diderot: I wrote quite a while back about Aaron and Mays both being front-leg hitters (which I think is elegant). There are some great shots of them homering with the back foot off the ground!! I'm glad you brought it up here. I should have tied that in. Thanks for saving my bacon.
Doc: As I was writing last night (and thinking about it for a day or so), I was thinking about that aikido idea of "meeting" the incoming energy. You've recently mentioned it in relation to IF's ability to "absorb" in-coming ground balls. I hope I have it right and I hope it fits where I was going. Let me know.
Maybe there is a "meet" vs. "attack" the ball philosophy? Comment?
Griffey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0moFbeC-EA There is a "transitional" element to his (beautiful) swing. It is almost of both the old and new world (which makes sense, doesn't it?). There is the clear slide of the old move, then the whippet rotation of a Cruz., ending up on the straight front leg. I see him as more "new world," I suppose. If he picked up the lead leg more and "posed" on his back leg, he would be very "Ruthian."
Edgar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4EYG_Eqd-s He too is transitional. But has more of the bend in both knees and even a bit of the back toe lift. If Griffy is 2/3 of the way to the modern swing, Edgar is just 40% of the way there.
Your mileage may well vary.
Let me give you an idea of the overall efficiency of the older lateral move: Chris Taylor, who hasn't shown any MLB pop weighs in at 195. Aaron was 180 and Mays 170. Roberto Clemente was 175: Lookee here.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwPvjK2mrsw Thank you Tony Kubek (Clemente does have a straighter front leg than Aaron, for example). Mays and Clemente only had 5 and 10 lbs on Ketel Marte, for goodness sake!!
Here is a neat complilation; Of these guys, David Wright has the most "modern" of the swings (and Harper's 2-strike single). Hanley Ramirez is old-school, baby. Fielder has the lateral move but then the huge hip rotation, with his belt buckle finishing WAY to the "pull side" of the pitcher. PGA'er Dustin Johnson would be proud of that finish! Cano even shows the same thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzJms7RW02A
These guys (most of them) don't avoid "any & all" lateral slide, but I think they are principally setting up the rotational explosion rather than going to meet the ball.
Maybe that is the difference.