CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

Paul,

Just a quick hello since it is costing me about a million yen a minute to be online. Training has been going well. My swing feels great and I think they have been impressed with the balls leaving the stadium. Had about six days off, but started on Monday with the medicine balls and Tuesday with the overload, underload. Since a large group of reporters follow our every move, there was lots of questions as to what I was actually doing. You may receive a bunch of orders from Japan. My bat speed was very good. 100-104 regular bat after practice all day. Rest must have helped. Drop me a line with any training advice as I will try to check my e-mail periodically. I will give you a call when I get a reasonable carrier and ISP. Talk to you soon.

Mark Johnson, Hanshin Tigers

Just wanted to let you know that Kris made varsity as a freshman. He'll be the starting 2nd baseman and will probably do some pitching. He's the only freshman on the team.His bat speed is consistently around 88-90 m.p.h. if only his fastball was this quick). He's 5'7 and weighs 140 lbs. He's batting second in the lineup and I think they'll move him to third. He has been crushing the ball. The last game he hit one further than I thought he could hit it...about 390 feet.The bigger guys on the team can't believe how hardhe hits the ball. He tells them he has a good eye and good bat speed.We are trying to get th boosters to pick up a set pro device for the team. I need about three weeks to get through some things and my website should be finished.I'll keep you informed as things develop.

Paul:

Well,Kris had a pretty good freshman year. He lead the team in most offensive categories,was named defensive player of the year for his work at second base and was the first freshman ever to make the league all-star team. He's now a 15 year old playing American Legion ball and with about half the season over he's leading the league in home runs. He's 5'8 but still only 145 lbs.

A local business paper is running an article on Kris' internet business but there is a lot of baseball stuff in the article with interviews from former coaches etc. We even managed to get a plug in for Set-Pro. The article should be out in a couple weeks and we expect to send a copy to NESN .

His bat speed is in the 90+ range and I hope he puts on a few pounds in the off-season.We are trying to set up a pre-season series in Andover,Mass. with Philips Andover Academy who supposedly has two pretty good pitchers.

I need a couple of those sticky bat sensors you put on bats. Can you send me a few with a bill? My address is: 6 Stone Ridge Dr. Waterville,Maine 04901

I hope things are going well.

Jim Vigue

14 Year Old "McGuire" Swings Heavy Bat in California

Ian Gac, age 14, recently returned from the Holiday Classic Baseball Tournament in Brea, California this past December 18th, 19th and 20th. As a member of the Northwest Timberjacks Baseball Club, an 18 year old and under select baseball team, Gac hit .333 with 3 RBI's plus one shot striking the left-center field wall at the 340 foot mark; two feet short of a home run. Gac's regularly hit drives at the 385' + mark. Gac stated "it's quite an honor and a challenge being part of this team" as the Timberjacks were playing some of the country's top 18 year old select teams.

Scouts from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, the University of Southern California, Pepperdine University and myriad other college and professional scouts viewed many of the players with interest for professional baseball contracts and college scholarships. Playing 3rd base and doing his share at the plate, Gac found the experience challenging as this is the first time he's faced players of this calibre. Pitchers were throwing balls in excess of 85-90 miles per hour and hitting line shots to Gac at 3rd base just like bullets. "You've really got to move when playing in the field and anticipate the ball coming across the plate", said Gac. "The pace is much faster than I'm used to seeing", but, "I was pleased I did well." Gac will be traveling with the Timberjacks this coming February to a tournament in Las Vegas, to Mesa, Arizona in July, to Winterhaven Florida in late July and to Puerto Rico and Canada next August and September.

Gac was also just recently invited to play on a select team that will travel to Cuba this coming February; however, he had to turn down the offer because of his commitment to the Timberjacks. Most exciting, Gac will likely participate in the 2000 USA Baseball Youth National Team Tryouts in June, which will choose the final Junior Olympic Baseball Team from 950 participants. The team will compete in the Pan American Youth Baseball Championships in Aruba later this summer.

Gac realizes it will take a great deal of hard work and some breaks but, he hopes to pursue a professional baseball career. Coach Brooks of the Timberjacks, formally of the Minnesota Twins, was quoted as saying that "Gac's the best 14 year old I've ever seen." Hard work isn't something that's new to Ian Gac, however, as Gac often takes in excess of 1,000 swings of the bat per week; working on timing, rhythm, bat speed and batting mechanics, in addition to fielding and conditioning. Gac takes hitting lessons from Jim Nettles, brother of Yankee great Greig Nettles. [Jim Nettles teaches at the Pacific Sports Center in Puyallup]

"My bat speed has improved from roughly 65 miles per hour this past summer, up to 90 miles per hour just this past week." "I challenge myself against a bat speed and timing computer system on a daily basis, Gac said."

Keeping in mind that the average major league bat speed is in the high 80's, Gac seems well on his way toward his goal. Gac, is a freshman at Edmonds-Woodway High School in Edmonds, Washington, the school that recently produced Garik Baxter-now of the San Diego Padres Baseball System and hopes to contribute, positively, to the high school baseball program this coming Spring.

For more information contact Dennis at (206) 650-0250 or Coach Brooks of the Timberjacks at (253) 770-7526.

Hello, my name is Jeff Bittiger.I've been a professional pitcher for 21 years,eleven years at the AAA level and four years at the major league level.Because I've spent so many years on the bubble,I consider myself a student of pitching.The last two years I have been following the posts in the public forum of your website.Needless to say I've been very impressed with your ideas and your teaching methods.Overload/Underload training,momentum in the delivery,over-rotation, all are right on in my estimations.The one thing that is so impressive about your philosophies is your non-clone approach many pitching instructors preach.

I've done a lot of study on pitching with all the familiar names,House,Shaw,Marshall,Mills,Thurston and as a player in major league camp with Seaver,Bamberger,Carlton,Osteen, find you to be further advanced in your teaching.Your biomedical background coupled with hours of film study prove to be the right combination.
To get to the gist of my e-mail, I'm 38 years old and still compete professionally in the Northern league where I'm a pitcher/pitching coach.Topped out at 94 mph in my prime,still touched 88 this year but worked at 84-85.Did this with virtually no training,except light jobe shoulder exercises.I've pitched almost 3,000 pro innings with almost no arm problems and no surgeries.I'm 5-10 and throw between high ¾ and overhand.
Wanted to see if you would design a off season program for me.Would love to talk more in detail,a visit to your facility would be my pleasure.I'll leave my phone # and address hope to hear from you soon.

Jeff Bittiger

I have always been fascinated how one happens to make a contact with another person..fate...devine intervention..????...I came upon your name from a gentleman I met on the net..another pitching site...named Steve Rice...we had not chatted in over a year..had boys going in similar directions..so we became good internet friends..exchanging each others video tapes of your sons...my son is currently a freshman at Miami University..he is a 6'5" 210lb left handed pitcher...who has gone from 87-91(one of the top prospects at the Perfect Game Showcase in Florida in October of 99) to 79-81 currently with MiamiUniversity...with that type of velocity he is getting marginal use at best...5 innings of work to 19 batters to date...University ball is all about winning and not much on developing players..I'm learning all about that in a hurry..my son was a multi sport athlete in highschool..and we assumed that by finally emersing himself in just baseball at the univesity level that progress would naturally occur...I guess we may be wrong..so as a concerned dad..and one who has always been part of his athletic development..I am back searching for advice...your site..what Steve has told me...and the readings I've been searching seem to point to the right guy...i like your philosophy and what you have to say...I'm a kinesology major and throws coach at my highschool(shot/discus)..so I have a pretty good understanding about what you are saying....I know they are making my son too mechanical in trying to find his speed again...now we live in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada...not sure whether you have ever dealt with anyone in this area..but we are very interested in connecting with you and listening to your thoughts on our situation...I'm sure you get hundreds of emails similar to mine..dads looking for help....well I guess I'm another one...we would love to be your next pupils...

thanks in advance

Sal Farina

Hello Paul

Well Paul, although you did not have the opportunity to directly work with Justin...in our 2 brief conversations and your internet articles we were able to implement some of your philosophies into our workout program and they seem to have brought some outstanding results with Justin to date. He has been the most dominate pitcher in the Miami University Fall program....and this past Saturday at Scout Day....he was gunned at 88-90....2 ground outs and a strikeout for his one inning of work....last week in a 6 inning session he was consistently 85-87. Just thought we would pass on the bit of good news....

Sal Farina

This is Marcelo Albir and i dont know if you remember me but about a year ago i bought the wieghted ball system. Last year i was only able to do the program for about 6 weeks. My fastball went up 2 miles and was topping out at 87. This year i decieded to give your program another chance and was able to do it for about 3 months. I gained an extra 4 mph on my fastball i am now at 91mph. Your program has got my arm the strongest it's ever been. I have been on a very strict workout program(cardio,abs,and plyometrics at 6 am and then wiehgts at night from 7-9pm)for the past 5 months and i'm still trying to gain wieght; i want to be at 195lbs by the time my season starts and i'm currently at 6'1 184. I know i still have more miles per hour in my arm becasue my coach still tells me i have to use my body better, sometimes i'm just using my arm. I have oarly commited to University of Miami,FL and will sign with them in April. I wanted to thank you, and to tell people that they just have to stick with your program, but you got to give a 110% when doing it. Also, i have not been up to date with the website and was wondering what i have to do to get access to the members forums because my old password does not work. There is valuble information in there that will help me out with my mechanics and overall pitching. Could you please send me my new password and screen name?

thanks again, Marcelo

Well it happened faster than I thought. Danny threw 80mph for the first time today. After reading the terrific information in the members pitchers forum we added a long toss day and a weighted ball day the past couple of weeks.

Danny mechanically very much mirrors Pedro/Nolan so we worked on "mimicing" their arm action ("horizontal W"). Danny had about 10 days between starts because of rainouts/tournament scheduling to work on this. Voila from consistantly 77mph to 80mph.

Thanks so much again for your invaluable help.

Steve

Travis hit the 90 mph mark 3 times.We had been all around it the last several weeks, but just couldn't quite get there. Many 87 - 88 mph pitches.

It will be interesting to see how this effects future workouts leading up to the showcase on 12-8-01.

I can't thank you enough for your assistance and input into all this.Without your help these past two years it would never have happened. I'm convinced of that. And in particular the last 10 months we have been kind of doing this via remote control.The many conversations we had were all informative and helpful. It gives one great confidence knowing that you are getting sound instruction and are doing the right things.

Many have had their strong desire to succeed washed away by "bad instruction".

Since working closely with you I have not had that concern. It was only a matter of making it work for you. And Travis did that part of busting his ass to get there.

It's all here, on this site. If you're willing to look for it and work for it.

Thanks again. And hoping you and your family enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Ed Miller