quote:
Major league baseball's track record of developing hitters is atrocious......Yet, they develop the best in the world.
How can it be both?
I'll preface my comments by saying that I like much of what Linear brings to the table regarding pure swing mechanics, and I've learned to turn a deaf ear to the rest of the nonsense.
I use the term "pure swing mechanics" because IMO there's often a significant difference between what we see in the cage and what we see on the field.
I'd suggest that if Linear and his guru were to venture out and witness minor league hitters in a practice environment, they'd probably have a very difficult time picking out the guys who will succeed at a higher level. Other than the few really elite talents, the herd starts to bunch up more and more as you climb the ladder. I'd suggest that in pro ball, there are few hitters that are not pretty solid mechanically.
In football, we marvel when a guy like Tom Brady or Joe Montana comes along and, despite not fitting the physical model we all want, he succeeds like a mother.I've come to believe very strongly that the athletes who succeed at the highest level are the ones whose brain is able to process information well enough (slow down the action)so that their physical talents can succeed at that level.
I think this is true for every level of competition...from HS to college..college to pro.
In baseball hitting, this manifests itself in a player's ability to adjust to that "better" curveball..that fastball with a little more cheese and movement. It shows up in the ability to recognize pitches he can and cannot hit well.
In other words, how often does a hitter give himself the opportunity to put that grooved swing on the right pitch?
Unfortunately, this ability is not quantifiable, and the only way of determining it is to play the game.
Hence...the 50 round player draft and the layers of minor league ball.
