Testimonials
6/29/2009
While I am an utter baseball nobody, I do know what I am
talking about. As a result, my hitting and pitching clients achieve
significant results when they follow my
advice.
As proof of this, on this page I have reprinted some of
the unsolicited e-mail testimonials I have received from clients and readers
who have had success implementing the ideas I talk about on my
web site and in my
Rotational Hitting 101 DVD.
Hitting Testimonials
While I started out with the goal of teaching pitchers, I
have actually had more immediate results teaching hitters.
Below
is the e-mail I received that convinced me that I knew what I
was talking about when it came to explaining and teaching
rotational hitting.
My son is a freshman (going to be redshirted) at a
D1 school in the South. To make a long story short, he has
always been a devotee of rotational hitting since about 13
years old. He has done well but adding your extras to his
hitting has put him on his coach's map for next year. He is
redshirting because of an injury but can still hit and has
been popping HRs in BP with regularity (as in virtually
every BP) whereas before it used to be a once in a blue moon
kind of thing. He's no monster at 5'11 and 195 but now can
hit them as far or farther than anyone on his team. No
exaggeration.
Here's a recent testimonial.
I have enjoyed the Rotational Hitting 101 DVD -- and the results my twin boys have experienced in the last tournament. They hit well above their seasonal average and they hit with more power. Grounders that would usually get caught got through the gaps. First twin went from batting .275 to .428 -- and second twin went from .300 to .466 for the 5 game tournament. Even batting practice is more fun to watch when they hit several hard line drives in a row to the outfield. Thanks, George C
Here's an e-mail from a minor league ballplayer.
What a great website! I am heading into my first
professional season in the _____ League with the _____ _____
and I have been learning how to do exactly what the photos
of rotational hitting show. I understood it before but now I
can visually see and relate to the pictures of Pujols, he is
truly amazing. If you ever want to go to a game in _____
this summer, if you are from around there then let me know. It is going to be an experience for me so I couldn't tell you
what to expect. Thanks again for this site. I appreciate it. Did
you play professionally?
Here's an e-mail from the brother of a D-1 college ballplayer.
My brother is highly recognized nationally for
his glove but has always been just average in his hitting.
After watching some of the clips on your website he's hit 2 home runs in
pre season games and he's never done that before so we're
expecting him to get drafted in the higher rounds this year.
Here's an e-mail from a college hitter.
Before I began reading the information on your website I was
hitting weak groundballs and occasional base hits. After
learning a number of different principles such as
tilt, circular
hand path and separation, I became a gap to
gap hitter with power to all fields.
Here's an e-mail from a college hitter.
A few weeks ago, I discovered your website and have been
surfing it and reading almost daily every since I did, just
getting as much information as possible. I play catcher for the
University of ________ team and was reading online to find some
ways to improve on my swing because I had been struggling of
late. And I have been much more successful recently, as far
as I can see, because I studied the hitter analyses and swing
techniques you write about and everything started to make much
more sense. Especially, concerning my load and being more
efficient and direct with my hands. So I wanted to commend you
on your knowledge and efforts. Thank you very much, the site is
tremendous.
Here's an e-mail from a college hitter.
My name is Tony Bernazard. I'm a division 1 baseball player at
Jacksonville University and son of former Major Leaguer and now
Special Assistant to the GM and VP of Player Development of the
NY Mets named Tony Bernazard. After searching around to find some
swing analysis' of Major Leaguers, Manny Ramirez in particular,
I came across Chris O'Leary's website and it is hands down the
most helpful, easy to follow breakdown and instruction of the
Major League swing. I have been taught more on the lines of
linear hitting my whole life by my father and it had worked well
up until about 2 years ago when the college pitchers got a
scouting report on me. The ball just wasn't flying off the bat
as well. But after reading and listening to everything that
Chris O'Leary had to say about rotational hitting I, and my
coaches, have noticed a huge difference in my swing and the
results that follow. I was very skeptical at first because it
went against a lot of things that I have learned, and I have
trusted my dad because if it worked for him then he knows that
he is talking about, but then I realized that most major
leaguers, including him, aren't aware of what they actually do,
and that, just as Chris says, the vast majority of Major League
hitters follow the principles of rotational hitting, as the
should, no matter what they may think they do. I am only 5'9'',
150 lbs, and am now testing out the dimensions at our park, a
pitcher friendly park, on a regular basis. I am not even trying
to hit the ball out of the park but when you are hitting it hard
and well on almost every swing, it just tends to happen without
trying to. I thank Chris for educating me on what a Major League
swing really is and for helping me regain my confidence at the
plate. The draft is coming up in June and I have all the
confidence in the world that I will catch someone's eye with my
new found swing. I recommend Chris O'Leary's teachings and
philosophies to any baseball player at any level if they want to
step up their game at the plate. Thanks Chris.
Here's an e-mail from the father of a high school hitter.
My son is 15 and has always been a good hitter, many consider
him to have exceptional hands. However, he was prone to hitting
ground balls and in my opinion not as much pop as needed. He hit
mostly singles.
We attended a seminar put on by Mike Epstein a few
months ago. It piqued my interest and I began learning about
rotational mechanics. I found your site and especially liked
your analysis of connection and indeed see this as key.
The picture analysis of various hitters also clearly
demonstrates what actually happens during a swing. The
combination of the load, stride and then the connected
rotational swing is there for anyone willing to see past their
biases.
My son has been hitting the smack out of the ball on
his high school team. He has already hit several triples and
doubles which is new for him. Most importantly he has a logical
approach to hitting which will allow him to grow in the future.
Here's an e-mail from a high school hitter.
I think your site is great. I probably spend an hour a day on
your site. I used to be a little punch hitter until I found your
website, but now I regularly hit the ball over outfielders
heads. I can also recognize most flaws in my teammates' swings.
Whenever they doubt the advice I'm giving them to improve, I
always take them to my house and show them your slow motion
analyses of hitters.
Here's an e-mail from a high school hitter.
You have done a better job than probably 90 percent of all
high school coaches on teaching the major league swing.
Phenomenal!
Here's an e-mail from a youth coach.
This Fall I coached a 7-8 yr old machine pitch recreational team.
All the kids at the beginning of the season had all sorts of swings
and many could get their bats on the ball. By the middle and especially
the latter part of the season, the kids were hitting, from the top to
the bottom of the line-up. No batting average was below .450 after
being taught rotational hitting fundamentals. The kids' confidence levels continued to increase and they were eager
to get out and hit after many started the season not wanting to be there
and fearing failure. The kids and parents were all excited at the season
end team party and were all talking about how far the boys had come.
They could not wait until the next season and were excited about baseball.
It was a great feeling to see these kids having a great time playing
baseball.
Professional Testimonials
These are unsolicited testimonials from doctors and experienced baseball
people who think I know what I'm talking about.
I am a former college pitcher and college coach who
has a graduate degree in exercise science. I came across
your site while teaching baseball instruction at a St. Louis
sports academy. I sent the link to a former professor of
physiology. He thought it was pretty solid stuff. I
played/coached baseball for over 20 years and I can honestly
say that almost everything I was taught about pitching
mechanics by those with the “experience” that your critics
say you lack was wrong. It wasn’t until I pursued graduate
work in exercise science that I came to my own conclusions
about pitching mechanics. Baseball is locked in tradition
and I am guessing the misinformation and useless drills will
continue for years to come. You are not asking kids to
emulate you. You are asking them to emulate Roger Clemens or
Greg Maddux. I found the high speed analysis of Roger
Clemens to be most valuable as I taught young pitchers
proper mechanics. Things got a little messy once he was
busted for steroids and news of his affair with a 15
year-old Mindy McCready surfaced, but I tried to stress that
his mechanics and not his judgment were to be emulated. I
have read Dick Mills’ epic book on pitching. I have read
Mike’s Marshall’s views. I have had the opportunity to work
with professors with tremendous knowledge in biomechanics
who themselves had collegiate baseball experience. I have
been taught things by former professional players and
coaches with decades of experience within the game. I have
played and coached at the youth, high school, and college
levels. Your site provides the best synthesis of the
positive aspects from every source I have encountered. I
know you don’t need fan mail, but I thought I would respond
to some of the arguments in the hate mail you have received.
I have the “experience” and know the “traditions” of the
game and I believe your site to be the best single source of
information on pitching mechanics I have ever encountered. I
only wish I had come across it when I was 12. Unfortunately,
I didn’t and instead endured one of the newest baseball
“traditions” – career ending elbow injuries.
Here's an e-mail I received regarding my dislike of the
Inverted W.
Chris I am an orthopedic surgeon, and would like to offer you a theory on why the
Inverted W is bad to the long term health of the shoulder.
In the position of hyper abduction, elevation and
extension of the distal humerus above the shoulder
(inverted W) the inferior glenohumeral ligament is
placed on stretch. The humeral head must lever against
it to advance the arm forward. This ligament is the
primary anterior stabilizer of the glenohumeral joint
with the arm elevated (i.e. pitching). In other words,
this position places this ligament under tension, then
it is levered against in order to throw. This eventually
will either loosen the shoulder, or tear the anterior
labrum.
It should be recognized this ligament is under stress during the "normal" delivery. If you traumatically dislocate your shoulder, this ligament is a key part of the pathology.
Shoulder instability in turn leads to impingement, and other problems. Conversely, when the elbow is below the shoulder, this ligament would not be as stressed.
Also, the specific use and timing of the muscles about the shoulder is critical. They have done muscle activity studies during throwing, and there are distinct differences between amateurs and professionals. There is also evidence for muscle use differences in the healthy shoulders, and the ones that aren't.
Pitching and Hitting Testimonials
Below are some unsolicited testimonials from people who have had success
with both my information about
pitching
mechanics and
rotational hitting.
Aloha Chris,
My son and I are viewing your website as an instructional.
We changed his hitting swing by implementing your breakdown
that explains what is going on. He made tremendous progress.
We are now implementing the throwing techniques (not for
pitching but just throwing in general).
Today, one of the mothers at school, informed me that her
son (who plays minor Little League) is losing interest
because he is struggling and not hitting the ball. This is
his first year of learning baseball.
I informed her of your website and what a difference it has
made in just a few weeks with my son.
Her husband is in the same situation as me. We don't know
about baseball and have never played it. They will be
viewing your website tonight with their son.
I would like to thank you personally for putting up a
website that is non-baseball knowledge friendly! I don't know
a lot about baseball but now I have some knowledge of
baseball on throwing and hitting.
A big mahalo (thank you) from the big island of Hawaii!
I have developed an international following, with readers
in Serbia, South Africa, Cameroon, and a number of other
countries. Here is an e-mail I received from a baseball
coach in Italy.
Dear Chris, first of all excuse me for my English. I am an
Italian coach from Rome, I train a team boys here called "New Roma
Baseball." From when I have discovered your site the output of
my team has changed completely receiving many successes and, in
the meantime, you have allowed me to adjourn me and to
constantly grow. In Italy the technique of the baseball, both as
it regards the pitcher that the batter, is not very evolved and
the things that I have read have been of fundamental importance
for me is to local level that national. I have, besides, put to
the current one many Italian technicians of the existence of
your site and all you/they are having satisfaction enormous of
it. Thanks to you my boys and me same we are I am very improved.
And' a pleasure to see children (from the 9 a 12 years) to
strike the ball with so much power and explosiveness. All of my
boys launch following the principles from you brought and some
of them (7) they have been select for the regional and national
selections. Thanks. I will be among the first ones that will
purchase your book.
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