Linear hitters do not use their total bodies in their swings. Rather, it is a “hands and arms"-type swing. As a rule, linear-type hitters have become the foundation for describing one of my three hitting types: the Singles/Contact-type hitter.
Before talking about linear hitting, it is best to define it. “Linear," by definition, means “Of, relating to, or resembling a line; straight." A linear hitter starts with his weight over his rear leg and transfers his weight to a point over his front leg as he swings. It is a straight-line, back-to-front movement.
For many reasons, the linear hitting approach was the technique of choice before 1920; the singular, most important reason was that there were no outfield fences at that time.
When studying the historical transition of hitting techniques over different time periods, one thing becomes increasingly evident. Any changes made were simply “cycles" during which smart hitters adapted to playing conditions the best they could. As an example, the “Dead Ball Era" was, in reality, just a period during which field design and “dead" baseballs did not reward the batter who drove the ball a long way in the air. Thus, linear type hitters thrived.
No comments:
Post a Comment