Practice Batting Cages » Batting Cages

Hone Your Baseball Skills with Home Batting Cage Ideas

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Want to bring that baseball field feeling home? Perhaps you are a baseball player wanting to keep up your A-game in the off-season or you would just like to have a fun place to play. Either way, consider one of these at-home batting cage ideas.

There are many reasons to use batting cages at home besides practicing skills. It is becoming easier to install a home batting cage, because they are much less expensive than they were at one time. Having a batting cage at home means there is no waiting to get in and less fuel used to get to a public batting cage. It will save money on baseballs because they will be contained within the cage rather than going over the fence. Batting cages are long lasting if they are taken care of properly. Do not forget to take it down during the winter to keep it safe from the elements. The good news is that they are relatively simple to put up and take down.

Options abound for those looking to increase their batting practice time. People can choose the old classic of a tee and net batting cage. One could purchase a drop trainer. A drop trainer is a machine that drops balls from about seven feet. A soft toss pitching machine can also be installed. What is a soft toss machine? It is a pitching machine that sits on the ground. The balls are shot up into the air for the batter to hit. If none of those works, there is the option to hire someone to build a customized at-home batting cage.

Each of these home batting cage ideas focus on developing a specific skill set. The tee and net setup gives players a chance to work on some of the fine points of the game. It is important to develop patience when working on a swing. This is where a drop trainer comes in handy. A common concern when developing baseball skills is knowing how to hit a ball at just the right time. A soft tosser can be set at varying intervals, commonly at about every five seconds. That can help a batter work on reflexes and analyzing the batting situation.

Since the space is much smaller at home than at a public batting cage, putting one in at home may be best left to the professional. One can hire a company to create customized batting cages. There are some considerations to make when installing a batting cage or when having one installed. There needs to be ample room for the balls to fly from the pitching machine. The net should be placed far enough away from the batter so that one can realistically see how far the ball went after a swing.

Home batting cage ideas cover a wide range of baseball players’ needs. Some work on finer skills and others on things like timing. A person can install their own batting cage or hire a professional to create a custom one.

How To Shop For Used Batting Cages

admin — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:01:43 +0000

If you enjoy baseball or softball, you understand the importance and benefits of batting cages. Not only do they keep the ball contained in the netted area for safety reasons, but they also help the hitter in several areas, such as bat speed, accuracy, hand-eye coordination, timing, stance, etc. A batting cage also allows the hitter to spend more time hitting and working on their technique and fundamentals than chasing balls. This can add hours of more quality practice.

Lets face it, batting cages are expensive. New batting cages can run up into the thousands while used batting cages are cheaper can still be several hundred. It would make a lot more sense for a coach, parent, or baseball/softball enthusiast to purchase a used batting cage. There are many places you can find used batting cages. You can find them on Craigslist, ebay, your local newspaper, garage sales, and high schools and colleges. If a school happens to be doing an equipment upgrade, you might be able to get their old one for cheap, especially if you’re a member of the community. Make sure to call local athletic directors in order to explore this option.

Another option is to build your own batting cage by piecing together the various parts that make up a cage. You can find pipe at your local hardware store and netting from your local sports department store or from a sports equipment dealer. If you have the standard batting cage kit, you will see that building a batting cage is easier than you may think. That said, if you’re not the handy type and you want to make sure that the work has been done by a professional, then purchasing a used batting cage is the way to go.

Regardless of what you decide, make sure you get the right kind of batting cage. If you’re cage is going to be outside in a cold weather area, you want to get something tough and sturdy. This will usually be more expensive. On the other hand, if you’re batting cage will be in a warmer climate or indoors, you can take the cheaper option and buy a batting cage that doesn’t need to be as tough or sturdy.

After you buy your used batting cage, whoever steps inside will begin to improve their swing within a short period of time. The more they use the cage, the better they will get. The sky is the limit.

Batting Cages – An Overview

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:42:27 +0000

The premise of this site is to share ideas about batting cages – not only things to look for if you are interested in purchasing one for your backyard but also how to get the most out of your batting cage.

Practice Batting Cages covers a variety of topics that are ultimately focused on helping your child become a better hitter. It is often said that if a player can hit, then the coach will find a position for him to play. There is no doubt that having access to a cage can bring a tremendous advantage to your ball player, after all who wouldn’t like to walk out their back door and take a little batting practice. However, you also want to use your time effectively all the while making it fun and enjoyable.

As you look around the site, you’ll notice that the structure is laid out into four distinct topical areas:

Batting Cage Frames
There are many decisions that need to be made in regards to buying and building a cage with the first one being what kind of frame do I need. Frames come in all shapes and sizes and you can either build your own cage buy purchasing a frame independently or go the route of buying a ready made kit which typically comes with a frame and net together. Either way, it comes down to your budget and available space in your backyard. One thing to keep in mind is that the size of the cage should be the last thing to consider when looking at frame sets. You don’t necessarily need the biggest cage available. You can still maximize its use with proper equipment and well thought out drills.

Batting Cage Nets
Just like frames, nets also range in variety. Once you’ve decided where to put your cage and decided on a frame, be sure to choose a net that will meet your needs. When in doubt go with a heavier gauge (thickness) net and smaller size if space and money are tight. The gauge will help determine how long the net will last and provide many years of use.

Training Equipment
You’ve got your batting cage built now you’ll need some tools to help maximize its usage. Just taking batting practice off of a live arm is not enough. You’ll want to encourage proper technique with the use of certain tools like a tee, l-screen and possibly a pitching machine.

Hitting Drills
This portion of the site describes a few drills to use while in the cage. The key to hitting is repetition and these drills encourage good fundamentals while making it fun for the hitter.

It is the hope of this site that you find this information helpful in your quest for acquiring ideas in not only purchasing and building a batting cage but how to most effectively get the most use it as well. Remember – one of the hardest things to do is hit a round ball with a round bat. There is a reason that 3 out of 10 gets you into the hall of fame! It is very difficult. Encourage your young ball player; make it fun and they will be a better hitter.

The Top 3 Batting Cage Frames

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:30:48 +0000

Batting cage frames come in all shapes and sizes. With so many options on the market, you might be thinking where do I begin? The goal of this article is to help you determine the types of frames available and what to consider when deciding the type of frame to use.

When choosing the type of frame for building backyard batting cages there are several factors that you will need to consider.

1. How much space do you have available?
Try not to let space limit you in your decision to build a cage. A 70 foot length cage would be nice but if you do not have that kind of space don’t sweat it. Even in the tightest of spaces, a cage can be constructed and effectively used with proper equipment and practice drills.

2. Do you want a permanent structure or a cage that can be disassembled?
Permanent structures are one way to go but you may want to break down the cage in the off season or maybe you would like to consider a portable cage in order to carry it to tournaments for your team to use.

3. What is your budget?
Ultimately, it all comes down to how much you have available to spend.

Your options are endless, however, your answers above will best determine the type of frame that you have available to choose from with 3 types of frames being at the top of the list.

Types of batting cage frames

Galvanized steel
There are many types of frames that are commonly used with the most common being galvanized steel tubing which is typically the most expensive option. Galvanized steel will provide the most stability and be able to bear the most weight. Several galvanized steel systems available suggest putting PVC tubing in the ground as sleeves to hold the steel tubing up-right thus providing a breakdown or portable option.

PVC Tubing
A cheaper option is using a PVC type material. Only use this type of frame if your budget is very restricted as it tends to sag with the weight of the net.

Wood
Another viable option is 4 x 4 treated posts. In reality, this is probably the most cost effective approach while providing the stability to handle the weight of a net. This option also is more permanent as you’ll want to put the posts in concrete.

No matter what type of frame you choose for building your batting cage, the net that you ultimately go with will weigh between 200 to 400 lbs and sometimes more depending on the gauge of the net so the frame needs to be able to support the weight.

One last thing, don’t forget the hardware:

concrete (for use on permanent structures)
cabling in order to hang or suspend the net
hooks and clips to attach the net to the frame