Pitching machines about Hitting

[Westwind]

I always wanted to play with an Iron Mike.

They show up used all the time around here, pretty cheap too.

 

[DiamondXP]

I always wanted to play with an Iron Mike.

They show up used all the time around here, pretty cheap too.

Got mine used. It was rusted and needed new parts. Sand blastes it, got it repainted and new parts. Runs great.

 

[radness]

Store Temporarily Closed for Maintenance

Easy read about distance of the pitching machine and a math equation for those that might like to use some math in their softball

 

[Westwind]

Rad, here is a second version of that same idea. I think your feeding method and consistency figures into this too.

Its kind of neat that they have it set up as a spreadsheet too.

 

[_MIA_]

Ok, the math in this thread is getting ridiculous..

 

[Westwind]

Check out these machine set ups by one of the best hitting coaches you will find anywhere…

RAD, it seems like we are thinking the same way. I’m moving this over from another thread. I think it’s super interesting to use a machine this way. Note that it is close and slow. The balls are more accurate. It’s almost like tee work with moving balls. The instructor is close and the hitter and instructor can talk and hear each other. This instructor is instructing, not blindly feeding balls.

I front toss (pitch slow) in a similar setup. I throw around 35 mph and I’m sure this is set up slower yet…..

 

[Westwind]

Ok, the math in this thread is getting ridiculous..

I can’t do math OR excel…..

 

[_MIA_]

I can’t do math OR excel…..

Excel sucks..

 

[radness]

Rad, here is a second version of that same idea. I think your feeding method and consistency figures into this too.

Absolutely!

Its kind of neat that they have it set up as a spreadsheet too.

View attachment 26686

Good stuff!

 

[Westwind]

Longtime machine user here. I throw more through a screen at short distances but machine is good too. Have owned Jugs Jr., Hack Jr. and have a programable Hack now. It will be for sale on approximately Jan 4, 2024 when dd goes back to school for her last season!

To answer the original question: change the speed constantly.
I read somewhere that you should be within 5 mph either way of the competition you see the most. My goal was always to make that window as wide as possible.

Regarding the indicated speed- that depends, especially with a Jugs machine. First of all, while a Jugs machine is the most common p machine in softball use, it is the worst machine you can use especially with young hitters. It’s probably the big reason people hate machines. It pitches 12/6 backspin balls. Period. Even at slow speed, the trajectory is wrong. It is constantly moving On the floor. The rubber chair legs on the bottom of the legs wear out and the legs slide all over the place. (You can get rubber chair leg ends at any hardware store, they have the size you need. Change them every few months.) A Jugs machine is better than nothing but it isn’t better than a guy/gal behind a screen even just doing flips.

Several things affect indicated speed vs ball speed with a Jugs- tire pressure and condition of the pinch pad. The pinch pad is glued to the metal piece above the wheel. As it wears, your speed decreases. Tire pressure is another. I always ran tire pressure around 11# which is below recommended. It made the machine more accurate. It also slowed it down a little.

As far as release point- a pitcher strides about 3/4 of her height. Just like you want to change speeds, you want to change distances within reason. Hint: It’s easier to do this with where the hitter stands than it is moving the machine.

Worst thing you can do: only do this if you want to completely destroy the swing of every kid on your team, is crank the speed all the way up as high as it will go and let them hack at it. Don’t do it. It’s stupid. It doesn’t work. The only people who should see 70 mph machine balls are players that will play Alabama etc this year. Not kidding about that.

I didn’t read all the posts but someone always says “machines are bad”. No- improperly used machines are bad. And almost no one uses them well that hasn’t thought about it for literally months. Or years.

I asked dd what her team does with machines. She says they use them two ways 1) in season they prepare specifically for pitchers they will see. 2) they do stations during regular practice. Stations is usually two Hacks set rise/drop or east/west (they rotate that daily) one hack that is a bunt station and one Jugs set to be a high velocity rise ball. They see those so it is actually productive.

She also pointed out, correctly, that even at her level Hacks can be set up with such extreme movement that no one can hit it. It’s unproductive. Don’t do it.

Hope that helps.

Hey all, with seasons starting up I wanted to refresh this thread. I really think that by using a thoughtful approach and not “plug it in and set it at 70” machines can be an awesome way to work on hitting.

Also- Teacherman is doing something I think is pretty smart!!! I know not everyone has a Hack Attack Team Feeder but you can see Teacherman came up with a practical way to change speeds. No messing with machine. No waiting for machine to spool up or down. No change in machine whine. I respect his resourcefulness if not his online personality.

I am kind of digging the idea of setting up a machine close to the hitter and using lower (very low, see chart above) speeds. It kind of replaces the tee…. I think the Teacherman set up could fed into that Idea.