The Zooka pitching machine is one of the hottest new products out in the pitching machine market. Designed specifically for youth players, it is growing as one the most popular machines used on the Little League field.
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The appearance however is much different from the traditional "wheel style" machines that we commonly see. It doesn't even use any wheels at all! It also doesn't require any extension cords, and doesn't weight a zillion pounds like the others do. The Zooka pitching machine is a lightweight (only 30 lbs), and very portable unit that can be taken from home to the field, and back to home with very little hassle.
Another great thing is that they can throw real baseballs as well as most other machine balls. It has a compressor on the inside of the machine that pumps up to the right level based on the speed of the pitch you select, and releases the pressure to propel the ball out of the scoop to the plate. Pitch speed is controlled by a small computer on the back of the machine. It even requires the entry of a password before it can be operated.
There
are two models of Zooka pitching machines: the ZS720 and ZS740
(pictured). The 720 is recommended for ages of only 5 to 11, while the
740 is more suitable up to the age of 18.
The 720 will only throw fastballs up to 50 mph, and has a maximum throwing distance of 130 ft. The 740 will throw up to 70 mph, with a maximum throwing distance of 200 ft. The 740 also has a feature that allows the user to program changeups to be thrown to the hitter. This is always a nice feature to help hitters improve their timing and simulate a game-like at bat. An automatic feeder is also available from the Zooka Sports company.
Check out the YouTube video below to get a look at the machine in action.
The only drawback to the Zooka pitching machine is the fact that it cannot reach the 90 mph threshold like most of the other heavy-duty machines. But for what you get, you can't beat the value, especially if it will truly only be used for youth players. Retail prices for these machines will be around $700 for the ZS740 and $530 for the ZS720.
If you have a child who is fairly young and you are looking for a portable, lightweight, mid priced range, quality pitching machine, the Zooka would be atop my list. My little cousin's team used one of these for their Little League practices and worked very well. You can shop for them at the Zooka Sports website.
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