subject: What To Consider When Purchasing Pitching Machines [print this page] What To Consider When Purchasing Pitching Machines
Are you puzzled with the variety of baseball softball pitching machines that are available on the market? Do you need help in choosing the right batting cage or batting cages for your young athlete? It is a good idea to do your homework well before you go for the kill lest you will find after you have bought your machinery that you have missed a good deal somewhere. Before you decide, take a look at the six major types of pitching machines available to you:1. Real Ball Machine -- as you would have guessed from the name, this type of equipment these are those machines you see on the commercials which pitch "real" balls. The balls used by these machines are dimpled and weigh about five ounces. These machines come in two categories -- (1) arm styled wheel machines and (2) compressed air machines. All these models come with their own batting cages. Ensure that your machines have an auto feeder and remote control so you could play solo when you want to train or play on your own. 2. Wheel Style Machine -- these machines are more versatile than the real ball equipment, which makes this type of machine a hot favorite all over the country. This machine can be used as comfortably for baseball as it can be used for softball or a combination of both. These machines have a drawback, they need power supply so, if you are planning to use it on any field, you will need to arrange for a generator as well. 3. Single Wheel Machine- these machines are best for beginner as they are used for throwing balls in straight pitch. There are usually priced in the range of $900 and up- this type of machines are a little cheaper than the two-wheel model and therefore best for the warming up players. The speed of the throw here ranges between 25-70 mph. 4. Two Wheel Machine -- this type of machine is more versatile and hence preferred by coaches all over. You can use this machine to simulate any type of throw, which is why this is the best for professional training purposes. You can use them for fly balls, ground balls and even catch pop-ups. They are portable and look very smart. The downside of this machine is that you cannot see the movement of the arm, which somehow interferes negatively with the thrill of the practice game and/ or training session. However, with a little practice, this drawback can fade into background. 5. Arm Style Machines -- for those who love to see the arm throwing the ball, this machine completely fits the bill. These machines have been around for more than 5 decades, which makes them a great choice for buying. They are bulky and not easily movable, which is a downside. 6. Hopper Fed and Rack Fed Machines -- these machines are pre-fed and comes in two types, for example, (1) containing 38 balls and (2) containing 28 balls. These machines are highly durable, versatile and require least maintenance. This type is mostly used for professional training sessions.
