Suggestions for Constructing a 55 ft. Baseball Cage

nets_55CageAndProtectiveNetA-1024x474

Materials

  • 4 – End posts 15′ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 2 – Center posts 16′ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 2 – End cross members 14′ 4″ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 1 – Center cross members 16′ 8″ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 9 – Hooks
  • 12 – Plates for corner attachments
  • Approximately 18′ of 5/16″ diameter rope or medium-weight chain
  • Concrete mix

 

Sample Footprint

nets_55cage-footprint

Post Depth
Woodnets_postdepth_both

 

Galvanized Fence Post

 

Corner Details corner-plate
Metal corner plates help secure the vertical posts and cross members together when using wood posts.

 

Attaching the Netting
corner-attachments

Illustrations showing netting corner attaching to frame endposts with either rope or medium-weight chain and a center post attachment example using chain.
corner-attachments-callout
nets_55cage-footprint-callout

A completed cage in central California.

A completed cage in central California.

 

Suggestions for Constructing a 70 ft. Baseball Cage

nets_70CageAndProtectiveNetA

Materials

  • 4 – End posts 15′ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 4 – Center posts 16′ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 2 – End cross members 14′ 4″ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 2 – Center cross members 16′ 8″ in length (4″ x 4″ rough redwood or 3″ diameter galvanized pipe)
  • 12 – Hooks
  • 16 – Plates for corner attachments
  • Approximately 24′ of 5/16″ diameter rope or medium-weight chain
  • Concrete mix

 

Sample Footprint

nets_70cage-footprint

Post Depth
Woodnets_postdepth_both

 

Galvanized Fence Post

 

Corner Details corner-plate
Metal corner plates help secure the vertical posts and cross members together when using wood posts.

 

Attaching the Netting
corner-attachments

Illustrations showing netting corner attaching to frame endposts with either rope or medium-weight chain and a center post attachment example using chain.
corner-attachments-callout
nets_70cage-footprint-callout

A completed cage in central California.

A completed cage in central California.

 

cagepic

Cages/Netting Frequently Asked Questions

Will a pitching machine and a net in my backyard really help develop

my young hitter?

The fundamentals of baseball start with techniques for throwing, fielding, pitching and hitting. As a player’s game matures, fundamentals involved in team play become a big part of playing to your potential and being a winning player. Learning the fundamentals takes time and a lot of focus.

That focus, even with the youngest players, is where the mental and physical fundamentals begin. Fundamentals should never be taken for granted; winners continually refine all fundamentals, physical and mental. This is why proper training equipment is so valuable. A large percentage of Hack Attack machines are purchased for home use.

Even many major leaguers have machines and cages at home where they continue to develop their hitting skills during the off-season, as do many college and high school players. However, the majority of our backyard sales are for youth league players, often as young as eight years old.

 

How much room is required?

Most home situations do not allow for a full 70 foot cage. Effective hitting distance, that is a distance between the machine and home plate, can be as short as 45 feet.

As you shorten the distance, reaction time is shortened proportionately and you must decrease the speed of the ball delivery to compensate. It is interesting to note that much professional, college, and high school batting practice is taken at significantly shorter distances.

The pitching machine can even be place outside of the cage. However, in general terms, Sports Attack recommends any distance between 48 feet and 60 feet

 

What equipment do I need and what is the average cost?

You will need a pitching machine. We, of course, recommend either the Hack Attack or the Junior Hack Attack. See our baseball web page to help make that decision.

While a ball feeder is optional, most hitter want to practice alone. Both Sports Attack machines have ball feeders available in two sizes. (See baseball accessories page for details.)

You will need a protective screen to ensure safety for the machine operator, those are fairly easy to find and quality is comparable.

You will need a cage frame and netting. With netting, quality varies greatly; Sports Attack recommends a net weight of 36#. You can save a considerable amount of money if you build your own frame, but be sure to consider weather and soil conditions if you intend to keep the cage up over the course of several years. Some folks need to consider flooring alternatives. Sports Attack carries nets specifically designed for backyards. You can save a considerable amount of money if you build your own frame, but be sure to consider weather and soil conditions if you intend to keep the cage up over the course of several years. Some folks need to consider flooring alternatives.

Then of course the obvious items include a home plate, strike zone pad, balls and a bat. All of these items can be purchased through online catalogs or from your local sporting goods dealer.

 

What can I do myself?

You can easily prepare the ground surface. If you have a lawn as your base surface, the cage can be lifted in place to facilitate any necessary mowing. The batting area can be dirt, decomposed granite, or astro-turf. You can also dig holes for the frame posts and in preparation for concrete.

While you might not want to purchase all of the frame parts yourself, that is certainly an option. At the least you could purchase a kit that will allow you to construct the frame yourself.

 

Why are Sports Attack machines better?

Vision and timing is certainly the number one point of difference between our baseball and softball machines and our competitors. The second most important feature is that our units can throw any pitch in the game; in particular both the Hack Attack and the Junior will deliver a true breaking pitch, with realistic ball rotation/spin.

Then of course our machines are extremely accurate pitch after pitch, with enough mass to eliminate machine movement after pitch delivery, but compact enough to make both units exceptionally portable. The quality of our equipment, for every sport, is what our company has built our reputation on, everything made right here in the U.S. insuring complete quality control. (see our About Us web page) We have been around awhile and our machines are in most leading high school, universities and professional teams across the country, check out the bottom of the baseball web page for a map detailing our customers across the country.

 

Which machine should I order?

In general terms the Junior Hack Attack is for younger players but will work well for high school and college players if used at 50 feet or less. Also this unit can quickly be adjusted to throw a 7.5” ball for vision training. The Hack Attack can be used by all ages, including professionals, and at all distances. For a complete comparative chart of both units, please go to the Hack Attack/Junior Hack Attack baseball page.

 

Can I leave the machine outside?

Yes, if completely covered. Sports Attack sells a machine cover for some protection. Most large do-it-yourself hardware stores carry canvas or vinyl tarps. Recommended size is 7′ x 7′ tarp and two large 18” bungee cords to anchor tarp to machine.

 

How can I order?

Just call Sports Attack or complete and submit an order form. You can pay using cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or school purchase order.

 

Have More Questions? Feel Free to Call us Toll Free! (800) 717-4251