Heavy balls? Total control balls?

[Lemond]

I use them only as last resort or to get a few swings before a game. To me it can cause the batter to change up their mechanics to brace for impact or to muscle up through the ball. IMO

I understand what you're saying, and agree that they should not change their mechanics (much). IMO, a hitter should be muscling up (coil) to swing through a normal ball, and hitting a heavy ball instead of a softball is just an additional workout to build strength. If the worry is that the mechanics change because of the (anticipated?) weight of the ball, then they should not be swinging at wiffles, either. Nor should they ever use a bat weight in the circle to warm up.

That being said, the heavies are invaluable at tourneys where there is limited room. Even the limited flight wiffles tend to sail on a good hit, and while they don't hurt, they do tend to cause problems getting onto live fields or hitting grandma's under their umbrellas.

 

[Lemond]

No more than a half-dozen hits, but I believe the feedback is very good. Unless there is good rotation and solid contact, the ball goes nowhere.

We do 5-10 depending on time before the next game.

Also, if the ball turns into a torus-like shape, you know the hitter either hit the top or bottom of the ball, not the middle.

 

[_MIA_]

I don't like them but for 10 or so swings before a game I am fine with the caveat that the kids are 12U or above...little kids will modify their swings with these whether you want them to or not...

 

[ArmWhip]

These balls come in different sizes and weights, mine are baseball size and on the light side. I had hit with some and thought they were too heavy so I went with the smaller ones. In my experience they provide excellent sweet spot feedback, unlike whiffles which you can hit anywhere on the bat. Here is an article on their use in baseball.

Implementing Hitting Plyo Balls into Your Practice Plan

Intro The Driveline Hitting Plyo Ball ® have been a staple of our in-gym and online training ever since their inception. The hitting Plyo Ball ® set

www.drivelinebaseball.com

 

[julray]

No more than a half-dozen hits, but I believe the feedback is very good. Unless there is good rotation and solid contact, the ball goes nowhere.

I've helped the girls warm up many times before a game using these balls.. actually made it interesting and played a little game by marking the farthest ball and asked the girls to try to hit it further. Lots of fun.. and very useful for girls to be able to take full swings. However solid contact does not result in the furthest hit ball... the girl who hit it off the hands always won the competition and hit it the furthest. Bad feedback IMO

 

[Strike2]

I've helped the girls warm up many times before a game using these balls.. actually made it interesting and played a little game by marking the farthest ball and asked the girls to try to hit it further. Lots of fun.. and very useful for girls to be able to take full swings. However solid contact does not result in the furthest hit ball... the girl who hit it off the hands always won the competition and hit it the furthest. Bad feedback IMO

What do you mean by "off the hands"?

In my experience, the only balls hit with any velocity or distance come off the center of the barrel with good hip rotation.

 

[NBECoach]

Mixed opinion - Great for a confined space, but the "pitcher" must stand closer so you don't get the slow pitch arc which I never liked.

 

[FP26]

I am not opposed to their use, when used correctly. Unfortunately, most of the feedback I hear given is inaccurate in my opinion. Typically the easiest way to make the ball travel far is to essentially catch the ball with the bat and throw it forward. Creates a push swing. Getting distance with a heavy ball "can" imply a solid hit, but doesn't guarantee it. Just like exit velocity and launch angle. Good tools when used in conjunction with solid mechanics. But can be misleading if not understood and used properly.

 

[RichK]

Unfortunately, most of the feedback I hear given is inaccurate in my opinion. Typically the easiest way to make the ball travel far is to essentially catch the ball with the bat and throw it forward. Creates a push swing.

100% correct and really well-described. If you can use a heavy ball and have a positive result with good (arguably) AND bad (inarguable) mechanics you have to be really careful, especially because where they are most often used is in pregames where coaches often aren't carefully instructing mechanics and hitters take their pre-game swings into the game itself. Good to see a lot of skepticism in this thread from hitting folks I respect.

(That said, there aren't a lot of other tools to use in a small confined space and get swings at a ball moving toward you -- not tee swings).

 

[Cannonball]

I love having my hitters hit TCB balls from front toss. It gives my hitters instant feedback. Also, I think that they are "safer" than the real balls for my more inexperienced players to feed. As I mentioned in another thread, we try to have 2 front toss stations in all of our HS cage practices. One of those is always going to be TCB balls.