I would only buy this one if I can use regular hard balls and regular softballs
819274
You should never use real balls with a Jugs wheel machine, this or a more advanced model for the following reasons:1. The leather balls will get torn up very quickly.2. Real balls will wear out the rubber contact pad on the machine, which will require replacing the entire metal plate (the pad is NOT sold individually and is bonded to the metal part)3. Real balls are not perfectly round and will result in unpredictable wild pitches, which is dangerous at even medium speeds.
819275
This pitching machine works really well with the plastic balls. Sometimes the children get hit with them. It can hurt pretty bad. I'd sure hate to see it be hard balls. It's a great machine!!!
819276
Maybe so.... I accidentally got hit directly in the center of the sternum with a fastball from a pitching machine. If it would have been a regular baseball, I'd probably be dead.Your call of course.
819277
No. I only use for softball currently & use the soft lite flight balls. Works great!
819278
I have never tried to use regular baseballs or softballs in this machine. It is my understanding that this machine is not designed for these balls. Additionally, I have used the Jugs step up from this machine (significantly higher $$$) and that machine also doesn't use regular baseballs or softballs because it scuffs up the balls so bad. For practice, this higher priced machine uses specialized, dimpled balls. We only use regular balls for gamedays in that particular machine.
819279
Only throws lite flight and wiffle balls but still a very good machine. Have used it a lot for both my son playing baseball and daughter playing softball.
819280
Regular balls are not recommenced by the mfg so I have never tried and do not plan to. Would recommend some other machine. Bill
80181
I found that only soft, regular sized baseballs work. Little league sized ones do not work.
419923
We use standard tennis balls, no special balls needed. They can be new or old, they all work just fine!
640426
Yes, I use real balls, that's the point. Get an astroturf matt to hit off of, one that also holds a tee. You'll have to adjust so that you do not hit the frame on your follow thru. I live in downtown Charleston, SC and use this in my driveway!
2131804
Not like and Easton or DeMarini...has pop out of the box but would recommend using it to hit ground balls etc to help its cause...
2130274
The felt is much cheaper than normal balls and wears out quickly. If you dont hit hard you should be OK.
1758284
I have not used the hard balls. These are softer and were purchased for indoor use so we wouldn't smash anything. We play this game for fun and are not too concerned about the finer points of "bounce."
2002997
No it won't. The ball fits in the very end and there's not room for more than one ball at a time.
1814883
No this is a very soft indoor only ball and would likely shred and wear down real fast.
1143433
I used it with rubber balls into a net at home and it didn't seem to pick it up. I have not tried to use regular balls.
550713
We use volleyballs. Regular basketballs are too heavy. They also hurt a lot if getting hit by one in pool ball. Regular ones could also damage the backboard?
246727
Personally I think he's probably a bit too old. My 8u team used it and used the 40mph balls and we had to move it closer (probably closer to 35mph). The faster balls proved useless for us as it would go basically anywhere. If your just practicing swinging and putting a bat on a ball it's nice, but probably doesn't have enough power for that age.
1624162
This would not be optimal for throwing tennis ball-sized items. Pebble size at most is best.
1624159
I would agree with the first answer, this would not work well with a tennis ball
1803087
No. It comes with specialized balls that are more like the size of ping pong balls.
1350910
You don't need a special bat, but I would be recommend it. However, I do not recommend the machine. The concept is great, but the quality on the machine I purchased was extremely poor. Try a JUGS machine (Small-Ball® Pitching Machine). Lots more money, but I bet it's worth it. I don't own that machine though.
1271378
I think you can contact Ball about doing other items because I haven't tried that. The machine is great but what it does is do the stirring that you usually have to stand and do yourself (the part that kills your back)!