Portable pitching machine

IndyHScoach · Apr 12, 2018

Looking for suggestions:

Would like to purchase a portable, manual pitching machine for game day travels. (HS team)
Preferably one that uses whiffle or soft balls.

Laphoneman · Apr 12, 2018

I bought a louisville slugger black flame about 10 yrs ago have been very happy with it. Light weight Very consistant Until balls get beat out of shape. So I use tennis balls they also dont hurt as bad on shots back up the middle. max speed 12" balls avg 45mph tennis balls up to 55mph wiffle balls 65mph yellow wiffel balls you can set to curve in or out if get good on release. Using for 10 yrs I can make it pitch 12" in or out just by contacting release handle on in or out of handle.
I think black flame throws harder than blue flame. I have never replaced the spring it stays out in the weather very little paint left on it still throws strikes if balls are good.

coach james · Apr 12, 2018

Personal Pitcher Pitching Machines for Baseball & Softball
I had one of these for a few years, works great. The added feature that they don't advertise is the more the balls get hit, the more they become misshapen. The benefit here is you never know the location or speed the ball is going to be delivered, thus forcing the hitter to track the ball and not just swing to a predetermined location.

quincy · Apr 12, 2018

Laphoneman said:
I bought a louisville slugger black flame about 10 yrs ago have been very happy with it. Light weight Very consistant Until balls get beat out of shape. So I use tennis balls they also dont hurt as bad on shots back up the middle. max speed 12" balls avg 45mph tennis balls up to 55mph wiffle balls 65mph yellow wiffel balls you can set to curve in or out if get good on release. Using for 10 yrs I can make it pitch 12" in or out just by contacting release handle on in or out of handle.
I think black flame throws harder than blue flame. I have never replaced the spring it stays out in the weather very little paint left on it still throws strikes if balls are good.

They advertise you can use them for fly balls and some other things. They are useless for anything but pitching.

Have not timed them but above speeds seems about right. Not sure if 45 is fast enough for HS.

STRIKE3 · Apr 13, 2018

coach james said:
Personal Pitcher Pitching Machines for Baseball & Softball
I had one of these for a few years, works great. The added feature that they don't advertise is the more the balls get hit, the more they become misshapen. The benefit here is you never know the location or speed the ball is going to be delivered, thus forcing the hitter to track the ball and not just swing to a predetermined location.

Coach James, thanks for this post. I have been wanting something like this and been trying to figure out how to make it myself for years as I didn't know this existed. Gonna place an order in the next few days as my DD has to get more focus on hitting the ball. Going to be playing some PGF this summer and need to give her a shot to stay in the line up when she is not pitching so giving hitting more focus than ever.

Thanks again!
S3

coach james · Apr 14, 2018

Be sure to get the grow bat too... It's the same weight as her game bat, except it's as small as a broom stick! The netting needed is the exact same as found in your hardware store called bird netting. My first basement cage was this bird netting attached to two cables stretched across the length of the room. Served my DD and her teams well. I wish I'd never sold it. I bet I had 100 balls. Buy the cheap ones from Walmart...these are thinner and will egg shape quickly. This is HUGE to achieving tracking skills

coach james · Apr 14, 2018

quincy said:
They advertise you can use them for fly balls and some other things. They are useless for anything but pitching.

Have not timed them but above speeds seems about right. Not sure if 45 is fast enough for HS.

The speed is plenty fast.... Set the machine at 25 feet... This is compared to a reaction time of approx 70 mph.

quincy · Apr 15, 2018

That might be OK but you better be hiding behind screen.

I have one and like it but it almost forces you to be in open.

Portable pitching machine

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IndyHScoach

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