What are your thoughts on using small balls (baseballs, Zip balls from Softball Excellence, etc.) in infield drills, taking infield, etc. Do you think it slows the game down for the players when fielding a softball? Anyone do any drills with small balls? Thanks for the input.
Small balls
- Thread starter SCflashes
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I'm with Eric on this one..."no" to small balls...
for example...I just picked up a baseball last night for the first time in God knows how long...felt like a golf ball in my hand...
In fact, for our bare hand reflex drills I use 12" lite flight balls so the girls still maintain a game ball size "awareness" in their hands...CP
- Mar 13, 2015
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What's your thoughts on hitting baseballs. Seems like if they can hit a baseball a softball will seem like a beachball. When I played hockey we used to stick handle with a golf ball in practice. Theory was if we can stick handle a golf ball then a puck is cake
DD hits baseballs and I like it, I have read it is bad for the bat but she has not had an Issue.
- Apr 1, 2010
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I've had DD hit foam golf balls with a swing stick. --The old 'if you can hit these with that then hitting a softball with a bat will be a piece of cake' theory. She got fairly good at it, but I don't know if it ultimately helped her any or not.
I guess it depends on the season. During winter workouts, I do things different than I do during the season. For example, in the off season, we do more drill work that focuses on mechanics and repetition; such as doing mostly tee work and front toss. During the season, we do more live pitching work and less of the other. Same goes for the types of balls we use. In the winter work, we use a lot of the small SKLZ lightning bolt balls. I built a little 3 wheel pitching machine that really zings them in at them. It's humbling experience for them (which is why I don't do it during the regular season) but it helps me see what their mechanics are like when they are in over their head.
Here are the balls I'm talking about (about the size of a golf ball):
SKLZ Bolt Balls 12pk BOLT-000-12
Here are the balls I'm talking about (about the size of a golf ball):
SKLZ Bolt Balls 12pk BOLT-000-12
- Mar 13, 2015
- 12
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I was considering buying the sklz machine for my Daughter and rec league team. Cheap enough if it works ok.
- Nov 29, 2009
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For fielding have the girls buy a glove that you would have a t-baller play with. I believe they are only 9" gloves. I call them "Baby Gloves." I hit them ground balls using normal balls. This forces them to field with two hands instead of depending on the web of the glove for fielding. When you hit the balls to them, hit them at about 2/3 - 3/4 speed. The drill in not about reactions, rather getting used to fielding the balls with the correct mechanics.
I found doing this works better than using soft-hands paddles.
I found doing this works better than using soft-hands paddles.
Have you ever seen a 14U+ player throw an 8U ball?Funniest thing ever. It really messes every thing up for them. Stay away from small balls for fielding, they will struggle early with the small balls but once the get the hang of it, they will struggle with the game size balls. I've seen it happen in games where girls start fumbling the game balls when making the transfer from their glove to throw. Or not squeezing the ball in their glove because the smaller balls tend to stick easier in the pocket, etc. ..
