Literature - Rally Killer
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A perfect idea: an automated baseball practice machine that is easy to handle and is operated by an ingenious programmable software system. For more than four years, engineers at FungoMan, Inc. have researched and developed the most efficient and portable automated practice machine seen in baseball. The FM-150 features a 300-ball capacity with speeds over 100 mph. Leading-edge technology has been introduced to control the motion and speed of the throwing head, along with control advances in the exclusive FungoMan ball-feeding system, to ensure perfectly placed baseballs that fire every three seconds with distances over 450 ft.
The key to creating a superior, automated machine goes far beyond loading baseballs into a machine, flipping a switch and waiting for something to happen. FungoMan’s hand-held PDA is an industry first, completely allowing coaches and players to practice and coach repetitive routines or specific balls in two programmable modes. The patented HMI control system coordinates all aspects of the machine, including wireless remote control capability from anywhere on the field. FungoMan's® Wireless Remote Control is the perfect way for coaches to instruct and communicate, instead of hitting balls. The heart of the product is the "Coach- Friendly" Windows® operating system. The FungoMan FM-150 includes a color touchscreen pocket pc with wireless remote- control capabilities. The fielding and pitching modes offer an unlimited number of balls per routine (limited only by storage disk capacity).
The unique capabilities of the FM-150 feature programmable routines that allow the user to quickly call up previously designed practice drills. Better yet, the board memory card has upgradable storage capacity.
The bottom line: Creating optimal practices benefits both coaches and players. Ground balls, fly balls, line drives with varying top spin or backspin can now be positioned on the field wherever a coach desires. "FungoMan allows any coach to avoid standing there hitting fungoes. The real success is found when you're next to the players talking to them.” *
Spending day after day hitting grounders. “Let’s get one!” And around the horn you go. “Turn Two!” And back around again. Over and over and over and over... “I do this for living. I hit fungoes,” says Steve Smith, the Rangers’ third base and infielders' coach. “And, I can hit a fungo. But I’ve seen high school and college coaches where they’re popping one up or hitting one over there. It’s ugly.”
“We use the FM-150 in some cool ways,” says Smith. “Balls to the warning track, balls in the gaps, relay drills, base-running drills. We're able to program the machine to do a lot of innovative stuff.” “The machine is exact,” says Smith. “You know, hitting a pop-up exactly where you want to isn’t easy. I’ll hit a pop-up, but I can’t tell you it’s going to drop right where I want. This gave us a true pop-up and allowed the drill to be done right.”
* Excerpts taken from an interview with Steve Smith, Texas Rangers Program 2006.
