What's Your Thoughts On Little League Teams That Use Pitching Machines In Place Of Kids Pitching?

HacheMan

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• #1

I'm not sure about everywhere else, but I see more & more of this around my area.

Doesn't it put back the progress of kids who could be & will be pitching later on, and even batters who could be facing a real pitcher?

 

whalewager

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• #2

Used to be that kids played tee ball and then went straight to pitching machine...

Kids should be off a pitching machine by the age of 9

live pitch should start at 9 years old...at the earliest 8

pitching machine doesnt hurt kids...

if you start kids pitching too young...you may hurt arms

 

whalewager

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5-6 tee ball or coach pitch

7-8 should be pitching machine

9- should start live pitch

 

whalewager

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Pitching machines are definitely good for practice with younger kids...even up to the age of 11 or 12

it allows for more efficient practices because more hittable pitches are thrown...quick repetition too...you arent waiting on a live arm to throw to them...

kids are always going to be better the more live pitching that is seen....but pitching machines have a definite time and place with kids

 

johnboland

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My old Little League Coach took a baseball and drilled a hole through the direct center of it and ran a rope throught the hole. He then tied a knot in the rope and would swing it around and around over his head over and over as the different kids would practice hitting. He could contol the speed of the ball and it worked actually pretty good. We went to the Upper State Championship game and I got voted to be an All Star as a catcher.

 

Railbird

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pitching machines are dangerous, they do throw wild pitches, I have also seen a 40mph machine spit out a 90. It is hard to pick up the ball too.

 

thetout

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• #7

i am surprised kids will put down their hand held games long enough to hold their heads up to bat.

 

kid44

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The problem with live pitching starting too early is that the games take forever. Way to many walks and most teams do not have more than 1 player that can put it over the plate on a consistent basis.

I have coached many years and we try to move some of the more talented kids up from pitching machine to live. My son is 8 and is one of 2 players that has been bumped up this summer to live. Sometimes it can be VERY political. I tend to stay out of the way and let my boys go where others think they should be.

 

whalewager

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Some kids are ready at 8 for live because of maturity level.

I would say put them at the highest level that they are able to compete at.

 

whalewager

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• #10

The strike zone at that age should be almost calves to chin and 3-4 in inside and out, to make these kids go to the plate prepared to hit.

Any good umpire at that age group should have a very large strike zone.

 

bellyputter

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• #11

I started playing real pitch baseball at 5 years of age(1957) and never missed a beat.

 

onemwtheone

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• #12

kid44 said:

The problem with live pitching starting too early is that the games take forever. Way to many walks and most teams do not have more than 1 player that can put it over the plate on a consistent basis.

I have coached many years and we try to move some of the more talented kids up from pitching machine to live. My son is 8 and is one of 2 players that has been bumped up this summer to live. Sometimes it can be VERY political. I tend to stay out of the way and let my boys go where others think they should be.

Click to expand...

Yep, it's the pace of the game driving it. Kids won't have any real chance of screwing up their arms until they start throwing breaking balls (incorrectly) at age 12 or so.

What I don't like are the "bazooka" type machines. They don't give any motion feel for the pitch (three beeps and here it comes). And they tend to come out as knuckle balls. I like the old fashion arm over the top machines - at least it sorta looked like a pitcher.

 

Kruser6

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I have been umpiring for 5 years and I can tell you that kids around 7-8 can not throw the ball over the plate. I often times have to expand my strike zone so big just to get the other kids swinging the bat. Kids just like getting on base so if they can walk to do that, that's just what they'll do. I like the idea of pitching machines at this age group as it gives the defense a chance to act out there as more kids actually are swinging the bat.

There are some teams that have some pitchers that can do it, but anymore league baseball has been becoming obsolete anyways. The majority of kids that play ball anymore are playing on tournament teams which is sad because the ordinary kid that just wants to go out and play just doesn't get that chance anymore.