Posted by: Terry Shaw (terryshaw1959@yahoo.com) on Mon Mar 26 20:00:56 2001

Hi Dave,

Dave Roberts wrote (in part):
"I hope my "Bigs" stories aren't annoying, but here is another. When the Rockies bring AAA players in to work on their hitting, they do not let them even look at a pitching machine. They do 3 drills, hit off a tee, soft or side toss, and throwing from behind a pitching screen at about 25 feet and throwing location. Helton did hit from the pitching machine, but he was just getting loose."


I think a pitching machine can be a valuable commodity is used properly. But if the feeder (of the pitching machine) doesn't understand the need to develop the all important timing then a pitching machine can actually retard a hitters growth (IMO).

One thing about FP softball is that if a person understands the importance of timing (matching motion with the pitcher or dancing with the pitcher) then the feeder/pitcher can mimic a FP softball pitcher by holding a ball to be fed in the left hand while doing the full pitching motion (double pump or single pump on varying days) with a ball in the right hand. The feeder should be wore out at the end of hitting practice.

The only time a ball should be just dropped into the machine is when the batter is working on bunting for a base hit and this approach should not be 100% of the time.

I treat the "droppers" (folks that give no pre motion - timing cue - just drop the ball) much like Frankenstein did fire. I try to stay as far away as possible.

Terry Shaw (Just my opinion)

P.S. If I had to pick one way it would be the 20' - 25' front toss
from behind a screen though.