state “A curved or circular path to the ball is longer, which causes the hitter to have to start his swing a bit earlier (cheating) although more momentum and angular displacement (faster bat) may be generated a long circular hand path to the ball makes for a less percise swing.”

I would say a hitter with 3000+ hits has a “percise” swing. Look at the following clip. http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/mpg/Rose.mpeg
Does this overhead clip of Pete Rose show the “shortest path to a point is a straight line” path you prefer?

Jack Mankin