Choosing a Pitching Machine
Pitching machines are important equipment for any type of baseball or softball teams. Pitching machines will help the players improve their batting skills without straining the hand of the pitcher. Players could also practice with the pitching machine on how to deal with curve balls, fast pitches and other types of pitches. With the right pitching machine, the player will considerably improve in batting as they consistently hone their skills with the help of pitching machine.
If you’re looking to buy a pitching machine online or in your local sports shop, remember that pitching machines come in different sizes, forms and speed. There are considerable differences in different types of pitching machines as some of them are geared for professionals while there are those that were made for little leagues. The smallest form of pitching machine is the one made for kids. The maximum ball speed of this type of machine is usually 10mph. This type of pitching machine is highly portable and lightweight that parents and coaches could take them anywhere they prefer.
The biggest type of pitching machine is made for pros. Not only they could launch a very fast and a variety of pitches, they could also move 360-degress. That means the equipment will not only be useful for the batter but also for defense as well. The ball could be launched anywhere to simulate a situation and practice the defensive move of the players. Although the coach could do this instead of a pitching machine, it’s easier to use for proper simulation.
One Wheel vs. Dual Wheel
There are two types of pitching machines in terms of wheels: the one wheel or the two wheel machine. The one wheel machine could provide a good fast pitch and a curve pitch. It’s somehow limited but they are very useful especially for little leagues wherein the options of pitching are not that much.
The dual wheel pitching machine on the other hand is more versatile. Aside from fast and curve ball, it could be used to simulate a variety of pitches which will really test the batting ability of the player.
RIF and Sting Free Balls
RIF or Reduced Injury Ball is a type of ball manufactured specifically for little leagues and youth baseball players. As the name suggests, this type of ball reduces the risk of injury as kids and the youth could experience fatal accidents if they are not protected from standard balls. Another type of ball is the “Sting Free” ball. This type of ball has the ability of preserving the aluminum bat especially those who are relatively affordable but could be easily dented if they are against standard sized and manufactured bats.
If you are looking for the right pitching machine for your kids, always check if they have the ability to handle RIF and Sting Free balls. There are machines who can’t easily handle these specialized balls even if they have the same size. This feature is very important since this feature will protect the kids and preserve the equipment.