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Frequently Asked Questions

• What training equipment do I need to practice baseball or softball at home?

  A batting tee and a net are the two most useful pieces for individual at-home training. Add a bucket of training balls and you have everything needed for solo hitting reps. A pitch-back screen adds fielding reps without a partner. These three pieces cover the majority of what a developing player needs for productive off-field practice.

• What is the difference between a batting tee and a pitching machine?

  A batting tee holds the ball stationary and isolates swing mechanics, removing pitch timing from the equation so the hitter can focus entirely on path, contact point, and follow-through. A pitching machine reintroduces timing. Both serve different purposes and tee work should not be abandoned once a player advances to machine or live pitching.

• Are training balls safe for pitching machines?

  Polyurethane training balls and dimple balls are specifically designed for machine use. Regular leather game balls wear pitching machine wheels significantly faster. Always check the product listing for machine-safe designation before loading any ball into a pitching machine.

• What is a cage bat and how is it different from a game bat?

  A cage bat is a training bat used specifically for batting cage and soft-toss sessions. Most are composite or alloy models designed to handle repeated machine impacts without the performance rating constraints of a game-certified bat. Using a cage bat in the machine preserves your game bat's performance life. The Mizuno CRBN1 series is one of the most popular cage bat options in our inventory.

• What size batting tee should I buy for a youth player?

   Look for a tee with an adjustable height range covering the bottom to the top of the strike zone. For youth players ages 6 to 12, a tee adjusting from approximately 20 to 34 inches covers all contact points. Heavy-duty rubber tee tops hold up better to daily use than thin vinyl. Champro and Tanner both produce well-built options at youth-appropriate price points.

• What is a pitch-back screen and how is it used?

  A pitch-back screen is a spring-loaded or bungee-tensioned net frame that rebounds a thrown ball back to the fielder. The player throws the ball into the net, it returns at varying angles depending on where it strikes, and the fielder fields the return. It is one of the most effective solo tools for developing glove-side reactions, footwork, and fielding rhythm without needing a partner.

• What brands of training equipment does SPC Sports carry?

  We carry Bownet, Champro, Champion, PowerNet, Easton, Mizuno, Rawlings, EvoShield, Franklin, Tanner, Pocket Radar, RIP-IT, Marucci, Victus, Under Armour, Wilson, and SPC Sports branded items, among others.

• Do I need a radar gun to improve pitching velocity?

   Not necessarily, but a radar gun provides objective feedback that replaces guesswork. Many pitchers significantly overestimate or underestimate their actual velocity without a measured reference. Knowing your actual velocity also helps identify whether mechanical changes or conditioning work are producing measurable results. Pocket Radar devices are the most compact and accurate options for individual use in our catalog.

• What is a fungo bat and who uses it?

  A fungo bat is a long, thin, lightweight bat used by coaches to hit ground balls and fly balls to fielders during practice. They are not designed for use against live pitching or pitching machines. The thin barrel and lighter weight allow a coach to hit hundreds of fungos in a session without the fatigue that comes from using a standard game bat. Mizuno maple fungo bats in 35-inch and 37-inch models are in our coach tools section.

• What is a weighted training bat used for?

  A weighted training bat is heavier than a standard game bat and builds bat speed and forearm strength through swing repetitions. The added resistance creates a contrast effect when switching back to a standard-weight bat. Most weighted bat programs use the training bat for warm-up swings and isolation drills, not for hitting actual balls at speed. Do not use a weighted bat in a pitching machine.

• What training equipment do coaches need to run a structured practice?

  A basic coaching kit includes a fungo bat, a bucket of practice balls, a ball caddy, a pitching screen for protection during BP and fungo work, throw-down bases for station drills, and a wrist coach wristband for play-signaling. Larger programs add radar guns, fielder nets, and hitting nets to run multiple stations simultaneously.

• How do I set up a batting station at home in a small space?

  A batting tee, a heavy-duty net (7x7 feet minimum), and a bucket of training balls fit in most garages, basements, or backyards. Place the net 8 to 10 feet in front of the tee to catch drives. Bownet Big Mouth series are among the most portable and durable options for home stations. Soft-toss from a partner into the net requires a minimum of about 15 feet of clear space.

• What is the difference between a standard hitting net and a pitching screen?

  A hitting net is a backstop designed to catch batted balls. A pitching screen (L-screen) is a protective barrier used by coaches during batting practice to shield themselves from line drives. Both use a net but serve entirely different purposes. An L-screen placed in front of a tossing coach during live BP is one of the most important safety pieces on any practice field.

• Can training equipment be used for both baseball and softball?

  Most training equipment in our catalog is dual-use. Batting tees, hitting nets, pitch-back screens, fungo bats, and training balls work for both sports. Some products like softball-specific fielder masks or softball cage bats are calibrated for a 12-inch ball, so check product listings when ball size matters for the specific tool.

• What is an L-screen and how large should it be?

  An L-screen is an L-shaped framed screen that a pitcher or tossing coach stands behind during batting practice. Standard adult L-screens are 7 feet tall and 7 feet wide. Youth practice setups often use 5x5 or 6x6 foot screens. Bownet and Champro L-screens and pitch-back nets are the most popular options in our catalog.