Well, if you’re a pitcher – maybe you do.

Perched on a wooden pallet, Mark Littell braces himself as assistants aim the barrel of a pitching machine between his legs. On cue, the machine fires a baseball that smacks Littell right in the — well, you know — with a resounding whomp.

Littell stands and flexes his muscles, unfazed.

“Yes sir folks,” he says into the camera. “The Nutty Buddy: It’s mean, it’s tough, and it’s right there for ya, every time.”

Littell, 54, says nine seasons with the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals helped him design an athletic cup that’s ahead of the competition. The challenge now is to convince ball players big and small that a good cup is worth the extra money.