I hate side toss, do you?

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PaPa Pump

Banned
Jul 29, 2014
8
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Tell me why you hate side toss? Or if you like it. IMO side toss is zero like a pitched ball and most definitely promotes a chop or in some cases uppercut swing.

I like front toss but struggle to implement it into pre game. Side toss is easy. Tcb balls are great for front toss but they can hurt 10-12 year olds...whiffles sometimes require a lot of space, not good for pre game as you know. Limited space in most cases.

Any creative ideas for implementing front toss in your pre game or otherwise?

Thanks
 
Jan 27, 2010
1,871
83
NJ
I use a modified front toss. I angle the bow net for a hit to left field. Toss the ball at the hitters front thigh and let them swing away. If you miss and toss to the back thigh you better get out of the way as it's coming back to you. I used to do this with no net and outfielders using a walk though toss. Never came close to getting hit and kids got pretty much a front toss.
 
Oct 25, 2009
3,345
48
We have used pinto beans on occasion. It has been recommended that the tosser wear glasses or a cap with the bill pulled down closer to the eyes.

The girls like it.

TCB whiffles (bigger ones, not golf ball size) as well as the weighted balls are the best option.
 
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
Tell me why you hate side toss? Or if you like it. IMO side toss is zero like a pitched ball and most definitely promotes a chop or in some cases uppercut swing.

I like front toss but struggle to implement it into pre game. Side toss is easy. Tcb balls are great for front toss but they can hurt 10-12 year olds...whiffles sometimes require a lot of space, not good for pre game as you know. Limited space in most cases.

Any creative ideas for implementing front toss in your pre game or otherwise?

Thanks

Like you, I hate side toss. I'm always pitching to them from out in front from roughly 20 feet out (from behind a net).
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
I think it has its place. Like a pitching machine, its unrealistic that each pitch is in the same location at the same speed. Both are use full but need to be limited.
I use it as a next step after tee work as a progression. I will do some things a bit different though. I use side toss as both a timing drill by mixing speeds (based on how high I throw it) and secondly we work on spin recognition as a vision drill. They call out if its back spin or forward spin etc...
I have a few isolation tools that work well in a side toss format as well. By putting them in the bat drag buster and use the pro hammer bat at the same time, it will allow them the chance to figure out their swing path before we move in to front toss and live pitching.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
Not a fan of side toss. There are two advantages that I can see. One is that it is convenient and fast at tournaments when you have limited space and a net. Two is that you can move the ball around in the strike zone quicker than re-adjusting a tee. But I'd still prefer a tee.

The thing I don't like is that it limits response time and encourages hitters to eliminate loading, so what you commonly see in pregame is hitters just hacking at the ball quickly with no attention to what needs to take place leading to toe touch/heel plant.
 

PaPa Pump

Banned
Jul 29, 2014
8
0
Oilf. I'm well aware of the dangers of weighted balls, thus the reason for this thread. I have seen girls shoulders get hurt also...was just wondering if anyone had alternate ideas. Hit away stick. Sounds like another gadget that I don't believe in either.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
This is why the hitaway stick was invented. We can travel light to our away games another plus (see below, as we are not going to carry TCBs!).

No weighted balls or TCBs because no one controls the reps these days. Kids, adults all think if 5 reps are good 100 are better and we are now seeing wrist overuse/carpal tunnel symptoms in hitters (from outside work). With gloves on both hands, ie tight grips, it seems the vibration is going straight to the wrist. I also see swing shapes I don't like with those.

Anyone using the weighted TCB balls for swing development is making a mistake imo.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
Anyone using the weighted TCB balls for swing development is making a mistake imo.

Not a fan of those, either. Used to like them. They are convenient. But the experience of hitting one of those is too much different than hitting a softball. Anything that disrupts your natural swing that much just isn't ... natural. I fear it's going to cause the hitter to do something unconsciously and unnaturally to brace for the different sort of impact that those balls produce. I don't like what players look like hitting those.
 

redhotcoach

Out on good behavior
May 8, 2009
4,706
38
I do side toss. If I am away from our faciluty and the tees, we will do a bucket of side toss to warm up or work on a particular aspect. If something doesn't look quite right when throwing front toss I will do a few side toss. It's hard to see what's going on when ducking behind a screen.
 

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