1. Pitching machines date all the way back to 1897, when Princeton mathematics instructor Charles Hinton designed the very first model for the Tigers' college baseball team. Like something out of Gilligan's Island, the professor invented a gunpowder-powered contraption that could throw baseballs at various speeds, and even offer breaking pitches. Batting practice would never be the same with the onset of the pitching machine.
2. Pitching machines allow for maximum efficiency and productivity while in the batting cage. Beginners gain consistent practice in eye-hand coordination and swing mechanics. Higher-end machines allow players to refine their hitting technique with differing speeds and breaking pitches. Both baseball and softball players benefit from time in the hitting nets, and combo pitching machines can be tailored for either or both players.
3. Coaches who pitch batting practice tend to subconsciously offer a lobbed delivery, which, after years of hand-thrown batting practice, can result in players developing an upward swing. Baseball pitching machines and softball pitching machines can give you a consistently true trajectory with which to work. A pitching machine is a rigorous trainer - remember, perfect practice means perfect technique.
4. When picking a pitching machine to help your team improve its performance under live pitching, it's important to consider the machine's range of speeds and number of pitches thrown. Sure, differing speeds can be simulated by moving the machine closer to the batter, or farther away. But it's best to spend your time in the cage, as close as possible to true game conditions - and the top baseball pitching machines can throw change-ups and bring heat. Some can even offer up curves, sliders, and knucklers, too.
5. Baseball and softball require different pitching styles, and, you would think, different pitching machines. But combo pitching machines can often accommodate the specifications required for the two sports. Many combination pitching machines can make the switch between baseball and softball in mere minutes, if not sooner.
6. Softball pitching machines should simulate the game's unique underhanded throwing motion. A good machine should also be able to offer a variety of speeds, as well as risers and drop balls. Take note whether you need a pitching machine for 11-inch or 12-inch softballs, though a quality softball pitching machine should be able to handle both.
7. High-end, two-wheel, dual-motor pitching machines should be able to simulate not only breaking balls and off-speed pitches, but both right- and left-handers. High school, college, and professional players benefit from training in the cage with a machine that can provide a variety of pitch types and a maximum speed of at least 90 mph. For serious teams, portability is also a plus in a pitching machine.
8. If you're simply looking to hone hand-eye coordination, and to smooth out your swing, a soft-toss machine might be your ideal option. This type of pitching machine is smaller, lighter, portable, and tosses balls at consistent intervals and speeds.
9. Arm-action pitching machines are just what their name suggests. They hurl balls in an overhand motion, simulating a pitcher's delivery, thus providing a true example of a ball's trajectory.
10. The wheel design of circular wheel pitching machines projects balls toward a batter. The spinning motion of the machine provides velocity, and the ball is shot out at a high rate of speed. These types of pitching machines can use, one, two, or three wheels, and are convenient and consistent for cage-training time.
Find information on pitching machine brands, capabilities and more in the Pitching Machines 101 section.
