Buying a pitching machine

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Oct 4, 2016
176
18
Hey all -

Just wondering what everyone's take is on having a good (Jugs) pitching machine for batting practice for a travel ball team. My DD's team hasn't been hitting faster pitching very well and my DD needs work as well.

Worth the investment? I was told it doesn't help much by a friend.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!
 
Dec 10, 2015
845
63
Chautauqua County
I have my own machine and I use it for hitting, making sure to vary the speed to simulate a CU. I also use it for outfield practice. If you just set it up and fire balls at them, once they got used to the higher speed I can see how it wouldn't be so useful, unless you were pairing it with video. I don't use Jugs. I'd have to go look and see what mine is.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Most high end TB coaches prefer doing front toss vs. using a pitching machine. Not sure I would spend the money on one unless your DD is 10U and you have several years to take advantage of it.
 
Mar 8, 2016
313
63
Buying a pitching machine would be a very low priority for me. I did a lot of harm for my DD when she was 11 and 12 using a pitching machine for her to hit off. I was ignorant and she wanted to keep pushing for faster and faster speeds to try and hit. It ha taken a lot of work to correct the flaws that came from doing that. In my opinion nothing beats (correct) tee work and live pitching for both the individual and team. DD has worked with a number of hitting instructors as she has gotten older and none of them has ever used a pitching machine. DD hated tee work when she was young but finally accepted it as important when she kept hearing the importance from "experts". For team practices try and get an older pitcher who can consistently throw strikes to come to practice. When working individually with my DD I just have to keep moving the screen closer and closer to home plate. I can throw hard or accurate but not both at the same time.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Our organization has a jugs machine, about 10 Teams every year. As far as I can tell it spends most of it time collecting dust.

I am sure it would help if you used it but all the Teams go about hitting practice a different way without using the machine.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
A pitching machine can be a good or bad tool just like anything else. The thing it does best is allow you to have hitters see speed over an accurate distance. Because unless you can throw at game speed yourself, or can hire someone to do it, it can be tough to bring that element into practice. If you use the Barry Bonds drill, where the hitter moves closer and further away from the machine as they hit, you also help keep them from getting too comfortable at just one speed.

That said, a machine isn't where you learn to hit. You do that off a tee, and with dry swings. That's the place to work on the mechanics. The machine gives you an opportunity to see how/whether the mechanics are translating when the ball is moving quickly toward the hitter. It's a great spot-check. I do a lot more front toss than machine work with hitters, but I will use a machine too. I've also watched D1 college practices, in person and on video, where they used a machine for hitting so it's definitely used at that level as well.

One big key is how you feed the machine. Improper feeding can create a lot of frustration and do a lot of damage to hitters' timing, thereby defeating the whole purpose. Not to be self-promotional, but I have a video blog post coming out late Friday afternoon that will illustrate some of the issues, how to correct them, and how to hit off a machine when it's not being fed properly. It will show up on my Life in the Fastpitch Lane blog, and will be linked in the "Ken's Blog Posts" forum below. Stay tuned...
 
Oct 4, 2016
176
18
Most high end TB coaches prefer doing front toss vs. using a pitching machine. Not sure I would spend the money on one unless your DD is 10U and you have several years to take advantage of it.

She is moving to 12 U in January and I have two younger daughters who just got into it. I guess we'll give it a shot and see!
 
Oct 4, 2016
176
18
Most high end TB coaches prefer doing front toss vs. using a pitching machine. Not sure I would spend the money on one unless your DD is 10U and you have several years to take advantage of it.

When you say front toss do you mean front toss on the field? Or in a cage? My daughter goes to a hitting instructor once a week and works front toss and tee. I just don't feel she or the girls on the team get enough pitches to them to get used to hitting higher speeds. Or even hitting lower 40s speed with power. I intend to share the machine with the team but want it to help and not be a hindrance. They've tried live pitching by our pitchers, who are very good pitchers, but it hasn't worked out very well.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
For younger players I am a fan of the spring or sling type contraptions. They are very portable and you do not need electricity.

Can not throw curve balls as far as I know and max out at about 50 MPH though. Suppose you can move them in a little bit if you max it out.
 

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