HITTING Since baseball’s earliest beginnings, hitters have used only two hitting techniques: Rotational and Linear Both of these hitting techniques have "weight-shift" in similar fashions. The rotational rotates around a stationary axis. The linear technique continues moving progressively forward (on a progressively forward-moving axis). 

HITTING LINEAR HITTING Do not use their whole body in swings Use hands and arms More of a singles/contact type hitter Weight over back leg and transfers weight from back to front leg as he swings, thus a straight-line, back to front movement Turn of the century philosophy No out field fences Dead ball era Not conducive to power hitters  

HITTING Rotational Hitting Use all of body Lower base - torque Chest Arms Weight is balanced at base Hips first, bat follows Golden Age Gehrig, Foxx, DiMaggio, Williams, Mantle, Mays, Killebrew, Pujols, A-Rod, Helton are all rotational hitters!

HITTING How the body creates the path Strong athletic hitting position/foundation of the swing Start lower body first Posture & spine angles influence swing plane Axis down middle of body Proper sequencing creates max force Balance, load lower half (big muscles), stride & separation, rotate hips (torque), knob, hands, slight downward plane to zone, then slight upward cut (undercut the center of the ball) Loading and unloading hips Proper hip action creates bat direction, speed, & power Improve timing, ability to create backspin, ability to drive ball to all fields Delaying the hands equates to increased bat speed/ability to hit off time

HITTING How do we train? Classroom practices Videos Swing break down Jose Bautista – future hall of famer Bautista_Jose_1 (1) (1) - Shortcut.lnk Drills T-WORK Average strike is 2’ 7” off home plate – est Tee height Place Tee 4’ from the net Place piece of tape 3’4” from bottom Ball off tee to hit tape