Best and worst training tools

[CloudofDust]

Let's hear it coaches, what are your favorite training tools and which ones are a complete waste of money?

I'll start it off with a couple of hitting tools.

Best - heavy balls. When used properly, these are effective at improving bat speed and power.

Worst - ball on a stick. It's an inefficient use of time to have a coach stand there holding a stick (not to mention it just looks dumb). Maybe a good tool for parents to use with younger/new players at home?

 

[Westwind]

Best:

Trey Hannem’s Halfbat. It’s a bargain. It pretty much can’t be used wrong. Tennis balls, TCB wiffles or Jugs foam balls to use with it.

Quant Tee after you have a Tanner (type) tee.

A Bownet with 12-26 degree targets marked on it.

But the most important? A pitch through screen and as many balls as you can find and some guy/gal willing to throw balls.

Best Thing You Probably Need The Least: iHack, Hack Attack or Hack jr. with Baden dimple balls or possibly leather cover slowpitch softballs.

Worst... oh boy.

My all time worst is the rope with the wiffle balls threaded on it. They stretch out the rope tight and hit the balls one by one.

Tees with restraint arms, that tee with pool noodles for flat bat path, backspin tee, any pitching machine set at ”10” or 70 mph, let me go look at some of the garbage I have bought over the years, lol. That ought to be sufficient to start an argument, lol

 

[Rolling Hard]

Let's hear it coaches, what are your favorite training tools and which ones are a complete waste of money?

I'll start it off with a couple of hitting tools.

Best - heavy balls. When used properly, these are effective at improving bat speed and power.

Worst - ball on a stick. It's an inefficient use of time to have a coach stand there holding a stick (not to mention it just looks dumb). Maybe a good tool for parents to use with younger/new players at home?

Never liked heavy balls because hitters brace for impact. Squeeze the bat. And I like the hit stick for a quick warm up. Your can work on different pitch locations real quick

 

[Gags]

I like the hitting sticks for the hole/deep hole hitters to get a few swings in before heading to the on deck circle. Probably more useful in rec, where you may have an extra parent hanging around that run it.

Also like the heavy balls, but I’ve never been able to tell if they really work. The good hitters will square them more often than the weaker hitters. Maybe it’s an overall coaching failure on my part, but I’ve only seen one hitter make any significant improvement in 3 years, and it was probably from the private lessons more than any tool used.

This site has steered me away from the bad drills and gadgets. So I don’t have any to add to the list, other than saying “thank you” to DFP for keeping me away from the rapid-fire side toss drills!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Strike2]

Best:
- A "pro style" batting T...or two/three. Tanner or Jugs
- Bownets or similar...at least two
- A portable pitching screen for front-toss
- Heavy balls...great for getting a few swings between games

Worst:
- Ball on a stick...can't even give it away. OK for very young players, I guess.

 

[Towny9]

Best:
- A "pro style" batting T...or two/three. Tanner or Jugs
- Bownets or similar...at least two
- A portable pitching screen for front-toss
- Heavy balls...great for getting a few swings between games

Worst:
- Ball on a stick...can't even give it away. OK for very young players, I guess.

When we are at a tournament the first thing I look for on the other team is if they are hitting the ball on a stick. If they are - I like my odds of winning. I don’t usually try to scout for much after that. We have a .900+ winning percentage vs. ball in a stick teams

 

[Bonesaw]

Tires. Right up there with "wet socks" on things I cant stand.

 

[BT3100]

Bucket of rice for hand strength. I had no idea this was a thing until DD's HS coach gave her a 5 gallon bucket filled with rice. Told her that there was a small plastic ball at the bottom and to dig in the bucket each day to find it. It will make her hands stronger. 3 years later I heard an MLB podcast and someone mentioned it as a training method. It works for DD.

 

[Vertigo]

^^ Yes - my kids’ basketball ball instructor used this, as well.

 

[docnsx01]

g-tee triple ball tee, can do so many drills with one tee less to carry,
velopro srtap harness
camwood bats
stride right mats for at home tee work
wheeler dealer soft toss machine
power net ball caddy with removable carry bag
cheapest tool was a dog chuck it toy with tennis balls, was able to swing and see instant extension vs casting 5$

if add all other stuff up prob spent more then the scholarship offer lol.. live and learn