Mike Epstein on Hitting [Paperback]

Mike Epstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

Legendary MLB player and Ted Williams Protégé Mike Epstein makes his considerable and much sought-after knowledge of hitting available in this indispensable resource. Mike addresses such fundamental yet critical topics as bat speed, approach, correct form and positioning, leverage, swing and pitch planes, and much, much more. Each topic is covered in Mike’s enjoyable and easy-to-read writing style. Dozens of illustrations to make learning and applying these ideas quick and easy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Epstein is one of America’s top hitting analysts and favorite instructors, having spoke at the American Baseball Coaches Association and other high profile conventions. Prior to Mike’s teaching years, he was an All-American baseball player and still holds the highest lifetime batting average of .384 at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a member of the United States Olympic baseball team, leading the team in many offensive hitting categories in Japan (1964). He was named the Sporting News and Topps Minor League Player-of-the-Year in 1966.

Mike played for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, Oakland A’s, Texas Rangers, and California Angles from 1966 through 1974. He broke a longstanding Senator’s record for lefties by hitting 30 home runs in 1969, culminating in winning the American League Player Win Average Award, given to the league’s most productive offensive player (Willie McCovey won it in the National League). Mike also became one of a very select few in Major League history by belting four home runs in four consecutive at bats in 1971. He also led the World Champion Oakland A’s in home runs in 1972.

Mike Epstein continued his career in baseball as a minor league manager and hitting coordinator, which has lead to his current career as one of baseball’s leading independent hitting instructors and consultants for baseball and softball.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Coaches Choice Books; DVD Video edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585187771
• ISBN-13: 978-1585187775
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #591,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Primer on Rotational Mechanics, August 31, 2003

By 

"irci1" (Upper Midwest, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mike Epstein on Hitting (Paperback)

Epstein's book is a wonderful review of "rotational" hitting mechanics. The early chapters focus on mechanics while the later chapters address more specific hitting problems. According to Epstein, hitting well (for power and average), like the great hitters, ie Mays, Aaron, Williams, etc. centers on three critical aspects: 1) hips lead the hands 2) matching the plane of the swing to the plane of the pitch, and 3) hands staying "inside the ball." While the book goes far in describing these factors, it does not cover specific drills or techniques to teach these methods. For these drills you need to purchase Epsteins instructional tapes. (See his website or check ebay...I think they're worth the dough.) Many of Epsteins thoughts will contradict oft repeated instructions given by amatuer (youth) coaches. Epstein, like Williams, recommends things like swinging upward (not level), NOT extending your hands over the plate but rather in front of it, and keeping your weight back, over the back leg, for example. Yet when you carefully watch MLB players in film and photos, you'll recognize these techniques in today's great hitters. This book will help you understand these rotational techniques and their value in generating greater batspeed for more power. I would have rated the book a five star, but it does contain some repetitous material as it seems that the chapters are a collection of Epstein "articles" and thus can become redundant. That notwithstanding, I'd otherwise highly recommend this book for those interested in understanding hitting mechanics. I'd especially recommend it for softball players...the sport is replete with poor hitting instruction. Finally, I would recommend you also read (memorize) Ted William's classic, "THE SCIENCE OF HITTING" for it also contains a wealth of information on good hitting mechanics. (I had one major league scout of 40yrs tell me that "Ted's book is all you need; throw the rest away!") Good Luck!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Epstein Hits It Out, February 26, 2008

By 

Jeremy J. Ekeler "J.J. Ekeler" (Western Springs, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mike Epstein on Hitting (Paperback)

In terms of mechanics and teaching what actually happens in a swing, no one is better than Coach Epstein.
I am the softball hitting coach at a University in Chicago and also do private fastpitch hitting lessons. I applied many of Mike's ideas with my own philosophies and we've had great immediate success. Linear hitters who couldn't understand why they were driving the ball into the dirt feel rejuvenated as they elevate balls into the gaps...and beyond.
I'll use this book to refresh and re-energize my philosophies every year, along with Ted Williams' "The Science of Hitting".
I only have these small critiques: 1.) The book is not well edited; there are some typos and the over-use of quotation marks is exhausting. 2.) Mike doesn't share much in the way of drill work, repeatedly hinting that you'll need to buy his tapes (the prices of which are jacked up).
Like the title says, this book is just a collection of Mike's articles "On Hitting"; a rotational philosophy rooted in the mechanics of the best in the business by one of the best instructors in the business.
Whether you're in the market for drill books or not, buy this book. No drill you do will have substance without this rotational foundation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fair but only a collection of short articles, May 7, 2009

By 

T. Martin (Pearland, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mike Epstein on Hitting (Paperback)

The book has good advice, but it's just a collection of Mike's short articles. I would recommend Mike's DVD "Do We Teach What We See". His Rotational Hitting Mechanics are on the money - the best I've seen. He breaks it down into simple motions to understand and teach. Start with the DVD then buy the book, then the articles in the book make more sense. Ted William's book "The Science of Hitting" is of value too if you want to understand Rotational Hitting Mechanics - but doesn't go into detail how to teach it - Mike's stuff does! "Beginners thru Little League - Explosive Rotational Hitting", shows some fun drills to help teach Rotational Mechanics, but Mike Epstein's stuff is where to start...use the "Explosive" DVD to help drill Mike's techniques.