Literature - Triple Play

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"FungoMan offers coaches at every level the ability to build a rock-solid foundation for their players." -- Don Wakamatsu, Oakland Athletics’ Bench Coach

Romy Cucjen, FungoMan’s president, knew he had developed a product that would be beneficial to baseball coaches and players at every level. This is where Cucjen's teammate from Arizona State, Don Wakamatsu, was first contacted to "test" the machine at the Texas Rangers’ stadium in Arlington, Texas.

"Romy and I had stayed in contact over the years, and I knew that he was on to something," Wakamatsu said. "The machine sounded promising, but I had absolutely no idea of what to expect. I gave him 10 minutes to demo the machine and the ground crew ended up kicking us off the field 45 mintues later."

Wakamatsu was convinced that the machine offered benefits that had not been seen in an automated practice machine and invited Cucjen to the Rangers’ instructional facility. This is where the equipment received a thumbs up from coaches and players.

The Rangers’ staff created innovative ways to use the machine. Balls to the warming track, balls in the gaps, relay drills, and base-running drills. Wakamatsu joked, "It looks like we may have lost a fungoe hitter and will probably gain an electrician. Coaching must come first and FungoMan will be a great help for everyone."