Pitching machines serve a vital purpose for Major League hitters. In order to practice his trade, a hitter can go into the batting cage underneath the stadium, set the pitching machine to the speed of pitches he wants to see and then press a button to start. In a matter of moments, a big league hitter can take batting practice and prepare to face a live pitcher in a game.
History
The first pitching machine was invented by Charles Hinton, a mathematics instructor at Princeton University, in the 1890s. Hinton was a baseball fan who saw Princeton's pitchers tire and wear out as a result of throwing a lot of batting practice. So Hinton invented a breech-loading device that could fire pitches at various speeds. Eventually, that device evolved into the modern pitching machine, which can throw various pitches at any number of speeds.
Modern Pitching Machine
The modern professional-level pitching machines are a hitter's delight. They are particularly useful for designated hitters and pinch hitters who want to prepare for an at-bat while the game is going on. The modern pitching machine can throw fastballs, curves, sliders and change-ups. You can set the machine to throw these pitches randomly, or you can prepare for a particular pitch.
Saving Pitchers' Arms
One of the big advantages of the pitching machine is that it will save the arms of those who pitch batting practice. While pitching coaches usually throw batting practice, some relief pitchers also throw batting practice, particularly in spring training. If a hitter wants to take batting practice, he might feel reluctant to ask a pitcher to step to the mound and throw batting practice, especially if it is after a game.
Disdavantage
While a pitching machine will help a hitter keep a grooved swing and feel confident about stepping to the plate, it is not the same as hitting against live pitching. Many hitters who are in a slump can hit all day long against the pitching machine. However, when they step to the plate against a live pitcher, they fall apart. When a hitter is slumping, he needs to get out of his difficulty by hitting against a real pitcher.
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