Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

[JeremyB]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

I always thought John Olerud had a nice swing

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

I can't believe we got this far without mentioning Tony Batista. What I loved about his swing was the way that he tried to make up for his poor starting position by making adjustments throughout the swing - ON THE FLY! You all can have your compact cuts. It takes real talent to have a stance and swing that makes a reliable, repetitive motion impossible.

[Money99]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

Why is it that lefty's all seem to have such a great, natural swing?

Griffey, Bonds, Gwynn, Olerud etc. I could watch them swing all day.

[TripleCrown9]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

Ted Williams made it look like slow-pitch softball.

[N51_rob]

Ken Griffen Jr, love his swing.

Sent from RedskinNation.

[CabreraMVP]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

Craig Monroe?!?!?!

Maybe when he hit the ball it looked nice, but he has a ton of miss in his swing. There's a reason why he hit in the low .200s.

He wasn't that bad, in Detroit he hit .288, .273, and .255 with 18, 22, and 28 homers. He was a pretty good hitter. He was so clutch in '06 and literally hit homers whenever the game was on the line, it was like so easy to him. Then he came out in 2007 and totally fell off. I just think that same confidence he had in '06 wasn't there the next year and he couldn't recover. But he was a career .252 hitter.

But regardless of his stats or ability, his swing was beautiful. It's his follow through that does it. Tried to replicate that so many times in my life.

Also I'll say Hanley Ramirez. I love his swing especially the follow through. When he hits homeruns, it's a beautiful sight.



Great balance starting with his legs. He generates so much bat speed.

[Sportsforever]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

There are so many different ways to hit a baseball, but in the end every single major leaguer gets the same things done in a different way. I guess my point is (and as this thread shows), who the best mechanical hitter is/was is going to be subject to opinion.

For me, of the guys I've seen:

- Tony Gwynn
- Wade Boggs
- Don Mattingly
- Rod Carew
- Bonds
- Pujols
- Chipper
- Piazza
- Molitor
- Brett

Guys I didn't see play in person (video):

- DiMaggio
- Williams
- Mays
- Bill Madlock
- Caesar Cedeno

I would have no problem telling my kid to imitate any of those swings.

Now, here are a few I wouldn't tell anyone to imitate:

- Sheffield
- Griffey
- Ichiro
- Ripken
- Belle
- Andruw Jones

They had swings that worked for them, but not even close to be being "mechanically" correct.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

Hanley does have a pretty good swing when he's not sucking, a lot force with his legs and the ability to hit it anywhere in the field of play.

I watching Logan Morrison highlights the other day, that has some potential for a great swing if he pans out

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

This is why I hate the relationship MLB and YouTube has.

I want to pull up some quick videos on some guys to remember and watch their swings, but no, there's nothing on YouTube.

Such nonsense.

[Money99]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

[LetsGoBucs]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

IMO John Olerud had one of the best swings i've ever seen.

Olerud is the one that always comes to my mind when I hear this question.

[JBH3]

Larry Walker
Robin Yount

[Travis40]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

[Blzer]

Re: Mechanically who was the best hitter you have seen?

Meh, a lot of moving parts in the swing. He sure displays a lot of authority, but it's primarily with the top hand. As far as overall body mechanics go, anybody who would try to attempt the kind of load that he gives would be very inconsistent dropping their hands and dipping their eye level. Plus, Hammy top-spins the ball pretty often. Not advisable.

Sexy follow-through, though.

[JBH3]

Another Ranger....Michael Young.