PLEASE NOTE: The Remote Feeder Control option is on back order right now, so they aren't available for purchase.  We'll let you know when they are, sorry for any inconvenience.

Why The Sandlot Slugger (SLS)?

Here are a couple questions we received at SwingSmarter.com from baseball hitting aid enthusiasts Dan from Illinois & Nicholas from Massechusettes almost at the same time, and our response...

"This machine appears to be a faster throwing personal pitcher. It appears to have all the benefits of the personal pitcher, is the extra speed worth the extra money? About 40 dollars is the difference." Dan from IL

"I'm interested in two small golf ball size wiffle ball pitching machines (Personal Pitcher PRO, Sandlot Slugger). They're very similar and competitive - wondered if you know of any performance reviews comparing these two units. I've recently been informed by SL Slugger, that they're field testing a new modification to enable unit to throw true curveball in addition to fastballs (like the PP Pro)." -Nicholas From MA

Swing Smarter Response:

PLEASE NOTE: the following response was when I was still a little skeptical on how much more superior the Sandlot Slugger was over the Personal Pitcher Pro...

Great question Dan, you are the second person in as many days to ask about which whiffle ball training aid was better. The major differences are: the Sandlot Slugger can spit out golf whiffles at speeds of up to 70mph (PPP goes up to 55mph), 7 hour battery life (PPP has 4 hours), and carries 100+ whiffles (the PPP carries exactly 100).

The question: Is the Sandlot Slugger worth the extra $40 or so?

The answer: I'm going to grab a quote Sandlot Slugger's website:

"Why NOT to Choose the Competition?

1. Top speed well under 60 MPH - lucky to hit 50 MPH with a good tail wind, 
2. Cheap Chinese balls, 
3. Ball feeder holds about 70 balls, depending on how big a pile you build, 
4. No handle, and 
5. Very flimsy tripod"

Point number 1: we can simulate faster pitch speed and hitter reaction time by just closing the distance between the batter and the machine...see how in this Swing Smarter reader post.

Point number 2: about using cheap Chinese whiffle balls, okay, are we going to save a ton of money switching to made in the USA whiffles? Regardless of where they're made, plastic will break at some point. Are we, in the USA, really using better "plastic" than in China?

Point number 3: should we be letting our kids hit over 100+ whiffles in one sitting? Of course not. Smarter Swings should be based on quality, NOT quantity. It's like "6 Minute Abs." Why not make "5 Minute Abs?" Is one extra minute going to make a huge difference? People are going to over eat anyway. A ball feeder holding 70 is plenty...adding more is just putting off when the hitter must clean up his/her mess anyway.

Point number 4: who cares if it doesn't have a handle?? Really, these things weigh about 7 pounds, a 2-year-old can lift it.

Point number 5: the buyer can use their own camera tripod, no big deal. Tripods are what, like, $15? Anyway, to answer your question Dan, no I don't think it's worth the extra money. I chose to have the Personal Pitcher Pro in TheStartingLineupStore.com because I feel it's the best buy for your money, and might I add, the gentlemen behind the iron curtain of the PPP are outstanding. Thanks so much for this awesome submission, I hope my response helped. Good luck this upcoming baseball season!

-----

Oh, how nieve I was being with that response.  Here's what I found after more research, changing this skeptic's mind...

In talking with the owner of the Sandlot Slugger (SLS), come to find out he's a retired engineer, bought the rights to the product almost a decade ago and breathed life back into the SLS.  The machine is much heavier and built more durable than the Personal Pitcher Pro (PPP)...the owner tests each machine on throwing speed and accuracy before getting shipped out to the customer.  That impressed even me.

I've used the SLS personally (video coming soon) and currently have the healing gash (blister) in the palm of my hand to prove it.  I was surprised how accurate it was in the strikezone, the remote control (extra cost) is a nice touch when you're hitting by yourself, and the fact you have all the options I initially poo-pooed in the response to the two submissions above are really icing on the cake.  The bottom line?  This is the most fun I've had hitting a moving ball in a long time...only if I would've had something like this when I was sweating my way into The Starting Lineup :P  

What separates the SLS from the PPP in value is the rugged construction, each individual unit is field tested before being shipped out, and the owner is a go-getter who is very passionate about his machines and would bend over backwards for a customer.  Heck, he's retired, what else does he have to do :P   The feedback we're getting about the PPP from Swing Smarter readers is the whole PPP process is cheaper just like its price, so you get what you pay for.

A Basic SLS Package will cost $219 shipped (what you'll get: 50 Made in USA wiffle balls, 4-hour battery life, and a charger).  Here are a few quick bullet points about the Sandlot Slugger plus other features ("included" refers to the Basic Package):

• Rugged Construction (uncluded)
• Fastest Pitch Speed - 60 MPH standard top speed (included), 70 MPH available (Turbo is an extra $24)
• Three Breaking Balls: Cutter, Slider, and Sweeping Curve (included)
• 85% Balls in the Strikezone (included)
• Long Battery Life - up to 7 Hours (Extra $20)
• Tripod is not Required - has built-in stand (to add a heavy duty tripod is normally $37.50, but with the SPECIAL Packages you save 10% over piecing everything out)
• Genuine WIFFLE® Brand Golf Ball Sized Wiffle Balls (included) - NOT Cheap Balls from China 
• 3 Color Options - Red, Blue, & Black
• Made in USA
• Attached Handle - carry like a bucket (included)
• Extra Large 100+ Ball Feeder Capacity (comes with 50 wiffles, add $27.50 for 50 more)

The Package SPECIALS you can purchase are as follows:

1. SANDLOT SLUGGER with 4-Hour Battery, Charger, 100 Balls & Tripod $259 with FREE Shipping (10% SAVINGS) 
2. SANDLOT SLUGGER with 7-Hour Battery, Charger, 100 Balls & Tripod $279 with FREE Shipping (10% SAVINGS)
3. To add Turbo will be an EXTRA $24
4. To add Remote Feeder Control will be an EXTRA $49

I just received an email question I thought would be good information to pass along...I emailed my contact at SLS and included his response below:

Question that came in:

"I am interested in the sandlot slugger. We currently use a compettitor's wiffle machine that is very loud (the motor is based on what appears to be a wet dry vac motor). It is not very accurate and is just too loud for indoor use. I have read the reviews on the SLS and it appears to be an acurrate machine. How is the noise level of the machine when running? Do you know what powers the unit?  On the competitors unit, it is a shop vac and it is loud Thanks for your time,

Rich"

Here comes the SLS response,

"The shop vac machine is a Grand Slam uses something like a leaf blower, very noisy.  Normally they are not battery powered (plugs into a wall socket), but I think they also sell a separate battery pack.  Our rechargeable battery powered machine uses two small motors that drive the two rubber pitching wheels.  Ours is not noisy other than the motor noise which would not be considered noisy, no where near the leaf blower noise level.  Using ours indoors should not create a noise problem." 

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