Delivery Angles and Positioning the Feed Chute, 2Pitch4 Baseball
The machine heads can be tilted to different angles to throw different pitches. The head
assemblies will rotate 35 degrees to either side (left hand or right hand). The heads must be
tilted in unison.
With the wheels vertical, the machine will throw a pitch with straight spin, either forward
spin (for a curveball) or back spin (for a fastball).
Tilting the heads to 35 degrees (or any other angle) will cause the spin to go more sideways.
The more side spin, the more the ball will “break” to one side or the other.
The 2Pitch4 is designed to pitch realistic pitches. Most pitchers throw all of their pitches at
the same arm angle. Therefore, the 2Pitch4 is designed to pitch that way as well. If you set the
heads with the wheels vertical, all of your pitches will be straight. For example, your fastball
will be straight, your curveball or slider or change-up will break straight downward.
If you want to simulate a pitcher with a lower arm angle, tilt the heads to either side, left or
right handed. If, for example, you tilt the heads all the way to the right hand tilt position, your
fastball and change-up will tail to the right, and your curveball and slider will break to the left,
just like a real pitcher.
To tilt the head to a different delivery angle, loosen the Tilt Lock Handles (located at the top
of the Neck). Rotate the heads to the angle you choose, and tighten the Lock Handles.
Note: The lock handles are “Adjustable Position” lock handles. This means that the lever part
of the lock handle can be rotated to different positions (for ease or comfort).
To change the position of a handle’s lever, pull out on the lever. You will feel that it has a
spring inside that pulls in. Rotate the lever to the angle you choose, then let the lever spring
back into the hub of the handle. Inside the handle, there are “splines” that engage. Wiggle the
lever to make sure it is engaged into the hub before loosening or tightening the handle. When
you turn the handle to loosen or tighten it, do not pull out on the lever. This will strip the
splines inside.
Once you have selected the delivery angle, you must reposition the Feed Chutes to match.
The V in the bottom of the Feed Chutes must be at the bottom. To adjust the Feed Chute,
loosen the four T-knobs that hold the Feed Chute in position. You only need to loosen them
about ½ turn. Rotate the Feed Chutes to the proper position, then tighten the knobs.
Make sure the “Formed Washers” are positioned properly as well. The hex nuts that are
under the Formed Washers are the perimeter guides for the flange of the Feed Chute. Make
sure the Feed Chute is within the four hex nuts.
THROWING DIFFERENT PITCHES
The 2Pitch4 can be set up to throw two different pitches in one set up. Normally, you will
set one head to throw a fastball, and the other to throw a curveball, slider, or change-up.
Whether your fastball is straight or tails depends on the head delivery angle. If it is vertical,
the fastball will be straight. If it is tilted, the fastball will tail to the side of the slower wheel.
For example, if the head is tilted to the right (with you standing behind the machine to feed it),
a fastball would normally be set with the upper speed control going slower than the lower one.
The upper wheel being the slower wheel, and being tilted to the right side, will produce a
fastball that tails to the right (into a right handed batter).
As a rule, the ball will always break to the side of the slower wheel. If the head is tilted to
the right handed angle, and you set the speed controls so that the lower wheel is slower, the
lower wheel being left of the upper wheel, the ball would break to the left (and down).
Normally, the speed of a curveball is about 80% of the fastball, the slider is about 90%, and
the change-up about 85%. For example, if a pitcher throws those four different pitches, if his
fastball is 90 mph, his curveball would be 72 mph, his slider 81 mph, and his change-up 77 mph.
Also, most pitchers throw all of their pitches at the same arm angle. A pitcher that throws
his fastball straight over the top will throw a curveball that breaks just about straight
downward. A pitcher that drops his arm angle a little will throw a breaking ball that breaks with
a little more side action.
SPEED CONTROL RATIO QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
Upper wheel control / Lower wheel control
Fastball: 2/3
Sample set up:
Curveball: 3/1
Slider: 3/2
Change-up: 2/3
Fastball: 6/9, Curveball: 9/3, Slider: 8/5½, Change-up: 8/5
You may use any ratios you like. When you get your machine, experiment throwing different
pitches to see which combinations of speeds, ratios, and angles give you the most realistic
combinations of pitches.