Baseball Training Hitting Tips

This article will explain different hitting tips to use when baseball training that will help improve your baseball and softball game.

Five keys to success are the longer the wait on a pitch will make him a better hitter, line drives and ground balls will improve a hitters batting average, a plan at the plate, patience, persistance, and poise, and baseball training drills.

Stance is very important to the swing as is load position, stride, launch position, rotation forward, shoulder rotation, weight transfer, brace off, bat arc, straight to the ball, bat speed, extension, seeing the ball, and putting the ball in play.

Hitting drills with or without baseball training aids are strike zone swings which you learn to hit in all areas of the strike zone. Dummy swings develop a proper swing when working with an object that does not move. This can be done with a batting tee which is a very valuable baseball training aid. Soft toss another great baseball training aid can be used for angle tosses, one-knee toss, with two balls at one time, and short toss.

Baseball pitching machines are baseball training aids that are great to help your improvement in hitting. They can throw at different speeds with an assortment of different pitches. There are many baseball pitching machines available.

Try different drills for hit and run, leadoff hitter, man on second in a nonforce situation with no outs, man on third with less than two outs, and two strike swings.

It is very important to use different baseball training drills and with baseball training aids will help your game to go to a higher level.

This article went over different basics and situations that will help make you a winner with practice, practice, and more practice, and the will to succeed.
 
At Baseball Training Emporium we have 2 great hitting machines, the Bat Action Hitting Machine, and the Hurricane Solo Trainer Batting Machine. These 2 great hitting machines will greatly improve your eye coordination.
 
See you next time!

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For baseball training aids, quality backyard batting cages, 
or a great selection of baseball pitching machines,
shop Baseball Training Emporium!

A Quick Primer on Pitching

Pitching is a very important part of baseball. When a pitcher is throwing with good control he is a very important factor in determining the outcome of a game. There are different types of pitches a pitcher can use. This article will explain different types of pitches and how to use them effectively.

Fastballs are used for speed. The amount of break is usually not visible. The ball is rolled from the ends of the index and middle fingers. The wrist is snapped when the ball is released. The curveball is thrown with an outward rotation of the hand and arm. The ball is spun between the thumb and forefinger with the middle finger and wrist providing the spin.

A screwball is thrown with an inward rotation of the hand.It is released with the middle finger and the fourth and fifth fingers with the middle finger and wrist providing the spin.

A knuckleball usually breaks in the same direction as a curveball. The first joints of the middle and index fingers rest against the ball between the seams where they are the narrowest. The thumb and fourth and fifth fingers hold the ball tightly. When the ball leaves your hand the bent fingers are extended for additional speed.

There are other pitches a pitcher can use effectively.  Good control with your pitches will win ballgames. The greatest pitchers in baseball had good control and were very tough to hit.

At Baseball Training Emporium we have a killer resource called Location Mechanics:  Secrets to Precision Control and Pitch Location.  It's an awesome guide to developing your pitching skills and goes WAY beyond the ultra basics you read above (and for less than $30).  While you're there, you might want to check out the Designated Hitter as well -- if you're really serious about becoming a top-notch pitcher.

Until next time!

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For baseball training aids, a quality backyard batting cage, or a great selection of baseball pitching machines,
shop Baseball Training Emporium!

5 Strategies for Bunting

Bunting is a very effective weapon in close games.

A sacrifice bunt is when a batter is willing to go out in order to advance a base runner:

• When trying to advance a runner from 1st to 2nd try to bunt to the 1st base side.
• When sacficing a runner from 2nd to 3rd try to bunt to the 3rd base side.
• But make every effort not to show the bunt early!

The fake bunt-slash objective is to show the bunt early enough to draw the corner infielders in.  Basic rules for the fake bunt-slash are:

• The hitter fakes a commitment to the bunt just before the pitchers movement from the stretch.
• Heel-toe pivot is the method of squaring around.
• Top hand slides upward on the bat.
• Just before pitcher's release... bring the bat to the top of the strike zone.
• The hitter then tries to hit the ball on the ground through a hole he has created.

A push bunt is used to reach base safely or move a runner:

• Right handed hitters should push bunt to the second baseman, left handed hitters to the shortstop.

The drag bunt is used for getting base hits. Three rules for drag bunts are:

1. Bunt only at strikes,
2. Proper ball placement, and
3. Do not give up.

A suicide bunt is all or nothing.   The runner on 3rd breaks for home and the batter must make contact or the runner is going to be out!

Mastering Bunting...

Developing your bunting skill is a lot like developing your hitting skill.  Having a pitching machine to work with can help a tremendous amount.  Hop on over to Baseball Training Emporium and check out some of our baseball pitching machines that can help you with this.

Until next time!

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For baseball training aids, quality backyard batting cages, 
or a great selection of baseball pitching machines,
shop Baseball Training Emporium!

Pitching Machine Basics

Yesterday we posted a review of BATA pitching machines... and today it dawned on us that some of our readers actually need a basic primer course on baseball pitching machines --- period!


So today, we're going to do a short-course overview of pitching machine basics.  This will probably be most helpful to you parents who are looking at buying your first machine for your up-and-coming baseball star.


A baseball pitching machine (or a softball pitching machine) is a great tool to help hitters improve their hitting.  When you pick the right machine and train with it properly, there are many benefits in owning a baseball pitching machine.


When buying a baseball pitching machine, there are five things to consider.

1. Pitch speed -You want to have a pitching machine with the proper pitching speed for you.
2. Number of wheels -You want the right amount of wheels for your pitching machine.
3. Transportability - Pick a pitching machine which is easy to transport.
4. Parts and accessories - Generators,auto ball feeders,dimpled balls and covers are important to your pitching machine.
5. Warranty - Make sure you are properly covered with your investment.

Pitching machines come in different styles...

Both arm action pitching machines and a circular wheel machines are very popular, particularly with more advanced players.  But -- a starter baseball pitching machine is ideal for young players and leagues where pitching machines are used in actual games (pitches are normally 30 mph in these games).

The curveball machines actually put spin the ball as it leaves the chute.  There are some pretty versatile curveball machines on the market that can put different spins on the ball. The 2 pitch sidewinder pitching machine can throw straight fastball and 3/4 curve, straight fastball and 3/4 slider, tailing fastball and sidearm curve, and tailing fastball sidearm slider. The 2pitch3 baseball pitching machine can throw a 95 mph and a 75 mph curveball -- in one set up. There is also the twin pitch pitching machine which gives you 2 pitches in one set up.

Long story short, there's a baseball pitching machine available for all ballplayers at all levels.

Parts and accessories...


Pitching machine parts and accessories are important to your baseball pitching machine. Auto ball feeders feed balls through the machine at different intervals, giving you time between each swing.  A power generator can come in handy as an alternative power source for running your single wheel pitching machine, or automatic ball feeder units in locations where there are no electric outlets.  The are covers to protect your machine from the elements.  Dimpled balls will dramatically extend the life of your baseball pitching machine.  Some machines have a pitch selector which allows you to feed fastballs and curveballs without the batter knowing which pitch is coming.

Wrapping it up...

Overall, there's a lot of options with both machines and accessories.  The key is to purchase something that fits the player's needs.  Pitching machines are useful particularly because it allows batters to practice on their own.  And the truth is, getting a kid a good  machine --- and then regularly using it --- can set there skill level far above their peers who don't have that kind of training tool.

And, besides improving your game, you can share your pitching machine with teammates and have a lot of fun.  Why not get one and start throwing your own batting parties?

At Baseball Training Emporium, we carry the following:

Cimarron Baseball Pitching Machines
Bata Baseball Pitching Machines
ATEC Baseball Pitching Machines
Jugs Pitching Machines
Ryan Express Pitching Machine

See you next time!

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For baseball training aids, a quality backyard batting cage, or a great selection of baseball pitching machines,
shop Baseball Training Emporium!

A Review of BATA Baseball Pitching Machines

So what about BATA?

Bata baseball pitching machines have steadily become recognized as the best in the world. Consider just a few of their users --- San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Seattle Mariners.

There are five important factors to consider

when evaluating a baseball pitching machine.

1. The type of construction. Bata machines are made of solid steel. There are no sand-castings or plastic on the frames or stand.
2. The motor and electronics. Bata uses only high-quality US made permanent magnet motors and solid state electronic control.
3. The wheels. Bata has a high quality wheel design that makes use of Goodyear rubber (see more below).
4. Ease of use. Bata machines are simple to set up, easy to adjust, easy to transport.
5. Capacity. Machines are suited for players of all levels.

Bata baseball pitching machines are the only machines that use Unique Goodyear Rubber Soft Trend pitching wheels. The soft tread wheels are solid, die cast, flat faced rubber treads, molded and vulcanized onto a machined aluminum core. The result is better accuracy, more speed, and better consistency. The wheels start out with a concise consistent shape, they maintain their shape regardless of the speed, and they are precision balanced to within 1 gram per foot. This makes Bata wheels run smooth and true.

A glance at a few machines...

Bata has various types of baseball pitching machines. The Bata 2Pitch3 is capable of throwing up to 95 mph fastball and a 75 mph curveball in one set up. Batting off this machine is like batting off a pro pitcher. When used with the Toggle Pitch Selector, the batter cannot predict which pitch is coming. He can only react to the pitch, as he would against a real pitcher.

The Bata 2 Pitch Sidewinder is similar to the 2Pitch3 except that the maximum speed on the Sidewinder is 70 mph on both pitches, and the Sidewinder can pitch left or right handed. The Bata Twin Pitch can also throw two different pitches in one set up. A fastball or change up, or two fastballs to different locations. Ideal for softball.

The Bata Starter throws fastballs up to 50 mph. Ideal for machine-pitch leagues and all players up to 12 years of age. The Bata B1-Curveball is the ideal in between baseball pitching machine. It is capable of throwing fastballs, curves, and sliders.

The Bata 2 baseball pitching machine has three independent pivot locks. This allows you to adjust one axis without disturbing the others. The Bata 2 baseball pitching machine has built-in transport wheels, so you do not have to roll it on the pitching wheels.

Conclusions...

Frankly, there are some really shoddy pitching machines out there. BATA is NOT one of those low quality brands. When you're looking to buy the best of the best, definitely take a look at BATA.

Check out more BATA baseball pitching machines at our online store. 


We also carry:
Cimmaron Baseball Pitching Machines
ATEC Baseball Pitching Machines
Jugs Baseball Pitching Machines
Ryan Express Baseball Pitching Machine

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For baseball training aids, quality backyard batting cages, 
or a great selection of baseball pitching machines,
shop Baseball Training Emporium!