The big hype for the past few years in retail is the personal home batting cage. The market started out with a select few manufacturers who were able to set the price to whatever profit they wanted, to now having dozens of manufactuers and many more websites and retail stores to sell them.

Along with the batting cage, as with any new hot item, comes all the accessories to buy along with it that will make it so much better. But is all the hype really trustworthy? You would think with an item so popular, and everyone's buying them, there's got to be some credibility to their usefulness.

At face value and practical purposes...yes, batting cages are great. But take a look at your situation and consider the following factors:

• How often will it be used?
• Do I have enough room for it?
• How long will it last?
• Is it affordable?
• What else will I need to get to go along with it?

You may be able to utilize your time and money better by patronizing a local batting cage facility. There is no liability, no maintenance, no large out-of-pocket expense, and no installation.

However, there are advantages to having your own batting cage.

• Practice anytime, as long as you want
• No waiting in line
• No traveling back and forth (great with current gas prices!)

It's a matter of pros and cons. But, once you've determined that it is worth having your own batting cage, you will need to decide on which batting cage to buy and what accessories to get, if any.