Coach John Peter's Baseball Tips.com

What Iron Mike Should I Buy?

Probably the greatest set of tools you could want that will make the single biggest impact on a budding ballplayer is a pitching machine and batting cage.

If the arm style machine is your favorite style (I figure about 26 MLB teams use them) then the Iron Mike Series is your play!

But which one and what's the differences?

Here it is in a nutshell:

MasterPitch makes 3 adult machines.

• The Basic Rack Fed model (MP-5) for baseball or softball
• The Basic Hopper Fed model (MP-6) for baseball or softball
• The Pro Hopper Fed model (MP-4) for baseball or softball

Common Qualities

They are all very heavy duty, simple to use, arrive almost completely set up, ship by truck line, can be used and left outside all year long (yes, purchasing a cover is a great idea), will accept leather balls or machine pitch dimple baseballs, and throw between 25-85 mph due to the fact that all share the same motor, drive system, electronics, etc.

We also include a corded remote control for increased control over the machine.

Rack Fed or Hopper Fed

IT IS THE DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT SEPARATES THE TWO TYPES.

The Basic Rack Fed model (MP-5) holds 38 baseballs or 28 softballs This is perfect for those with one or two players in the family or where budget is an issue. It is the only model that has transport wheels and, though not what I would call portable, it certainly is moveable for two people. The limitations are the rack itself. At roughly 10 swings per minute, you will be reloading every 4 minutes for baseball and every 3 minutes for softball. You load the machine by hand-filling the "rack or trough".a 30 second process.

The Pro Hopper Fed (MP-4) & Model Basic Hopper Fed (MP-6) models (ball capacity of 600 baseballs or 400 softballs) Hopper Fed Iron Mike pitching machine The two hopper fed models look identical, though there is an approximate $300 difference between the Basic MP-6 and the Pro MP-4.

That extra investment in the Pro model includes

1. 55 added pounds of steel reinforcement welded into the front of the unit.
2. The Positive Feed Mechanism, which keeps balls flowing and eliminates the occasional pitch interruptions that happen when using leather seamed balls (not necessary when using dimple balls as they do not have seams). This device is a $50 add-on for the basic MP-6 model.

About the additional steel reinforcement:

This is a good idea for those wanting added protection for balls hit off the machine itself. For those choosing the Basic Hopper fed MP-6 model, we offer a protective screen known as the Machine Guard. This is a purpose-built net with frame. Its legs are secured under the machine for a perfect fit and this solves the "added protection" problem.

Loading the balls

The biggest advantage of the hopper-fed models is the large number of balls it will hold and that you can simply dump 5 gallon buckets-full of balls into the large hopper.a 5 second process.

In Summary:

The most important decision you can make is to invest in a pitching machine and a batting cage that fits your budget, your player(s) and your backyard or ballfield.

After that, if an arm style machine fits your needs, I would examine your budget. The hopper style of machines offer the ability to hit a maximum of 600 baseballs or 400 softballs without reloading. a real convenience and increase of efficiency. The rack style machine offers more portability and a cost savings.

Hope this helps!
--JP