Pitching Machines - Ten Great Ideas For Why Parents And Coaches Should Own One
By guest author:
Chuck R Stewart The following article lists the top ten reasons why parents should invest in a pitching machine to help their baseball players to become better hitters and learn to love the game of baseball. (Read this like David Letterman's Top Ten List!)
1) With pitching machines, the parents will not have sore arms, elbows and backs when they go to sleep at night - do I need to say any more! I have had this problem the last couple of years and the baseball pitching machine has been a wonderful, welcome piece addition to my family and my team. Last year my elbow did not feel right until early fall!
2) Hit the ball for a complete practice session - give each player more than 100 swings each and every batting session. Since batting is the most fun part of baseball, the kids will love having you as the coach and want you back next year. My players all look forward to getting lots of swings in each practice - the first 3 to arrive get to use the machine by being the first group to participate in the batting drills - they all get to practice on-time so they can be the first to hit.
3) When you own a pitching machine, the players can bunt until they get it right. We focus on this skill for an entire hour, just bunting, by setting up a pitching machine and having the players practice suicide, sacrifice and drag bunting techniques. How many games do you watch where a bunt is needed and the play is not executed correctly? With a pitching machine and practice, bunt plays will rarely be an issue for your team.
4) Hitting Technique - get it right. Rather than trying to work on just making contact with the ball, spend time learning to hit the baseball the right way. Our team gets time to actually work on the proper hitting techniques - our strikeouts are down to 1-2 per game against the some of the best pitchers in the league.
Teams with limited access to pitches (through the coach's arms) are thrilled when they get their players to simply hit the ball.
5) The pitching machine helps us to learn to hit pitches to the opposite field by giving us the at-bats required to learn how to do it. We also get to work on hitting baseball where they are pitched and trying to have the players hit sacrifice fly's to the outfield when runners are in a position to advance.
6) We use the Tru Toss Soft Machine , Heater Pitching Machine and the Grand Slam Wiffle Ball Pitching Machine at different stations each practice. Our coaches no longer have to dodge the hit balls coming rocketing back at them, the team gets lots of swings and the coaches get to coach rather than pitch - it is great.
7) Curve Balls - The only way to learn to hit one is to practice regularly. Our team is learning to hit curve balls and our players have the chance to see about 20 of them every practice session. A coach and his arm could not throw that many curve balls without experiencing a very sore elbow for the next several days or even months.
8) Intra Squad Scrimmages - We use the hitting machine to play intra-squad scrimmages. The game just moves faster and the quick pace keeps everyone engaged and having fun.
9) The pitching machines are safe enough for the kids to use without having an adult to watch over them every step of the way. A little common sense is all that is needed to be sure the kids can have fun while you enjoy watching them improve.
10) The local kids will all come and hang out in your backyard , which is a great time for everyone! My wife and I enjoy this aspect of the pitching machine we have the most. During the summer months our backyard is the central hangout place for everyone. We get to serve cold drinks while the kids play home run derby, hit to countless pitches and then go home tired out after a great night of hitting baseballs. I think if I were a kid I would be hanging out right where they are as well.
The above list should help to relieve any doubt about why parents should want to buy their baseball-playing children a pitching machine!
To Your Hitting Success,
Coach Chuck
Coach Chuck Stewart operates a baseball web site called http://www.BaseballSkillAids.com offering baseball training aids and coaching/instructional videos along with lots of free coaching content. The web site specializes in offering pitching machines, and batting cages. Coach Chuck has coached baseball teams for 11 years and enjoys sharing the love of the game of baseball with his players and visitors to the site.
Article Source:
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