Posted by: Major Dan (markj89@charter.net) on Mon Jun 10 12:05:13 2002

I picked up a used Jugs curve ball pitching machine for about $800. It serves the purpose, but if I had the money and opportunity, I'd get the ATEC Casey Pro. Haven't used the Atec, but have seen one in a store. It's 1/3 lighter, and seems to set up a lot quicker than the Jugs. The Jugs will pitch outstanding curveballs, sliders, fastballs, etc., but it can take 5 minutes and 30 balls to reset between pitch types. The ATEC machine sets up with the flip of a wrist. Plus, I've heard the ATEC machine is much more accurate, consistently enabling you to work outside-down corners, inside up, inside and out, and etc.. The Jugs machine is only accurate to about a 12 inch square (i.e. the pitch could be anywhere in that square), and about 60-75% of the pitches will hit that square. It's normally accurate enough for good BP, because the kids need to learn to swing at strikes, but if you're trying to teach a kid to bunt an up&in pitch, or extend to hit an outside pitch, you can waste a lot of time trying to get them the right pitches.
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> > You should also budget for the pitching machine balls. Though you can use hardballs (which we've done), it tears them up, and they're harder on the equipment (bats, and machine). I use the rubber balls for live pitching practice as well. They hit like leather, but their lighter, i..e. harder to throw. But if you throw BP from about 50' as I do, they work fine. Also, you can get "Dad's" who are afraid to pitch BP to be real aggressive BP pitchers with the rubber balls.
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> > To be honest, we own our own Jugs machine, and the League has cages equiped with Jugs curveball machines, and we hardly use them. We focus on Tee work, soft toss, and live pitching. We may mix in some machine pitching to help the kids "groove" their swing, but nothing beats live pitching.
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> > Also, look for used machines on Ebay. These things are indestructable.
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> > Regards.. Scott
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> There is a very common statement you can hear around batting cages. It's "he hits so well here, why can't he do it in the game."
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> Especially in base ball. One of the most common reasons for young boys' inability to hit is fear of the ball. They won't admit it because their fathers and coaches will have a fit, but its true. The point is that pitching machines eliminate that threat so do not help with the most common problem.
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> I know most of you don't agree with this. This is true because most coaches are fathers of some player on the team and their "macho" self esteem wont let them admit it. Plus most guys dont know how to detect the problem. But let me assure you that it is the single biggest problem.
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> Even if fear was not the major problem, machines take away the element of hitting that makes it so hard for kids-- the fact that the ball can be thrown any where from over the backstop to down the middle of the plate.
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> Hitting machines do more damage to the ability to hit then anyother thing I can think of. Don't buy one.
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> Joe A.
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Joe-
I agree that fear of the ball is a big factor and that machines eliminate that factor. However, they do have their place.
My background is tennis and the ball machine in tennis has the same role as the pitching machine in baseball.
Its a place to practice form.
Its a laboratory to get the mechanics down with lots of repititions and few bad pitches in between.
It is also limited and requires a transition to live hitting/pitching.

I think it can be very useful but for the expense is not worth it if the budget is limited. A cage and machine could be $5000. Easier to rent cage time during the winter and use fields, etc. in good weather.

Another value for pitching machines is acclimating to faster pitching speeds. Getting batspeed to hit an 80 or 90 mph pitch is not easy. Who can pitch bp like that? The machine can help bridge that gap.

So don't say they are useless, but don't think they are the answer to everything either.