Review on Louisville Slugger Blue Flame Pitching Machine: Advanced Training Equipment for Exceptional Performance by David Finley

It's a simple contraption but brilliantly designed: easy to assemble, accurate, easy to set up, light weight, can be used (with difficulty) by a 9 year old, very portable, (most) parts can simply exchanged for the hardware store version. What's not to like? Excuse the expression, but this product is a home run. He's incredibly accurate. I can get him to smack the plate a few times. But you have to contribute, and it took me an hour to learn that. First, make sure to use the included mud spikes to secure the front end. Without them, balls will be sprayed (the spikes are removable and can easily be replaced with towing studs). Second, release the trigger gently, the same way each time, don't jerk it. Third, line up the ball in the bowl the same way (see Sew, do it the same way). Fourth, use the same ball. Not just "ball of the same type”, but EXACTLY the same ball ie same make and model, preferably bought in the same batch and with the same wear/use. Do yourself a favor and buy balls by the bucketful from one of the reputable companies. If you use different balls, they will hit at different points vertically in the strike zone and may not hit the strike zone at all. Or, if you want a more realistic serve across the entire hitting zone, ok then shuffle the balls. The bottom bar is detachable without tools. That helps with transportation. I thought maybe it wasn't fast enough for the minor league. I was wrong, it's very fast. What doesn't? Just two things. He has a top speed of 45 mph with baseball (faster with lightly flying balls), so he can't take some serious high school heat. And it can't make curves etc. Come on, it's less than $200, what do you expect? In fact, these are not disadvantages. Children love the mechanical aspect. Get one. Your little one will have a great time.