Pitching Machines

Going back to 7/8 machine pitch we used Jugs machines throwing about 40. They were used M-F for 8 weeks. They needed maintenance every off season

What do you want to do with it?  Some come with ball feeders for cage use.  Some are portable for field use.  Some spin curve balls.  Some can be cranked up to 90mph.  Lots of choices depending on the use cases.  You might get better input if you provide more details on what you are looking to do with it.

I just want to get my son ready to hit pitches that i can't throw. From fastballs ( 70-90 MPH), to curveballs, sliders,etc.  Sure , i can throw underhand and overhand , from behind a L-screen that's 20 feet away from him ( we've got a batting cage in our yard), but my shoulder gives out after awhile and it does seem to help his timing for pitches from 60.6 feet.

We have an ATEC M3.  It's a tank and priced as such, works as well as the day we got it 3 years ago.  Son has one more year of HS and then will (hopefully) be a LHP in college.  Plan on being able to sell it for a pretty reasonable amount (from what I've seen on sellers boards) once the cage comes down.  Tops over 100 (unnecessary) and throws every pitch imaginable  left or right (great).   If you want something for the secondary pitches make sure to get something with 3 wheels.  While we love the M3, I will add others really like the Hack Attack.  HS program has both.  Kids say the HA is louder than the ATEC and makes direction between balls harder to hear.  I can't hear lefty unless I step 1 foot to the side of the machine. But both are solid machines.

Edit to ADD:  You really only need one of these machines if you have a full sized cage.  Ours is 72 feet to allow for both a mound and the machine.  

Thx Lefty !!!!! By the way, what balls do you use in your machine? DO you have a favorite? Dimple? Real Leather Pitching machine balls? have you tried different balls?

I have used both balls.  For fastballs, it is fine to use either.  We found that the real leather pitching machine balls did not always move like they were supposed to for non-fastballs.  Remember that it is essential to put them in the same ways every time for accuracy whether fastballs or others.  How it comes out/goes in will determine movements.

@Adams Baseball posted:

Thx Lefty !!!!! By the way, what balls do you use in your machine? DO you have a favorite? Dimple? Real Leather Pitching machine balls? have you tried different balls?

For out machine the ATEC HiPerPRO fly the truest.  We have a bucket for when the boys want the ball to be pinpoint accurate.  The machine will put those in the same spot almost every time.  For a little bit of variety we also have a bucket of regulation baseballs- boys use those most of the time.  AND....just for fun....we have a bucket of regulation baseballs that were left out in a rainstorm, got soaked and left in the bucket for 5/6 hours.  Tried to save them by putting them in the warming drawer in the kitchen those balls fly crazy!  boys will use those on occasion.  Usually for entertainment sometimes to practice bunting lol

I bought a used ATEC Casey Pro about 7 yrs ago. It had a lot of use when purchased and I knew that I would need new wheels at some point. I ended up buying new wheels from an aftermarket vendor and they worked great. After about 5 years of trouble free use, I was able to sell the machine for a little more than I paid for it.

So, to answer the question. The only maintenance in 5 years were, wheel replacement and lubrication of adjustment mechanism. As for balls, the machine came with about 50 ATEC dimpled balls. These were the best for the machine wear and accuracy. I did use regular balls at times and ultimately the wheels would beat them up. The ATEC brand is pro quality and holds its value for resale purposes. I would cruise Craigslist in a big radius around your location and be ready to purchase when one hits the market. JMO

Thx folks!!!!!

If you are looking for a top-notch pitching mound then you are going to want to go a three-wheel machine. The best three-wheel options are the Hack Attack, Hack Attack Junior (same as the Hack Attack but only throws up to 70 MPH), Rawlings 3 Wheel, and the ATEC M3X. If you are looking to save some money the ATEC M3X is a good bet. It is a newer machine by ATEC that throws up to 90 MPH and has all the bells and whistles that come with a traditional 3-wheel option. Currently, it is the 2nd least expensive three-wheel machine next to the Junior Hack, which only throws up to 70 MPH. Really can't go wrong with any of the options listed above but the M3X will save you some $$$. When it comes to 2-wheel machines, I have done a lot of work on the BATA-2. The BATA-2 is a workhorse. Also comes with a 10-year warranty which I believe is the longest warranty offered by any pitching machine manufacturer.

thx