Overview of polyball pitching machines
part 1
The wiffle ball pitching machines are great for batting practice. There are a number of batting practice protocols some are better suited to a pitching machine and others are better suited to live pitching.
The Ball
"Wiffle" is a trademark of Wiffle Ball Inc. (Shelton, CT)
The term "wiffle" is often used as a synonym for "polyball" but technically the "Wiffle" ball is the patented ball invented by the Wiffle ball people and/or the generic polyballs that the Wiffle Ball Inc. manufactures.
Wiffle Ball Inc holds the patent on a half and half ball ( 1/2 solid and 1/2 perforated) the combination of which allows the ball to move and break. Wiffle Inc. makes a baseball size ball half and half ball. They also manufacture generic golf ball sized polyballs.
The generic "Polyball" is a plastic ("poly") ball that comes in three different sizes: golf ball size, baseball size and softball size. The polyball is perforated with holes around the whole ball.
The Machines
There are a number of polyball pitching machines out in the marketplace. None throw the patented "Wiffle" (half and half) ball. All throw polyballs. Some come with and are specifically gauged for the Wiffle Ball Inc. brand of polyballs. Others (such as Jugs Lite Flite) are gauged for their own brand of polyballs.
There are polyball pitching machines that throw the "mini" golf ball sized polyballs, some throw baseball sized polyballs and others throw softball sized polyballs. Some will convert and throw either baseball or softball sized polyballs.
Mini Polyball Machines
Baseball Size Polyball Machines
Granada IIIb, 390, 390C V and VC
Softball Size Polyball Machines
Granada IIIs, FP, FPC, FPXL and FPXLC