dimpled machine balls
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I just had this discussion with DD the other night. I pointed out that all the HS girls and a few TB girls that got to the same hitting coach us game day bats in the cages and they still are working fine. However, I did buy DD a used 32/22 CF4 for the cages and save her 32/22 Xeno for games. I haven't seen one bat break in the cages we hit at and we've been going to this same coach for 3 years.
Amy is correct. Use good machine balls and replace the old and you won't have an issue. We have been using a machine for 12 years and never a cracked bat. There are specs on machine balls and what type you can buy. I will try to find the old post by Howard Carrier /hitter made on here. Plus how would the bat manf know you hit machine balls? Most would clean the residue off with soft scrub and act dumb! We clean our bats with soft scrub andit takes the ball marks off your bat. Plus we use baseball's not softball's that are smaller and harder, and you can set the speed even faster.
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- Dec 11, 2010
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We are starting to use dimple baseballs more and more for machine work. Think that is also a Hitter recommendation. Wish that cat either would move to Illinois or start posting again.
DD's Miken Rev ex snapped at the handle while hitting dimpled balls at 45-50mph.
Replacement Rev ex showing the start of what may be a crack on the Barrel and has only been used to hit game balls.
I've hit Mikens for Slowpitch in & out of the cages and never had a problem and DD's 1st comp. Bat was a Halo she used for games and cages with no probs.
She's now using a CF5 for games only.
It's more about bats being hot than bats being durable these days LS Xeno is a prime example!!
To answer question 12U & up composite bats and dimpled balls ...No Bueno!!
Replacement Rev ex showing the start of what may be a crack on the Barrel and has only been used to hit game balls.
I've hit Mikens for Slowpitch in & out of the cages and never had a problem and DD's 1st comp. Bat was a Halo she used for games and cages with no probs.
She's now using a CF5 for games only.
It's more about bats being hot than bats being durable these days LS Xeno is a prime example!!
To answer question 12U & up composite bats and dimpled balls ...No Bueno!!
What others have said...cage balls...the type you find at commercial facilities, are typically much harder than regular dimple balls you'd pick up at, say, academy for using in your personal machine. They have to be to hold up for years to reduce costs. The softer dimple balls, such as the jugs balls and what not, are easier on a bat than a regulation softball. It's just physics. However, what may also be at play in some instances is that the more hits these light composite bats take, the more they get stressed. Damage can be done just due to the sheer number of swings, and hits, a bat takes over a couple years. Throw in 70 games a year and triple that in practices, and the bats are getting a ton of workout! Introduce pitching machine work a couple times a week, whew!!!
- Mar 29, 2012
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DD swings CF6 and CF5 in games, got her a metal cat osterman for dimple balls. She can use the cf's against the softer balls that we manually feed into the pitching machine.
- Jul 17, 2012
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I just recently got a cage and a machine for my back yard. DW had a weak moment and approved of this. Anyway, I bought 2 dozen Jugs machine balls. I've read through a couple of threads on here and elsewhere on the topic. Just curious if the Nay Sayers would alter their opinion if they know what kind of balls they are, know they are new and know they were not sun baked or aged to be adobe bricks. I know that it's always a risk, but so is hitting regulation softballs. Can I assume just a nominal risk of damaging her game bats by allowing her to use them to hit the Jugs balls or are there still those of the NO WAY opinion? Just curious.
I like your description of sun baked adobe bricks.
The other problem we have in Florida is moisture retention which increase the mass of the ball. If you keep them from getting baked or water logged the bats will be just fine since in their native state dimple ball pose less of a threat to a bat than a typical 375#/.47 COR ball.We have used Jugs Sting-Free balls in our machines for years with no bat issues. The cheaper, Made In China knockoffs are significantly harder and I'm sure they would do some damage.
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