Chapter1 Two types of Hitting Mechanics

Hitting revolution was completed in MLB from mid 1980's to mid 1990's. Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds were in a vortex of the revolution. 


My classification method does not mean "good skills or poor skills". For explaining the difference that my classification method indicates, I rather want to use a metaphor of swimming technique: crawl stroke or butterfly stroke. 



~ Introduction ~

Before the Bash Brothers, the following kind of swings were not seen in MLB, at least among well-known hitters: Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, David Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Matt Kemp. In fact, their swings are result of "hitting revolution". However and Probably, that "revolution" does not depend on some kind of hitting theory. I think that is a result of "natural selection".

By the way, vestige of the revolution is seen in here and there. For example, warm up swing in on-deck circle was changed. In Ted Williams generation, many hitters had swung on level plane with somewhat emphasized shoulder rotation (0.03~). On the other hand, many part of today's hitters show downward swing, and their shoulder rotation tend to be reduced. In addition, as for today's hitters, they tend to release their top hand in follow thorough, but it is not matter now. I rather want to say that, their follow through is very characteristic and it had never seen in MLB before 1990's. For example, Carlos Lee, Carlos Gonzalez, and Mark Trumbo express that characteristics very well.

old fashioned warm up swing

today's warm up swing

To change the subject, from the point of maximum view, trend of hitting mechanics has been changed from "linear" to "rotational" certainly. Of course, it should be a result of meeting the requirement of compactness that is necessary for adjustment to improved pitching skills. On the other hand, "yearning" for star players also makes a trend of hitting style.

For example, I have ever heard that on some video, that is, Reggie Jackson said that "I remodeled my hitting mechanics by modeling myself on Harmon Killebrew". And according to that video, he watched Killebrew's home run in the ball park when he was young, and that experience caused him to remodel his swing. And in fact, Reggie Jackson's swing is classified into the same type as Harmon Killebrew's swing. In addition, their swings' mechanics can be said as a "prototype" of today's new fashioned hitting mechanics. And I call it as "puncher type". On the other hand, I call the old fashioned hitting mechanics as "swinger type". For example, these swings (Jonny Gomes) (J. J. Hardy) show me the vestige of Harmon killebrew. And they can be classified as the puncher type clearly.

Harmon Killebrew (573HR)


Reggie Jackson (563HR)


In 1977's world series, Reggie Jackson hit three home runs at yankee stadium, and it was an opening ceremony of the hitting revolution. In fact, his hitting mechanics is almost same as today's sluggers. For example, if Sammy Sosa's swing is turned over from right to left, it will become almost same as Reggie Jackson's swing. In addition, I feel the vestige of Raggie Jackson's swing in following swings: Justin Morneau, Adrian Beltre, Martin Prado, Vernon Wells.  Anyway, and Probably, Reggie Jackson affected upon many hitters. And as a result, he must have produced a lot of his followers through the TV. And in fact, Jose Canseco is also one of them.

According to Jose Canseco's autobiography, when he was a kid, he had yarned for Reggie Jackson. And he referred to Jackson's swing for making his own swing. Actually, Jose Canseco's hitting mechanics is almost same as Reggie Jackson's it. And then, golden age of athletics has come. As for that team, three key players were classified as the puncher type, namely, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and Rickey Henderson. Their hitting mechanics was modernized extremely in those days, and many players must have watched their swings and learned from them through the TV. Because Oakland Athletics appeared in world series for three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990.

In 1994's, MLB was expanded from 28team to 30team. And in those days, many sluggers emerged suddenly. For example, Mike Piazza, Albert Bell, Ken Griffey Jr, Frank Thomas, Barry Bonds, Cecil Fielder, Juan Gonzalez, Mo Vanghn, Jeff Bagwell, Sammy Sosa, Andress Galarraga, etc. At that time, league's total home run number in single season was increased by above "new jackers". However, criticism about that home run rush is not always affirmative. And in my memory, the reason of negative criticism has two primary tendencies. Firstly, spread of anabolic steroids, and secondly, influx of minor league level pitchers as a result of MLB expansion. But from the point of my view, the most primary reason of that home run rush is in the hitting revolution. Because, in those days, puncher type was spread suddenly in MLB, and in particular, that spread was seen mainly among leading players, especially among power hitters. Anyway, home run rush in mid 1990's means beginning a new age of baseball.

In the late 1990's, hitting mechanics had changed considerably as compared with before 1990's. For example, Jeff Bagwell had had a characteristic hitting form that was never seen before 1990's. In addition, Mike Piazza showed epoch-making swing, and his swing caused me to have a doubt against former hitting theory. Because, he seemed to don't take a weight transfer and load, I mean he seemed to start his swing from batting stance directly. And Moises Alou also showed that kind of hitting style. Be that as it may, in the late1990's, the hitting revolution had completed already. In a sense, Home run derby of Sosa and McGwire in 1998 can be said as meaning the celebration for hitting revolution. Of course, Barry Bonds also appeared that celebration, and he crowned the final of it. For that matter, 1990's MLB looked like the age of dinosaurs, for good and bad.

Now, now is the "after revolution era". Regime was changed already, and various systems still have been constructed. On the other hand, swinger type is decreasing more and more. They are likely to go into under ground and organize a resistance army. Now is that sort of situation. In addition, I feel the changing of the era from today's young hitter's swing like below: Reid Brignac, Mark Trumbo, Peter Bourjos, Hank Conger, Freddie Freeman, Sean Rodriguez, Carlos Gonzalez.  Be that as it may, Revolution was completed, but "change" still have continued.


~ An Overview ~

Hitting mechanics is classified into two types: swinger type and puncher type.

Swinger type 
(Old fasioned: Traditional and classical swing of baseball)


~ Swinger Type in Todays MLB (Video Clips) ~

Joe mauer,  Chipper Jones (L),  Jarrod Dyson, Kousuke Fukudome
J. D. Drew,   Johny Damon,  Nick Punto,  Nick Johnson,
Matt Wieters(L),  Josh Hamilton,  Lance Berkman (L),  Jorge Posada (L)
Justin Smoak (L),

~ Mechanics of Swinger Type ~

Weight shift and hip rotation leads the arm swing. (like a hammer throw)
When you rotate your hip with relaxed arms, your arms will be accelerated automatically by the physical law. Following video clip expresses that mechanism and it is core essential mechanism of swinger type.

Principle of swinger type


Following clips are old time swinger type hitters.

Ted Williams


Babe Ruth


Babe Ruth,  Lou Gehrig,  Jimmie Fox


By the way, in the actual batting mechanics, hip rotation is led by weight transfer (or linear-translational motion). This mechanism can be confirmed with experiment below. That is, if you take a large linear-translational-motion from batting stance like Stan Musial and Ichiro, hip rotation will occur automatically. And of course,  hip rotation causes arm swing automatically. In short, weight transfer produces all power for swing.

For that matter, some hitters take large weight transfer like George Brett and Willie Mays. On the other hand, some other hitters take small weight transfer like Ted Williams and Tony Gwynn. However, regardless of large or small weight transfer, if that swing is operated based on above experiment's mechanism, that swing should be classified as swinger type. And it is important that swinger type mechanics needs some kind of preparation motion for acceleration like a load, stride, or linear translational motion.

Almost all batter's appearing in this video are classified into the swinger type.
1976 World Series Cincinnati Reds vs New york Yankees

Typical swinger type hitters
Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Jimmie Foxx
George Brett, Eddie Murray, Darryl Strawberry, Cal Ripken Jr, Tony Gwynn
Dave Winfield, Julio Franco, Jesse, Barfield, Frank Robinson
Gary Sheffield, Eric Davis, Pete Rose,
Wade Boggs, Johnny Bench, Paul O'neill, Brett Boone, Tony Batista
Nick Johnson, Mark Grace, Rafael Palmeiro, Luis Gonzalez, Randall Simon




A typical swing of swinger type (Babe Ruth)

Puncher type 
(New fashioned: It's just the literal New Jack Swing)


Puncher type of today's MLB

Justin Morneau,  Freddie Freeman,  Jonny Gomes,  Martin Prado, B.J.Upton
Reid Brignac,  Asdrubal Cabrera,  Mark Trumbo,  Andrew McCutchen
Matt Wieters (R),  Chipper Jones (R),  Jose Guillen,  Aaron Hill
Franklin Gutierrez,  Carlos Lee,  Danny Espinoza,  Sam Fuld
Hank Conger,  Jacoby Ellsbury,  Jack Cust,  Colby Rasmus,  Jason Giambi
Caros Gonzalz,  Robinson Cano,  Prince Fielder, Derek Jeter
Dan Uggla,  Alex Rodriguez


Swing start from batting stance directly. ( Like a punch of boxing. ) You need to generate the power quickly and suddenly like an explosion. Linear translational motion and hip rotation occur automatically as a result of swing. In your conscious, you don't have to rotate your hip and move your body forward. And it is important that puncher type's mechanics don't need the preparation motion for acceleration.

Principle of puncher type


When you try to swing from batting stance directly, load and stride occur automatically.

Explain about above experiment

(1) In my consciousness, I try to accelerate my hands from set up position directly. 

(2) As a result of (1), my lower body generate power and kick the ground automatically. As a result, ground reaction force carries my body forward. And my right hand is moved back by counteraction of weight transfer. For that matter, all of these motions occur automatically in unconsciousness.

(3) As a result of (2), my torso's muscles are stretched along diagonal line.

(4) My torso's muscles contract and it leads arm swing.

(5)~(6) forward swing and follow through. 

Andruw Jones

In the former sports science, puncher type mechanics have not been acknowledged as a correct hitting mechanics. The reason is next. In the common sense of sports science, arm swing is thought as a result of hip rotation and linear translational motion. (It means that arm swing is led by hip rotation and linear translational motion.)  In addition, the "common sense" does not have knowledge about "system" that trying to accelerate the arm quickly causes linear translational motion and hip rotation automatically. As a result, former sports scientist couldn't explain the mechanics of puncher type. In other words, they can't explain the hitting mechanics without using the words "linear translational motion", "hip rotation" and "load". However and actually, trying to accelerate the bat causes these preparation motion automatically. And that's an essential mechanism of puncher type.

Almost all batter's appearing in this video are classified into the puncher type.
2011 NLCS  ST. Louis Cardinals vs Milwaukee Brewers

Typical puncher type hitters
Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, Andre Dawson, Pedro Guerrero
Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Omar Linares, Mike Piazza
Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Sammy Sosa Alex Rodriguez
Manny Ramirez, Derek Jeter, Albert pujols, Jason Giambi
Vladimir Guerrero, Michael Young, Joey Vott


A typical swing of puncher type (Barry Bonds)

By the way, difference between these two types becomes clear when you try to accelerate your bat with  your maximum power like a home run derby. And above video's experiment teach us that these two types mechanics should not be combine. That is, You can accelerate your bat maximumly by adherence to one particular type. In other words, these two types have completely different mechanics. So you need to know which type is your hitting mechanics classified.

Adherence to one side is the most important thing.

By the way, the majority of today's MLB hitters are classified as puncher type. The reasons are compactness, stability and simplicity etc.

Basically, characteristics of swinger type's mechanics (that requires the preparation motion for acceleration) are more complexity than puncher type's it. In addition, swinger type needs more time before the swing than puncher type. And in most cases, these characteristics are not suitable for modern baseball.

By the way, difference between these two types is just due to ability to adapt to modern baseball. In other words, It does not mean superiority of mechanics itself. For example, lady who lives next door may be puncher type, and some swinger type hitters mark high batting average in today's MLB. However, I'm sure that learning the puncher type's mechanics makes you easy to succeed in today's baseball scene. And for the above reasons, following chapters describes the puncher type's mechanics mainly.


~ In Detail ~


~ Swinger type ~


Basically, swinger type mechanics uses weight transfer (stride) as an energy source. And in this scene, their hands moves back by counteraction of weight transfer. (figure1)

Figure1  George Brett

In addition, they stretches their bottom-hand-back-muscle and back-leg-adductor-muscle in their stride motion. (figure2)

Figure2 sinnosuke abe

Next, in the scene of landing, ground reaction force from front leg causes hip rotation. And muscle contraction of back-leg-adductor-muscle also causes hip rotation. (figure 3)

figure 3  Hiromitsu Kadota (right)

As a result of acceleration of hip rotation, bat head receives suspension-inertial-force. And this suspension-inertial-force has an effect on keeping bat head behind the hands. As a result, bottom-hand-back-muscle is stretched more again. (figure 4)

Figure4

In the scene of rotation, first, bottom-hand-back-muscle is stretched, and next, bottom-hand-back-muscle contracts by muscle reflex function, namely stretch reflex. (figure5)  Incidentally, as for this function, it is easy to understand when you imagine a rubber band.

Figure5

Muscle contraction of bottom-hand-back-muscle causes "bottom-hand-pull". (figure6) Bottom-hand-pull is a core motion of swinger type mechanics, and it means pulling the knob with keeping bat head behind.

Figure6

At the last moment, in this scene, hip rotation is almost complete, and it begins slowing down.(figure7) As a result, bat head begins last spurt acceleration by transfer-inertial-force. (figure 8,9)  For that matter, for the last spurt acceleration, Keeping bat head behind is important. Because it means making a runway for the last spurt acceleration.

Figure7

As a result of above mechanics, high level swinger type hitter's swing shows a "delay" of bat head. And their bat head accelerates after the hip rotation like a whip. (Figure8)

figure8  Hank Aaron

figure9

In summary, swinger type mechanics uses next factors mainly: weight transfer, bottom hand pull, inertial force. Basically, they don't use their top hand for pushing forward their bat. Their top hand is used only for the wrist turn. Of course, some swinger type hitters uses their top hand for the push action, but in the case of swinger type, it means poor skills. That is, as for only in the swinger type mechanics, "top hand dominant swing" means just only poor skills. Because it cuts off the power of bottom-hand-pull.

Additional notes

Swinger type mechanics can furthermore be classified into two types based on "stride mechanism". Put simply, it means small weight transfer type and large weight transfer type. Namely, it can be said as "rotational type" and "linear type". By the way, I have still not understood the "american hitting theory" enough. But at least, my main classification method (puncher type & swinger type) does not depend on size of weight transfer.

Examples of rotational type of swinger type

Ted Williams,  Joe DiMaggio,  Lou Gehrig,  Carl Yastrzemski,  Johnny Bench
Jim Rice,  Willie Stargell,  Carlton Fisk,  Tony Gwynn,  Joe Mauer,  Kousuke Fukudome

Examples of linear type of swinger type

Babe Ruth,  Hank Aaron,  Willie Mays,  Stan Musial
Jimmie Foxx,  George Brett,  Will Clark,  Randy Bass

Thus, transition of hitting mechanics in MlB can not be explained by only using the words: "rotational" and "linear". That is, their are linear type of puncher type and rotational type of swinger type. So, let I give some examples about these type hitters.

Examples of rotational type of swinger type.

Joe Mauer,  Lance Berkman,  Nick Johnson

Examples of linear type of puncher type.

Carlos Gonzarez,  Andre Ethier


Refined reading about linear vs rotational.




~ Puncher Type ~


As for detail of puncher type mechanics, I write about it as a main theme in following chapter, so that, I want to write about it simply from the point of view of difference between swinger type and puncher type, especially as for in the acceleration phase.

Following sequence photograph is Alex Ramirez, and under of it is flipped horizontally photograph of Barry Bonds. These swings show almost same motion, and it means typical swing of puncher type.

          Alex Ramirez's swing

Basically, puncher type mechanics don't use the bottom-hand-pull, and above photograph express it very well. Their bottom-hand-scapura is not turn toward back side before the point of contact.

Swing example based on my hitting theory (puncher type).

And puncher type uses top-hand-push mainly because muscle contraction of front torso is used along a diagonal line from back shoulder to front hip in the puncher type's swing.

I named this diagonal line as a "Cross Line"

top hand dominant swing by cross line muscle contraction

※) In actual batting, face should be turned toward the pitcher because it makes you easy to rotate your shoulder.  (This theme is written in the beginning of chapter10.)

In the case of puncher type, swing motion can be expressed in next simple words, that is to say, "close front side and back side push". And for that action, they tend to open their hip (as an unconscious motion) before the swing.

        Sammy Sosa's stride motion

On the other hand, swinger type's swing motion can be expressed in next simple words, that is to say, "open front side and back side reserve".

And for that system "open front side and reserve back side", keeping close front hip becomes important while stride motion. George Brett's front hip is kept close while stride motion.

George Brett

By the way, "bottom-hand-pull" does not have function of turning bat head. Therefore, bat head is kept behind after the bottom-hand-pull like following figure.

As a result, swinger type needs to use the transfer-inertial-force for the turning of bat head. And it can be explained by using the metaphor of nunchaku. Basically, nunchaku is accelerated by following steps. Firstly, whole parts is accelerated by handling the lower part. And secondly, lower part is put on the brakes. As a result, upper part is accelerated by transfer-inertial-force. Basically, this mechanics is the same as swinger type mechanics.

mechanics of nunchaku

On the other hand, in the case of top hand push, if you carry a bat handle with your top hand, bat head will turn naturally. That is, "top hand push" has function of turning bat head. So that, top-hand-dominant-swing does not need to use the transfer-inertial-force for the acceleration. And it means that puncher type can reach the "point-of-contact" more quick than swinger type. Because in the case of puncher type, bat rotation and body rotation occurs at the same time. On the other hand, in the case of swinger type, body rotation complete firstly, and next, transfer-inertial-force carries bat head to the point of contact.

swinger type

puncher type

Practical side of classification


At the first place, MLB players don't know this classification method. Therefore, they have not make their swing depend on this classification method. However, and Probably, they are recognizing their own type broadly by their sense or feeling. In fact, in the case of starter-level players of MLB, they always show the either mechanics of puncher or swinger constantly. And it means they have good skills. On the other hand, low-level players often show me too difficult mechanics to classify. Or rather, they must not be recognizing which type mechanics they are choosing. But in some time, they show me clear mechanics that can be classified easily. Because there are many factors that have effect on batting results beside the viewpoint of this classification.

Anyway, classification work does not so easy, and I still have been studying now. Incidentally, observation of many swings is the best way for understanding hitting mechanics, because it constructs the database in my brain. And it is more better way that watching as many swings as possible than watching one swing for a long time. However, for players, classification work is not so important. But if you are understanding about basic mechanics of each types, you will be able to do the classification work as for only in the clear case like Jose Canseco or Darryl Strawberry. That's enough. (If you are a player.)

So then, what makes classification difficult?  There are so many factors, so that I can't explain all of these factors here. Instead, I give some examples of difficult cases for the classification work below.

1) Mike Schmidt  (548HR 0.267)

Mike Schmidt is swinger type. In the favorite sluggers, he is very difficult case for classification. Because he was categorized in "top-hand-dominant-swing of swinger type" Basically, his mechanics was similar to Jim Rice's it. But, at the batting stance, Schmidt lifted up his top hand elbow more highly than Jim Rice. As a result, Schmidt's swing became top-hand-dominant-swing. because, his cross-line-muscles are stretched largely by lifting up of top hand elbow. However, core-system of his hitting mechanics is the swinger type's it. Although his swing was top-hand-dominant-swing, it does not mean always be the puncher type. That is, I think that he had not hit a punch like Bill Hall or Jose Guillen. In other words, Schmdt had used his top hand after the bottom-hand-pull. On the other hand, in the case of puncher type, top-hand-push occurs from start of swing. Incidentally, Lonnie Smith had same type mechanics as Mike Schmidt. (Lonnie Smith appears this clip from 0:04)

2) Ichiro   swing1   swing2

Ichiro is also one of the most difficult case. At least, regarding before 2005's, he was classified as swinger type clearly. (In his japan-era, there was nobody more clear swinger type than Ichiro.)  But now, I think he changed his swing from swinger type to puncher type, and as a result,  he is categorized in "linear of puncher" now. This type is also difficult for classification. In addition, he does not lift up his top hand elbow, therefore, he can not stretch the cross-line-muscles so much. So that, he can not use the power of top hand so much. As a result, his swing has become very difficult case for classification. In this sort of case, I often compare that hitter with some other hitter who is classified easily. For example is below: Shin Soo Choo (body turn), Danny Espinosa (weight shift) Andre Ethier (touch of swing-handwriting)

3) Roberto Clemente  (240HR 3000Hits 0.317)

He is classified as the puncher type unexpectedly. I spent so much time for classifying his hitting mechanics, and now, I am sure that he is puncher type. However, he is also categorized in "linear of puncher". In addition, he did not lift up his top hand elbow in batting stance. As a result, he is also very difficult case for classification. But I feel Clemente's vestige slightly in Alex Rodriguez's follow thorough. (swing1 swing2)