Self toss to improve coordination and timing?

[Strike2]

Like most older guys, self-toss is pretty easy for me. However, I'm not as good against a machine, and not great at all against a live FP pitcher. There are plenty of good FP hitters who would struggle with this movement, at least initially. I had DD try it, and it took her a few tries to make any sort of contact at all. This is someone who rarely misses anything during BP or in a game.

From my perspective, the motion to hit self-toss is different...more of a linear step and swing rather than the rotational movement that you want a hitter to have at the plate. As an occasional hand-eye drill, it's probably fine, but it would seem counter-productive if done often.

 

[CoachJD]

I think self toss can do a lot to teach hitters about load (you have to already be loaded when you toss the ball up). It helps with bat control. It obviously helps with hand/eye coordination.

Big fan of it, and once you teach them how to do it, a few will get good at it and you have someone else who can hit a few ground balls once they learn how to direct the ball to a spot. Very helpful if you have a lot of kids or not enough coaches.

 

[soonerfan1966]

 

[Towny9]

I think self toss can do a lot to teach hitters about load (you have to already be loaded when you toss the ball up). It helps with bat control. It obviously helps with hand/eye coordination.

Big fan of it, and once you teach them how to do it, a few will get good at it and you have someone else who can hit a few ground balls once they learn how to direct the ball to a spot. Very helpful if you have a lot of kids or not enough coaches.

I’m also a big fan. I always get a kick out of the kids who will jam themself on their own toss - usually takes a bit to figure out but any decent hitter should get it down fairly quick.

 

[CoachJD]

I’m also a big fan. I always get a kick out of the kids who will jam themself on their own toss - usually takes a bit to figure out but any decent hitter should get it down fairly quick.

A lot of girls, when trying it for the first time, struggle with the toss as much as the swing. Younger kids especially can struggle with degrees. They're all or nothing in their movements. A little flip takes a level of body control a lot of them are still learning.

So something as simple as a weak-hand toss (the best way to do it is with the bottom hand so you can have the bat back in a loaded position, and most hitters' dominant hand is the top hand) is a skill they'll learn, and I think it can help them in other areas as they develop a feel for how their body moves and how to control those movements.

 

[CoachJD]

From my perspective, the motion to hit self-toss is different...more of a linear step and swing rather than the rotational movement that you want a hitter to have at the plate. As an occasional hand-eye drill, it's probably fine, but it would seem counter-productive if done often.

Disagree with this. If you start loaded (obviously with just the top hand on the bat so you can toss the ball), you can do a full, normal swing. The only real difference is that the ball is coming straight down, so being on plane is tougher.

 

[efastball]

I have never seen anyone use self toss with the proper technique (here is a college coach saying 'good' after this terrible self toss swing), so I am going to say, don't waste your time with self toss.



About 99% of hitting drills and instruction is backwards or destructive.

 

[MikeP]

DD starts every hitting session at home self tossing a bucket. First few are just for contact then the rest I will tell her either grounder or line drive. I personally think it's just a good hand/eye warm up and she really likes it. She sometimes does it with the skinny bat and golf ball sized wiffles just for fun.

 

[clarity]

If you want to have some laughs, do a self-toss only scrimmage

 

[canyonjoe]

Anything that helps hand eye coordination is a positive. All the swing work that is taught is important, but in the end squaring up the ball is what great hitters do. Hit rocks with sticks, play wiffle ball, tennis,golf,etc. It all helps.