The Complete Handbook of Pitching Machines
The Professional Guide to Selection, Setup, Maintenance, and Business Opportunities
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
The practical reference for buying, installing, maintaining, and profiting from pitching machines—no hype, just usable knowledge.
About this book
Pitching machines are essential tools in organized baseball and softball, from youth leagues to professional training facilities. Yet most people buying or maintaining them rely on manufacturer handouts, online forums, or trial-and-error experience. This handbook consolidates the practical knowledge you need: what pitching machines are and why they matter; the real differences between wheel machines, arm-style machines, and specialized variants; how to choose the right one for your facility, team, or budget; and step-by-step guidance on installation, daily operation, and maintenance.
Whether you're a coach evaluating equipment for your program, a facility owner running a batting cage, an equipment manager troubleshooting breakdowns, or an entrepreneur exploring service or rental opportunities, this book provides concrete examples, diagnostic workflows, and decision frameworks grounded in real-world use. It also covers the landscape of brands and suppliers, business models that actually work in this category, and where the technology is headed.
Reader Reviews
Emily Moore
★★★★★Emily Moore: This handbook actually delivers on its promise—no fluff, just practical information. The Chapter 1 explanation of how wheel machines differ from arm machines helped me finally understand why our facility's old machine throws fewer pitch types. The installation section saved us hours of fumbling, and the troubleshooting workflows have already solved two common problems. Highly useful for anyone running a facility or managing equipment.
Ronald Jones
★★★★★Ronald Jones: Good reference material overall, though I wish there was more depth in the business opportunities chapter. The brand positioning section is solid, but I would've liked actual numbers on rental margins and service labor costs. The technical content is sound and the maintenance section is thorough, which is what I really needed since we run a batting cage. Definitely worth owning if you operate equipment professionally.
Susan Walker
★★★★★Susan Walker: Found Chapter 1 clear and the FAQ section genuinely helpful, but the book assumes more baseline equipment knowledge than I had when I started reading. A few diagrams of machine internals would have helped me visualize how the mechanics actually work. Still, once I got past that, the installation and troubleshooting chapters were exactly what I needed for our small program's startup.
Deborah King
★★★★★Deborah King: Exactly what I was looking for—a no-nonsense guide that treats pitching machines as real equipment, not toys. The decision framework in Chapter 3 guided me through choosing a machine for our new facility without overselling features I didn't need. The maintenance workflows are clear, and the glossary is actually useful instead of just padding. Recommend this to any facility manager.
Daniel Walker
★★★★★Daniel Walker: Strong practical handbook. I picked it up to understand what to buy for my personal training setup, but the business section made me think about a rental side venture. The author's concrete approach—real examples, no marketing—made it easy to trust the recommendations. Only minor gap: would have appreciated more on software and sensors since that's changing in the industry, but overall solid reference.