Defunct pitching machine put to use

Baseball-specific equipment was lying abandoned since 2009.

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s lone baseball pitching machine, introduced here in 2009, was gathering rust since the past five years before being rescued in 2013, according to national team head coach Mussadiq Hanif.

Pitching machines are used to provide players unlimited opportunities to hit the ball with variation in speed and angles in order to gain experience; something which is not possible with a pitcher who possesses limited stamina.

The only equipment of this kind in Pakistan was introduced by a Japanese coach in 2009 at the training camp for the senior Asian Championship that year, following which it was left to its own devices as the team did not participate in any major international event.

“Some of the machine’s parts became outdated and we had to replace them for Rs150,000 before using it to practise for the tour to Japan last year,” Hanif told The Express Tribune. “Then we used it again during training for the recent Asian Games.

“The machine can pitch from 60mph to 160mph, while the best pitcher in the world pitches at 145mph.”



He added that the machine is invaluable in training as it can pitch low balls and can make the ball swing at various angles.

“We used 100 balls per session with different angles and pace to improve batting, and its result were seen in the match against Japan at the Asian Games when Pakistan scored a run in their first innings.”

Pakistan are currently ranked 22nd in the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) rankings and fifth in Asia.

“I’m disappointed that the Pakistan Baseball Federation still doesn’t have a proper field for baseball. We usually use a football venue at the University of Central Punjab for training.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2014.

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