Patent ID: 7082938

Claim:
A baseball fielding practice machine for propelling balls onto a practice field thereby providing simulated hits for use in fielding practice for ball players, the practice machine comprising: a ball hopper; a propulsion unit for propelling a ball from the practice machine, the propulsion unit for imparting at least one of a velocity and a spin on a ball; a ball feeder for transporting a ball between the ball hopper and the propulsion unit; a movable barrel disposed adjacent to the propulsion unit through which a ball is propelled; a barrel positioner coupled to the movable barrel for adjusting the position of the barrel thereby controlling the trajectory of a propelled ball; a programmable control system coupled to the propulsion unit and the barrel positioner for controlling the propulsion unit and the barrel positioner to impart at least one of a velocity, trajectory and spin to a ball propelled from the practice machine toward an intended location in a practice field, the velocity, trajectory and spin selected from predetermined parameters defining the path of a propelled ball to a location in the practice field where a propelled ball is intended to land; and at least one deflector coupled to the movable barrel and the control system, the deflector for changing the trajectory of a propelled ball.