BDD: Eisenberg: Different Ways to Be Great: Reggie Jackson and Paul Molitor

Straw-drink…you know the rest.

This article begins what will be an on-going series that will look at how the all-time great players in Major League Baseball history became the players they were in terms of the mechanics they used.

We start with a couple of the best hitters in major league history in Reggie Jackson and Paul Molitor.  Of course, like almost every great hitter, both players possessed great hand-eye coordination and the ability to center the ball, which allowed each player to make consistent, hard contact.  However, each player became great using very different styles and approaches.

...Notice how his elbow moves behind him.  This is Jackson loading his hands.  There must be some sort of loading process to produce sufficient power.  To generate true home-run power, there has to be some sort of loading process.

At the end of this clip, notice the back foot dragging forward.  This is the sign of intent to swing hard.