Yo Cotty- or anyone

[brock ratcliff]

The "coach pitch" league instituted a new rule this year - mandatory pitching machine. I was sorta disappointed when I heard about this, as I really was kinda banking on other coaches mistakenly lobbing the ball to their kids. I saw it last year over and over, and it made it very hard for the kids to hit. Mason hit like Babe Ruth at home because I threw the ball just hard enough to make it fly fairly level, but when his coach would throw to him, he had a heck of a time and constantly wanted to swing up due to the ball's arching trajectory. So anyway, the league only has two pitching machines available for games only - not practice.
Since they are not too pricey (less than 200), I ordered one so the boys would be able to get familiar with it in practice. I put it together this morning and tested it out with Mason. I really am not overly impressed with the thing. I did get it flipping the ball where I wanted it to fairly consistently, but different balls fly out of it very differently. I can see where this could become a real pain in the tail. Its a UPM45, you guys have any experience with them?

 

[jagermeister]

Mandatory pitching machines for games??? Gimme a friggin break. How can they mandate that for games if the league doesn't supply them for practice? It doesn't seem right that you have to spend your own dime for that, Brock.

And secondly, why aren't they letting the kids pitch? Your son is like 8 or 9, right? I can remember pitching in my 7 & 8 year old league back when I was a kid.

 

[brock ratcliff]

The 7 and 8 year olds are in coach pitch. Makes sense to me as most of the kids can't throw a strike. There are two pitching machines owned by the league. They would not be "readily available" for practice, so the solution seemed simple to me. I think most of the other coaches were going to do the same thing. As long as the league sticks to this plan next season, I should have little trouble selling the machine, as I am sure other coaches will want one next season. No one said I had to buy one, it just seemed a good idea to me so the boys would be used to it. The only sore spot with me is I don't think the thing is any more consistent than I am... The league is hoping by using these things they will eliminate some of the issues brought on by coaches than can't throw a strike....and I saw plenty of them last year!

 

[bowhunter1023]

I agree that kids should not be pitching in 7 and 8 ball. (We called in Pigeon League when I was that age.) But I am shaking my head at the mandatory pitching machine. On some level it does make sense to have consistent throws for the games. However, you need to make sure every team has access to it or it really does not good for them to hit off the coach in practice and the machine in games...

 

[aholdren]

Hope that rule don't make it here.

 

[brock ratcliff]

I guess I will reserve final judgement untill we see how it pans out over the season. I actually hope it works out well - so they use them next year and I can sell the dang thing!

 

[jagermeister]

I don't like it. Maybe kids shouldn't be pitching if they can't throw strikes, but someone needs to be pitching. Learning the timing of a pitcher's throwing motion is not something that can be learned with a pitching machine. IMO, they're only hurting the kids by mandating pitching machines.

Things have changed so much in the last 10 or 15 years. When I was 9, in Little League, kids could pitch, they could field the ball... heck, some kids even hit double digit home runs, over the fence. Nowadays I go to a Little League game and half the kids can't even throw the ball or swing the bat. Then again, kids used to play ball all summer long with other neighborhood kids... These days most of them sit inside playing Xbox. I guess mandating pitching machines is just a way to adapt to the changing dynamics of youth sports. A lot of people wonder why there are so many Dominican ball players in the MLB... It's because their young kids are playing baseball in the streets with broom handles and rocks, instead of sitting in front of a TV or computer.

Sorry for the rant, Brock... not trying to be a downer or anything. I do hope the pitching machine thing works out for your league. You don't have much of a choice now.

 

[DJK Frank 16]

I don't like the pitching machine idea either, I HATED hitting off the machine, messed me up so bad. Threw my rhythm off so bad because I could never get it timed like I could with watching a pitchers wind up and release.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Our first practice is this afternoon. Looking forward to it! I guess we will find out if this machine is gonna work out pretty soon.

 

[brock ratcliff]

First practice went extremely well I thought. I'd like to throw that pitching machine in a hole. It does reasonably well for a few pitches, and then wings one. It launched one completely over the backstop! Fuggin kids are scared to death of it. I am going to make some modifications to it to hopefully fix the issue. What a pain.

On a brighter side, I have a good group of boys. Most of them seem like they will be decent ball players...I only have two that I am certain will frustrate me through the season. I remember kids like them when I was a kid...they grew up to be functioning adults, but probably still couldn't throw a baseball across their living room. I'm gonna have to work with these two. I really hope I can help them. I have one other boy that is pretty dang inspiring. He is legally blind, but can field and throw like a champ. The kid cannot see the ball until the last second, but dang is he fast once he does! His dad said he has had two or three eye surgeries already and the boy is only 7! His Dad said to play him where ever...if he gets hit in the nose it will heal. No wonder this kid is over-coming things in such a big way.

Gonna be a great season, even with a pitching machine!

 

[jagermeister]

First practice went extremely well I thought. I'd like to throw that pitching machine in a hole. It does reasonably well for a few pitches, and then wings one. It launched one completely over the backstop! Fuggin kids are scared to death of it. I am going to make some modifications to it to hopefully fix the issue. What a pain.

On a brighter side, I have a good group of boys. Most of them seem like they will be decent ball players...I only have two that I am certain will frustrate me through the season. I remember kids like them when I was a kid...they grew up to be functioning adults, but probably still couldn't throw a baseball across their living room. I'm gonna have to work with these two. I really hope I can help them. I have one other boy that is pretty dang inspiring. He is legally blind, but can field and throw like a champ. The kid cannot see the ball until the last second, but dang is he fast once he does! His dad said he has had two or three eye surgeries already and the boy is only 7! His Dad said to play him where ever...if he gets hit in the nose it will heal. No wonder this kid is over-coming things in such a big way.

Gonna be a great season, even with a pitching machine!

That is really cool! I bet he will grow up to a heck of a man some day. Keep us posted, Brock... Sounds like you're in for a great season!

 

[brock ratcliff]

I agree, Jim! From a personal perspective, I fully understand his dad's line of thinking. I had two cousins that were severely handicapped. Their fathers never let them use their issues for an excuse. They did everything they wanted though they had to adapt they way they did things. One of them was a really good catcher, though he sat flat on his legs behind the plate. His upper body strength was unreal from spending his life on crutches. His throwing arm was an absolute gun. "I can't" wasn't a term he used. I think this little boy is a lot like him...and I am sure the other boys on the team will learn quickly that "I can't" doesn't apply.

 

[bowhunter1023]

That's some good stuff Brock!!!