Ball throwing machine and system having three individually controllable

Abstract

A pitching machine and control system which will pitch any baseball pitch desired on command with all parameters of each pitch chosen before the pitch of the ball. The system measures and counteracts the effects of the prevailing weather upon the ball then delivers the ball to the chosen point in the target zone. The parameters of the pitch are: orientation of the seams of the ball with respect to the access of spin, orientation of the access of spin with respect to the direction of travel, location of the release point with respect to the center of the machine (including both height and width), velocity of the ball, magnitude of the spin of the ball, and initial direction of the ball. The target parameters which are also selected before pitch are the target location with respect to the release point of the ball. Internal settings of the machine are adjusted to satisfy the pitch, and target parameters and the prevailing weather. Pitch and target parameters can be stored and played back to control the system.