Jason Giambi has seen every kind of pitch with every kind of funky movement possible over the course of his memorable 20-year Major League Baseball career.
Having retired this past February, Giambi's 440 home runs rank him 41st on the MLB's all-time list, while he's one of 14 players to have at least 400 homers, 1,400 RBI, 400 doubles and an on-base percentage of .399 or higher since 1901, according to the New York Daily News.
So, if there's one thing the ex-slugger thoroughly understands, it's how to hit.
That's precisely why Giambi has teamed up with ex-Colorado Rockies general manager and current MLB Network analyst Dan O'Dowd and EON Sports VR to introduce EON's new interactive hitting simulator, Project OPS.
The virtual reality training experience keys in on hitters' strike-zone awareness and pitch recognition, with Giambi himself providing interactive advice throughout.
"The Strike Zone awareness simulation is unparalleled in baseball today," Giambi said in a press release statement for Project OPS. "I can't imagine what the game would have looked like if we had this technology when I broke into the league in the mid-'90s. Many kids live in cold weather climates where you can't get out on the diamond every day. This solution allows hitters around the world to practice real-life applications and situations wherever they are."
Giambi adds: "I've stood in the box against some of the best and most intimidating pitchers in the world. They were so good at changing up their pitches, at times it was almost impossible to anticipate what they would throw. But with the EON Sports VR Project OPS, you are prepared for anything that a pitcher will throw at you."
The goal is for Project OPS to prepare hitters — via its 30 interactive virtual reality strike-zone awareness challenges — to mimic what they're doing in the simulation during real-game experiences. With several NFL teams investing in virtual reality training and the technology spreading to the NBA, WNBA and NHL, it was bound to hit baseball — emphasis on hit.
