- Jan 8, 2019
- 664
- 93
I understand the hurry of the pre-game ritual, but I try to never let the kids get away with poor mechanics (to the best of my ability, which I know is not superior).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).
I teach the kids that unless a drill is asking them to do something specifically "not normal" (e.g., one-handed swings off a tee), EVERY other drill should mimic their live-pitcher swing. If you are not going to swing like that in a game, why would you practice it?
I do not doubt that swings using the TCBs could allow for poor mechanics, especially when coaches are not coaching! Have you ever watched girls do their own tee drills when they do not see you watching? It's like the softball version of "Lord of the Flies!" (I'm living in rec ball land, so I'm sure that even the rec all-star girls have a higher tendency to cheat on drills than the highest-level TB athletes, but I expect that it would happen in TB, too.)
And I understand the concept @FP26 is bringing up, but I just don't see how a swing would be modified midway to create a push. IMO, ALL of the anticipation of the weight of the TCBs comes during the coil, otherwise, you would see a very disjointed swing, which I have NEVER witnessed using the TCBs, even from the smallest of our players.
I throw them fast enough that they stay relatively flat. They do not fall faster than any other ball. (Interesting that two threads on the forum recently have had to note that gravity affects all things equally, be it a bowling ball or a wiffle.)
I don't care so much if anyone loves the TCBs or not. They are a tool, just a tool, but one that I happen to use fairly often, and I have seen pretty good results from. I completely understand those that don't like them, and understand the some of the reasons. But, please don't blame the balls for not coaching. Like any tool, they have specific uses, and need to be used properly.