Driveline Smash Factor machine balls

[Westwind]

Has anyone who has used these with one of the 3 wheel machines tried to put very heavy drop spin to minimize the float, and did it help?

Run the machine slower and get closer. (I like this for reg leather covers and dimples too. Would do a lot of that to replace most tee work if i was training hitters again.)

Use attached chart to calculate the time/distance

Any spin you add will increase movement. No spin is a knuckle ball. And holy crap does that get interesting.

 

[Westwind]

He was being very nice to you

Ba ha hah ha!!!!!!! Yep- “be nice to this guy, he’s gonna put $700 into this old bike before he decides to buy a new one”

Old folks are good for business lol

 

[Westwind]

Related but different question: if my kid pitched these at a wall repeatedly, would that be fine for the wall?

Look on Amazon for a heavy cargo net. You can get any size you want and hang it in a convenient place.

Could also buy a bownet…

 

[Westwind]

How about you come to PA and set it up at my house

Dude……. We would have FUN!

 

[Westwind]

Our club has a 3 wheel Hack Attack that rarely gets used. Our facilities guy says we can only use Baden genuine leather balls in it by the hard balls seem to hurt the girls hands quite a bit and it’s accuracy is inconsistent to the point of it throwing one wild and nearly hitting girls.

I’ve been interested in trying Smash Factor balls through it. Has anyone tried using them through a Hack Attack?

If it isn’t accurate, check the wheels. If there is gummy looking stuff on them they have to be cleaned. I can’t remember what you use (it’s on their website) but it’s a hardware store chemical cleaner and you have to wear the right chemical proof gloves. (It’s on the cleaner can.)

There is a learning curve to running these. It should be very accurate. It sounds to me like too much velocity and not the right spin. Mishits cause stingers and broken bats. Could also be poor condition balls. Could also be the wheels are picking up high seams on the balls resulting in crazy spins, but thats velocity related.

That machine will throw 1) Leather cover balls. Any ball with a leather cover. Slow pitch balls have lower seams. 2) Baden dimple balls with the painted stitches. 3) Most of these foam type balls but watch for buildup on the wheels that must be cleaned off.

These are like buying a new rifle for hunting. Take it to the range and practice before you shoot at a deer with it. Same with pitching machines. Set it up and run it before you have a hitter standing there. You almost have to practice first. Also: The dial settings on the chart Hack Attack uses are WRONG. Don’t use them. Start with them and then adjust until it looks like a real pitch. Take note of it for next time. And for the love of all that is good, SLOW IT DOWN. It does not need to even be game speed when you are introducing it to hitters not used to hitting off a machine. No youth player needs to see 70 out of a machine. Coaches are feral idiots when it comes to this.