Furlihong 692BH Baseball Pitching Machine, Use Ping Pong Size Training Balls for Visual Acuity and Hitting Accuracy Improvement, Powered by Batteries or AC Power, Includes 60 pcs Balls

You're going to need replacement balls for your Furlihong pitching machine because after several uses you'll lose balls...under cars, in trees, in gutters, etc. I tried putting the mini plastic golf balls in this pitching machine and they always get stuck because of their irregular size. They are just slightly bigger than these replacement balls. Glad I bought these replacement balls because we take batting practice with this machine several times a week and are never able to recover every ball no matter how hard you try. Also, having a spare bag of balls enables you to just dump another bag in the hopper and keep hitting versus stopping and collecting all the balls, loading the machine, and starting all over again.

I ordered this on a whim for my 14u select team. I didn't really expect to get my money's worth, especially considering the mixed reviews and low price point. It honestly looked like a cheap piece of crap for little kids but I thought it might be fun to mess with. For context we hardly ever do hitting practice. I think at this age team hitting practice is a waste of time. Individual work is nice but throwing 10 balls and saying next doesn't do much. We focus on defense and pitching and have had great results during our 40 game seasons. That being said, we still have days where are bats are cold and we can't adjust against a particular pitcher. I used this machine today at practice. I'm the only coach with no assistant. I set this up in the outfield with a bucket lid and set pairs of 2 over to hit 30 each, while I worked with the rest of the boys on fielding related stuff. We just rotated the 2 over there all practice. I paired the machin with a Stix heavy skinny bat. 30oz and thin as a broom stick. The machine was about 15 feet away and spitting out balls roughly 30mph. I saw the boys really struggle their first few swings and then make small adjustments and start driving it. I also saw one of our best hitters really REALLY struggle for about 50 swings 😹 I took the team over and had them watch him struggle. Stopped him and explained what was wrong, he adjusted and started smoking em. His biggest issue is his lack of Adaptability. He really got the hang of it tho. The balls fly surprisingly far for their light weight. Further than those white ones with holes. The boys really loved it and it was a great workout. The cons is that you can't buy extra balls that I can find. It comes with 60 tho which is nice. Another con is that there's no indicator when the ball is coming so very difficult to time up. As a coach tho I found it to be a pro as well cause the boys really had to get their front foot down early. It was almost like a very defensive 2 strike approach. Overall a fantastic product for the price. It is lightweight and made of plastic so not sure of its longevity, but we will be using it every practice and before games from now on so will find out soon.

The only reason I was skeptical was because one review said it only shoots the plastic balls it comes with. I tried out some foam golf balls and they actually shoot better. Also, they're super easy to find and cheap. Plus, they aren't going to hurt anything if you hit in the basement, garage, etc. I coach baseball and have a son in machine pitch and a son in middle school. It works as a good training aid for both. Pitches are usually close/ but not in the exact same spot. I prefer it that way as it develops hand eye coordination and builds confidence. Awesome purchase.

My son coaches my two grandsons' little league teams and goes through so many baseballs during their practice sessions. These work great for that. The bright yellow color makes it easier to see in the field and can be found so much easier. The weight is perfect for practice, and he has them use a smaller bat to improve their hitting skills.

Do NOT buy. This item came damaged. The pitching machine was broken within one use. Initially amazing product. But very disappointed in the fact no customer service was available.