Louisville Slugger Blue Flame Pitching Machine

Do not believe any reviewers who claim that micro adjustments result in extreme variations. If you spend a few minutes getting to know the machine, you'll be able to fine-tune it to consistently land in the strike zone. It could be as simple as adjusting the distance from home plate or using the micro adjustment to raise or lower the position of the ball on the throwing arm. Small half-inch left or right taps on the back leg are all it takes to adjust the horizontal position at home plate by 6 inches to one foot. I'm not a baseball expert, but I could tell my son needed a lot more at-bat time to gain confidence in his little league games and finally get some hits (he went the entire season without getting a hit). We've only been using it for about a week, but his confidence and ability to connect with the ball have already improved significantly. I'm in ecstasy right now. He couldn't do it, either. Finally, I would not leave this in the hands of a child under the age of 14. The ball is thrown at speeds exceeding 40 mph and has a lot of torque. It also takes some weight and strength to press down on the pedal before the ball is released. Anyone who claims that an 8 or 10-year-old can operate this, even with an adult watching over them, is setting themselves up for failure. My children, at the very least, are aware that it must be operated by either mom or dad. Otherwise, they may believe they can take it outside when we aren't looking. br>br>Aside from that cautionary note, I believe this is an excellent learning tool for any child who wants to get a lot more practice hitting balls than a typical little league practice allows. Your child will progress from hitting a few dozen balls at most during a practice to hitting as many as they want for as long as they want, with the only thing that will tire you out being collecting all the balls from all over the field in a bucket and starting your next bucket. If my son wasn't exhausted from hours in the hot sun, he could do this for hours! And my son wants to do it every day for the rest of the summer. That is precisely why we obtained it.

Keenan Patton

| Jan 29, 2021

It's very accurate after that. According to a video, it moves around a lot, even when the stakes are high. Not so. If you jerk the handle while releasing the pitch, it will move around. There will be no issues if you pull smoothly. Pitching machines with this level of precision are typically much more expensive, and you'll need to locate an outlet with multiple extension chords. What a pain. This is inexpensive and does not require electricity. Putting it together took about 10 minutes. A 9/16 wrench, a crescent wrench, and a large flat-head screwdriver are all required. screwdriver with a flat head.

Jaylee PICKERING

| Aug 19, 2021

Last week, I took my 12-year-old son to a local high school for batting practice. I realized that some of my pitches were balls, others were too low, and a couple of them came close to hitting him. This pitching device will consistently throw the same pitch every time, with the speed, height, and type of pitch all adjustable. You can use it not only for batting practice, but also to catch fly balls and ground balls, as well as to throw the ball and play catch with your dog. I'm 100% satisfied with this because loading a ball on the machine is extremely easy and launching the ball is very straight forward. br>br>Assembly was very straightforward, and the instructions were well written and clear. This is a must-have item for anyone who enjoys playing baseball or catch. br>br>I considered buying a battery-operated automatic pitcher, or plugging it in if I could find an outlet at the field, or using a small generator. These issues, on the other hand, would be yet another thing I'd have to deal with. With the Louisville Slugger, all you need are a few balls and a bat, or whatever else you want to practice with. This is the pitching machine I recommend over all others.

Karter Cobb

| Aug 05, 2021

Buy it! It's a simple device, but it's cleverly designed: easy to assemble, accurate, easy to adjust, light, usable (with effort) by a 9-year-old, very portable, and (most) parts can be easily replaced with hardware store versions. What is there not to like about this product? Excuse the expression, but it is a home run. It's astonishingly accurate. br>br> I can get it to repeatedly strike a dinner plate. But you must do your part, and it took me an hour to figure this out. To begin, make sure to secure the front with the included dirt spikes. It will spray balls all over if you don't use them (the spikes are easily replaced with lag bolts). Second, release the trigger smoothly and consistently each time, rather than yanking it. Third, place the ball in the tray in the same orientation as it was in the bag (look at the stitching and match it). Use the same ball for the fourth time. Not just "the same kind of ball," but the EXACT same ball, which means the same manufacturer and model, preferably from the same batch, with the same amount of wear and use. Purchase the bucket if you want to do yourself a favor. Balls from a reputable company can be ordered at any time. If you use different balls, they will land in different places vertically in the strike zone, and they may not even land in the strike zone at all. br>br>Alternatively, if you want more realistic pitching that covers the entire strike zone, mix up the balls. Without the use of any tools, the bottom cross bar can be removed. This makes it easier to transport. br>br>I was concerned that this would be too slow for little league. I was mistaken; it is quite quick. br>br>What does it not do? There are only two things to consider. It can only throw baseballs at 45 mph (faster with light flight balls), so it won't be able to throw serious high school heat. And it can't throw curves or anything. But, hey, it's under $200, so what do you expect? br>br>Kids adore it because of the mechanical aspect. Get one. Your child is going to have a great time.

Oakley Parks

| Apr 04, 2021