Hitting machine

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Jun 27, 2017
9
0
Hi. My dd is 14/freshman. This is her first year we've have school ball avail in our district- this is the first week of practice here.

She's a pretty good hitter. Always had great averages- 'A' level travel ball team this year- she's played a lot for many years.

But we've never come across the machine much. Maybe a year or two prepping for all-star games. But not much.

They pull it out this week for school ball practice & she can't hit a ball to save her life!! not ONE!!!

What gives?

She's always been one of the top hitters on all her teams. No problems to mention until this point. Now all the sudden we learn she can't hit from a machine. ? Is it somehow different? Or is it mental now? My husband is starting to wonder.. is the machine throwing them too high for what she's used to.. etc... don't know. We're clueless. I guess she just needs to get used to it? She's really upset.
 
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Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Her timing is probly off.

If I was to guess ..

If she is playing 14U A she is starting her swing before the pitcher releases the ball, for the machine she might be waiting until ball is launched before starting her swing.

Each machine is a little different but she needs to figure out someway to time it.
 
Jan 18, 2018
22
0
There are lots of opinions about the benefits or harm from hitting off a pitching machine. But one things for sure. You better figure out how to hit the machine if you want playing time in college. My daughter had problems hitting the machine as a freshman. She figured it out and hit the machine well as a sophomore. No playing time as a freshman. Significant playing time as a sophomore.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
A lot depends on the 'pitcher/feeder' of the machine. The 'pitcher' of the machine needs to mimic the windmill style of a pitcher. This helps with a players timing the pitched ball.
 
Feb 16, 2015
933
43
South East
My DD also struggles with a machine.... Depending on what type of machine it is, especially a 1 wheel machine, I find that the ball doesn't drop as fast as a regular pitch probably because of the backspin like a rise ball. One thing that has helped my daughter recently was to concentrate on having a flatter swing plane (less attack angle, I believe that is what it's called). Is she on time with the ball? Is she missing under? Does she looked rushed to get her swing off? If you can answer those questions you could probably pin point the problem. As someone mentioned earlier some college camps use pitching machines for BP..... Even though it may not be a huge turn off if she can't hit off of a machine I would think it isn't a good look for the coaches. Probably the best thing she could do to improve this is to use a machine more often, if available.
 
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Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
My guess is the same as Rdbass. Probably someone feeding that doesn’t know what they are doing. Has to be consistent timing feeding the ball. They can’t just shove it in the machine. My second guess is they have the machine set to throw 70 mph, you know because you see that all the time in high school.
 
Feb 16, 2015
933
43
South East
Drdrodd beat me to it....
A single wheel machine is throwing riseballs... Just have her focus on the top half of the ball.[/QUOTE]

I like this thought thanks for sharing...... I never did like the fact that my DD had to change her swing plain while hitting on a machine.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
Drdrodd beat me to it....
A single wheel machine is throwing riseballs... Just have her focus on the top half of the ball.[/QUOTE]

I like this thought thanks for sharing...... I never did like the fact that my DD had to change her swing plain while hitting on a machine.

One of my pet peeves is how softball coaches use pitching machine. I always take the legs off the machine this puts the release point a couple feet off the ground which more closely mimics the release point of an actual pitcher.

You also do have to be very consistent with feeding the machine I don't do the windmill gimmick I present the ball then feed it to the machine you just get into a rhythm which does not include putting a ball in every 5 seconds; for speed you don't need to go above 60mph.

I'm just not a huge fan but it does have it's place. It's one one the reasons I learned to pitch that way I would usually give myself one run through the order if we were doing BP.

All that being said if you can't hit off the machine you will be looked down on until you figure it out or get put in enough game situations to prove yourself.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
One of my pet peeves is how softball coaches use pitching machine. I always take the legs off the machine this puts the release point a couple feet off the ground which more closely mimics the release point of an actual pitcher.

You also do have to be very consistent with feeding the machine I don't do the windmill gimmick I present the ball then feed it to the machine you just get into a rhythm which does not include putting a ball in every 5 seconds; for speed you don't need to go above 60mph.

I'm just not a huge fan but it does have it's place. It's one one the reasons I learned to pitch that way I would usually give myself one run through the order if we were doing BP.

All that being said if you can't hit off the machine you will be looked down on until you figure it out or get put in enough game situations to prove yourself.


I used to own a jugs single wheel... I would turn the machine around backwards, and reverse the ball shoot. This would reverse the spin making it a drop ball... the spin would still be way more than a live pitcher could realistically produce. So, Id move up to about 35' and reduce the speed to approx. 50... the reaction time is similar to 60 mph. But the reduction in speed and distance would simulate a realistic spin rate of a drop ball.
Once I started pitching and could hit between 55- 60 with all different spins myself, I sold the machine. (I've been studying Bill, Rick, Rich, Boardmember, Java, and Tincher for about 8 years now... so it took a while to get where Im at.... And I still have a ton to learn....
Hurry up already Fastpitch Foundations!!!!!
 
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