Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Dec 8 11:51:04 2004

>>> Question: Since many hitting instructors are so caught up in rotational versus linear hitting styles, which is more important...the hand or the hips? <<<

Hi Tony

Let us use your question, “which is more important...the hand or the hips?” to discuss the different principles involved in linear and rotational mechanics. – First, I noted you listed the hands and hips as important, but did not mention the shoulders. This is common with linear transfer mechanics where batters are taught to “keep the shoulder in there”, “throw the hands” and “pop the hips.” With rotational transfer mechanics, from initiation to contact, it is shoulder rotation that transfers the energy for the swing . Hip rotation plays an important role in rotating the shoulders, but “popping the hips” without inducing shoulder rotation is of little value.

It is important to keep in mind that the hands can not move or apply force (other than grip) on their own. The acceleration of the hands comes from either the extension of the arms or they are flung through the zone by shoulder rotation. There within lies the defining difference between linear and rotational thinking. – With linear mechanics, the arms are used to accelerate (or throw) the hands. With rotational transfer mechanics, the arms stay back applying torque at the handle and allow shoulder rotation to fling the hands into a circular-hand-path.

The bat-head drags through the zone because the batter’s mechanics accelerated the knob instead of swinging the bat-head around the swing plane.

Jack Mankin