Building a Batting Cage

Building a Batting Cage
By guest author: Jason Gluckman

Batting cages are mostly used by baseball or softball coaches and players for practice. There are several types of batting cages, including indoor, outdoor, portable, and tunnel batting cages. Completely enclosed batting cages need more space. There is a simple net behind the batsman.

Weather is an important factor in choosing a batting cage. Indoor batting cages are required if the weather is bad. Portable batting cages are useful for players who frequently participate in games; they can practice any time with the portable cage.

In order to build a batting cage, one must understand its main features. The netting and frame are the two important features of a batting cage. The frame used in a batting cage is constructed with high-strength, adjustable aluminum tubes. In outdoor batting cages, the frame is coated with a special weather?resistant powder coating. Manufacturers are conducting tests with batting cage materials for strength and durability. The material used for netting should be durable enough to withstand adverse weather conditions. The net material may be chosen according to the application. The netting used is often black in color. Nylon material is used for netting in indoor batting cages. Polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polyester Kevlar, and KVX200 are other common netting materials. Batting cage nettings now available are weather coated with polyurethane and water repellants and spray-coated with resins to ensure longer life. Construction is another factor that determines the durability of a batting cage.

Flooring is usually made of polypropylene stretchable material attached to the net. The cage entrance needs black PVC-coated chain link. Some batting cages use pitching machines, which are either coin- or token-operated pitching machines. The number of pitches in the machine can be selected. Pneumatic ball return systems automatically return the balls to the pitching machine.

Many dealers provide do-it-yourself batting cage kits with proper instructions, which contain all the materials for a standard batting cage.

Batting Cages provides detailed information on Batting Cages, Indoor Batting Cages, Outdoor Batting Cages, Batting Cages Equipment and more. Batting Cages is affiliated with Cheap Baseball Tickets.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

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Baseball Hitting Like a Pro

Baseball Hitting Like a Pro
By guest author: Jack D. Elliott

Baseball Hitting is very challenging. Professional hitters are considered good if they get a hit 3 out of every 10 at bats. This essentially means they fail 70% of the time. With this type of rejection rate, it is easy to see why younger players can get frustrated with limited results. The good news is this will not be you if you are willing to put in some practice and apply our tips.

1. Get Lessons From a Top Baseball Hitting Instructor early in your career. A good hitting coach can help improve your swing and teach you the proper mechanics from the very start of your career. This will save you time and energy by doing it the right way first. Although the cost of the lessons may seem initially high, this will be quickly recouped when you start to see your batting average rise and begin to hit them deep.

2. Practice your Swing daily. Never let a lack of access to the batting cage or batting practice prevent you from practicing your swing. Just simply swinging the bat 100 times each day will provide loads of benefits for you. This repetitive practice will make your swing more natural and automatic in games and you will end up having some additional benefits of gradual improvements in your bat speed and arm strength.

3. Review your Swing regularly. Be sure to videotape your swing and determine if you are picking up bad habits. Also, periodically follow-up with your hitting instructor. This should be an ongoing relationship where he acts your mentor. You can provide him with the tape and he can point what he thinks maybe some things you can focus on.

4. Be loyal to your Hitting Coach. Although it may seem like a good idea to ask for multiple opinions on your swing, it is best to take advice only from one or two people. If you have chosen a top hitting coach from the start, it only makes sense to take your cues from him and follow his advice. Avoid other well intentioned advice from less experienced players and coaches if it is in conflict with your hitting coach. Remember your hitting coach's advice only helps you if you follow it.

5. Practice Bat Speed Drills. Plyometric exercises can go a long way toward developing your fast twitch muscles. This is very important in your batting swing where bat speed is determined by how fast your fast twitch arm muscles respond. By simply swinging lighter bats, you will begin teaching your fast twitch muscles valuable muscle memory. This will translate into faster bat speed when using your regular bat in games.

6. Mental Preparation is key. Much like a pitcher must learn to block out all background noise. You too must learn to block everything else out except for the delivery of the baseball. By simply repeating a simple mantra like "See the ball" again and again while you are batting, you will find your concentration improves and the background noise is filtered out. This improved concentration will translate into more consistent hitting for you.

These tips and drills are a good starting point to improve your hitting. However, to get the maximum benefits out of your hitting, you will need more specific Baseball Hitting Tips To get more tips like the ones in this article, please click on http://www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_D._Elliott

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12 Baseball and Softball Batting Cage Buying Tips

12 Baseball and Softball Batting Cage Buying Tips
By guest author: Nick Dixon

There are some basic points that you must know before buying a batting cage. When you buy a batting cage you are making an investment that should provide you with years and years of top quality batting practice. Here I discuss what I believe are the 12 most important things to consider when you purchase your home, team, school or backyard batting cage. Remember these batting cage buying basics:

1. Batting cages nets come in a variety of sizes but they are all rectangles. The net itself must have square corners to save construction time and cost. The sizes of a cage vary with the length, width, and height of the netting. Be careful about buying cages that are too narrow. These cages do not allow older batters to take a comfortable swing and finish. The greater the width and height of the batting cage, the better sensation a batter has when a ball is hit. The wider and higher cages allow the batter to read the path of the ball when it comes off the bat. A short and narrow cage tends to "smother" a hitter. The higher and wider cages are also safer for the coach, player or parent throwing batting practice.

2. Batting cage netting is most commonly available in three common twine sizes which are #21, #36, and #42. The lower the number, the smaller the twine used in construction and the lighter-weight the cage will be. Heavy-duty cages such as the #42 better withstand the elements of time and use therefore they offer more durability and added years of use.

3. Batting cages are most often available in black. The twine is dyed black and UV is added to the netting. Black cages seem to last longer and in my opinion, they look better.

4. When you buy a batting cage do not just consider the cost of the cage, but you must also calculate the cost of shipping. Many companies have shipping managers that provide you with an added service of securing the lowest shipping cost possible.

5. All cages require a support structure from which the cage will be hung. The longer the cage, the more support sections that will be required to hold it in place. The smaller and more light-weight a batting cage is, the less support structure it must have. You can plan on putting a support section at both ends and every 20 feet, if you want your cage to be hung adequately without a lot of droop. So a batting cage60 feet long would require at least 4 supports for a heavy-duty net and you may get by with three supports for a light-weight net. You may also need cable or heavy duty rope suspended between your supports to maximize cage support.

6. You can not fit your space to the batting cage. You must fit your batting cage to the space you have available. Step off you or measure the area you have available. Make sure to order a batting cage that will best suit your available space. Do not allow space to deter your commitment to a batting cage purchase. Small cages in the 35, 40, and 50 foot lengths are long enough to allow great batting practice work.

7. Your chosen area must be level and it must drain well. If you can afford the additional cost, you may want to add a floor to your cage. There are two materials that make a great floor. Cement or concrete is the most costly. You may want to cover your hitting zone with indoor-outdoor carpet to extend the life of your leather baseballs. If you use rubber pitching machine balls in a pitching machine, they will withstand the abrasive properties of the cement cage floor. Another great floor alternative is to use weather treated 2 x 4s to build a raised floor. You will border all sides and ends of your batting cage floor with the 2x4s and stake them into place. You will then fill the inside floor area with a commonly used infield material, crushed stone. This provides a raised dry hitting surface that will offer a safe and less abrasive surface upon which to hit.

8. You are going to need to purchase a protection L-screen to protect the pitchers throwing batting practice. Make sure that your L-screen is a sock style made of at least #42 netting to insure that it will withstand the heavy-duty abuse it will be subjected to. A square protective screen is also a great investment to consider if you will be using a pitching machine often. There are screens specially designed to protect the person operating the pitching machine.

9. You will need a plate for batter and pitcher reference during batting practice. The pitcher will use the plate to throw the various pitch locations and the batter will use it to adjust to certain situational hitting drills. If your cage has a suitable floor, you may want to paint a plate and batters box to add a much appreciated feature.

10. You will need a power source if you have plans to light your cage and to use a pitching machine. Make sure that you can reach a source with extension cords or run a permanent source if you can do so safely.

11. If you have additional questions or need additional assistance, shop with a company that takes orders by phone. This allows your to ask questions and get answers. Depending on the description and details listed on a website, may cause you to order a cage that is not suitable for your needs. Most reputable batting cage companies have toll-free phone numbers and a staff available during business hours to offer you advice and information before you buy.

12. For many families the best and most user-friendly and trouble-free approach to buying a batting cage is to buy a complete batting cage package. These packages contain the net size and weight of your choice and a batting cage frame specifically designed to match the net. These packages are easy to assemble. Most of these batting cage packages can be assembled by two persons with about 2 hours of work. These batting cage packages can easily be taken down in the off-season and stored if there is a need to do so. Many of these packages include everything you need including the protection "L" screen. When the package arrives, all you have to do is carefully read and follow the step-by-step instructions to assemble your new batting cage.

Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Check out BattingCagesDirect.com for top quality batting cages at discount prices. They specialize in complete batting cage kits with net and frame included for one low price.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Batting Cage - Its Types

Batting Cage - Its Types
By guest author: Nancy Chin


A batting cage is generally used to practice batting skills for the game of baseball. It is a netted cage that encloses a particular area to catch the balls. A home batting cage is also referred to as backyard batting cage. It is very useful for those who need regular practice as they can skip out on long waiting hours at the sports complex and also save up on traveling time.

When one decides to purchase a home kit, he should make considerations such as, the space available to set it up, the period of use, whether temporary or permanent, and also the perfect pitching distance. Some ideal pitching distances can be seen as follows.

Pinto - 38 ft
Mustang - 44 ft
Little league - 46 ft
Bronco - 48 ft
Pony - 54 ft
Pro/ College/ High school - 60.6 ft

The size of depends on specific requirements for example if you require a pitching machine you would need more space. Whereas a batting cage for T- ball would require very less space. Batting cages are made of different materials for different purposes, for example, if you need to set up one outside, in the sunlight, material suggested is polyethylene. This material is also best for backyard use. Setting up of a cage does not take long, after the ground sleeves are cemented in, it should take roughly one or two hours to finish installing the frame. While using a pitching machine, it is advised to use a backstop. This helps to prevent damages done to the net. This can be used if the pitching machine is at 60 mph or less. For machines more than 80 mph it is advised to choose twisted poly and nylon.

Netting can either be twisted or knitted. Twisted netting is a stronger type of netting, it has knots and includes three strands together. These are hung on squares. Knitted netting in knitted like golf netting. I does not let the balls to escape through them. It is recommended for under high school level baseball. These are hung on diamonds which increases the stretch from all sides.

Batting cages can either be nylon or poly. In case of an indoor one, it is advised to use a nylon cage net. This material is stronger than poly. If outdoor batting is the choice, then one should use poly batting nets.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nancy_Chin




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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Hitting - How to Improve Your Ability to Be a Clutch Hitter

Baseball Hitting - How to Improve Your Ability to Be a Clutch Hitter
By guest author: Chuck R Stewart

While attending the National Sporting Goods Manufacturing show in Las Vegas, I had the chance to sit down with some heavyweight baseball people. These were people who worked for and represented some of the best names in the game of baseball. They were people who had been around the game their whole life. The conversation started out being about the qualities in a good hitter. We talked about stance, mechanics, quick hands, great eyes, terrific hand-eye coordination, and follow through techniques. This was all great to listen to and participate in the conversation but then one man who had been around the game for more than 20 years said straight out that while all of the prior conversation was correct, the thing that made a great hitter stand out from the rest was confidence.

Confidence is a funny thing among most ballplayers. Most players are subject to ups and downs as they go through a season or even a game. He said that the players who hit the best in clutch situations want to be up in those situations and also have the level of confidence that they can perform. They have practiced their craft enough so that in any situation they are the player who knows they can come through. Confidence is born from repetition and repetition comes from practicing the proper mechanics until it is second nature. Players need to repeat the process of hitting until they are confident that when they swing, they will make solid contact with the ball.

I think this level of desire and confidence is what separates the club players from the recreational players once they get into high school. My son is going through this right now in each of the three sports he plays (football, basketball and baseball). He is watching fellow teammates elect to not play other sports so they can focus on their sport of choice in order to excel. The players who are electing to focus on a given sport are the ones who are spending time, getting the repetitions they need to develop their confidence and become better players. The time to spend on repetition is the key to becoming a clutch hitter.

The conversation then turned to what the right amount of repetition is in order become a great clutch hitter. One coach said it was 200 swings a day. That is was former hitting champ Pete Rose used to take every day so it should work for everyone. The issue that most players face with getting that level of repetition is the reality of who will throw that much batting practice to them during the course of a day, 5-6 times per week. My shoulder aches just thinking about it!

The answer to that question is a pitching machine and a batting cage. Both are needed to become a great clutch hitter. The reason both are needed is that they are the perfect combination. The pitching machine can save the arm of any coaching assistant and the batting cage will keep the balls in a close enough proximity that they can be picked up and reloaded quickly enough to get the workout completed within 30-40 minutes.

Any player who has the desire to be successful can afford to spend 30-40 minutes working on their craft on a daily basis.

Coach Chuck Stewart operates a baseball web site called offering baseball pitching machines, batting cages, training aids and coaching/instructional videos along with lots of free coaching content. Coach Chuck offers a pitching machine for every skill level and budget. He has coached baseball teams for 8 years and enjoys sharing the love of the game of baseball with his players.

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