Video & Brief Review of the New Pop Toss Tee

[Mark H]

MTS - I think the product is more geared towards helping with hand/eye coordination. Woudn't you agree hitting a moving target helps improving h/e coordination more than a stationary one?

MTS can certainly answer for himself but my answer would be not like this.

Mark - I can't tell you how times I've seen umpires call strikes at the neck level! Maybe it's more with LL since they are volunteers, but even in the 50 games my daughter played in travel this year there were quite a few neck high strikes called - not consistently either.

I appreciate everyone's input so far - it's still something new for me and I haven't tested it yet to all it's advertised capabilities.

They higher in fp you go the less you see high zones. More importantly, as I think MTS noticed, it's either making a hash of this hitter's swing or it's reinforcing bad swing habits already there.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It might be alright for slow pitch, though - where we have to wait, wait, wait - and then contact the ball as it comes down.

I wouldn't use this product on a student over 10 YOs.

 

[RayR]

MTS - I think the product is more geared towards helping with hand/eye coordination. Woudn't you agree hitting a moving target helps improving h/e coordination more than a stationary one? To me it's similar to a Jugs machine our travel team used that held a few balls and by battery power popped them up every few seconds. This product does the same but doesn't require any batteries.

I am not a fan of soft toss as a training tool - maybe before a game to loosen up, but that is it.

The whole hand/eye coordination thing would be based on the age of the player and like I said be better geared for some back yard fun. Meaning, yes a 6YO would benefit from hitting moving targets, but not a 14 YO that has seen her share of live pitching and if still playing doesn't need too much more hand/eye coordination pop up balls especially if it is reinforcing sub par mechanics.

A player at the 12U level and higher needs to establish mechanics that will allow her to compete at the higher levels as she moves up and this product, IMO, does not help in that regard.

And I don't think you can ever replace the utility of a tee as a hitter is trying to replace old mechanics with newer ones. That would be an issue of eliminating as many variables as possible when learning something new until the new habits are entrenched and can hold up as variables are re introduced (moving balls as in front toss or live bp).

JMHO

 

[New Coach]

Ordered one last week for my 10yo. Probably too late to get FJR Gerry sales credit. I dont plan to use it as DD only hitting tool, just as one more weapon in the arsenal. Variety helps keep them interested at that age.

 

[FJRGerry]

I'm adding another video of my daughter using the Pop Toss tee. This one shows it being used from behind. I had adjusted the knob for it to pop up a ball about 3-4 seconds after the spring is depressed.

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I'm in agreement that using a tee is an excellent way to work on mechanics. In fact I just bought a Tanner Tee which arrived this past Friday. I think it's a very well made product as well. What I've been doing the last few batting sessions is hit a bucket of balls with the Tanner tee, then a bucket with the Pop Toss tee, then I'll pitch a bucket or two. This seems to work well since it's progressive.

I also just bought the Mike Epstein hitting pack (3 DVDs). I'm reviewing the first one which teaches the Torque drill. I always prefer to learn a drill or method before teaching it to my daughter. I'll post a video of her using the Tanner tee with this drill once she's mastered it.

Please keep in mind I'm not posting the videos asking for input on her technique, so I won't comment on any posts regarding it. I just thought it would be a good idea to see the product in use since it's so new.

Gerry

 

[Mark H]

Epstein's stuff will make your dd more effective, she will hit this high stuff with his stuff and it shouldn't take long. He has the best shortcut to a certain level around. Work the knee high inside and outside black as you progress with his stuff.

 

[calgofo]

I've had the Pop Toss tee (the purple model) a couple of weeks now and have hit a couple hundred of balls off it so far. I find it easy to use and find it does what is advertised when using 12" softballs - the balls pop straight up about four feet. I haven't tested it yet with foam balls, which when used with the top insert reversed, will add some spin to the balls and aid in hitting inside/outside pitches. The tee has a gold knob at the bottom, which allows changing the delay of the pop up. It is advertised as giving a 4 - 6 second delay, but I find it's more like 3 - 9 seconds. I've been keeping it at 9 seconds so I have a few seconds to setup and take a practice swing. All-in-all I give the tee a positive review - it's definitely fun and easy to use - and it does add a new dimension to hitting without requiring a second person to soft toss the balls. My only negative comment is the timing dial. I wish it was set with numbers and could click into each setting so I would know for certain the delay set.

My 13YO daughter has used it twice and is aclimating to it. Below is a video of her using it earlier today. I also bought a Tanner Tee which arrived today. There's a Youtube video of her using it as well. I'll add another post regarding it in the near future.

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For more information or to order one to go:
Home

If you do order one please use my sales code - GBOY - so I'm credited with the sale. Please note this isn't the intention of this post though.

Gerry

Well I hope you make alot of money off it, I seriously doubt that your daughter will hit any better because of it. So far she has made contact with the ball between the letters and her eyes 90% of the time. If you have an umpire that calls strikes between the letters and the eyes, perhaps your daughter will do well. If making money was not at least part of your agenda, then why post your sales code.

 

[SBdad]

First video shows dd having to wait...wait....waittt, not really sure when ball is going to pop up, then when it pops up, it's hurry up and swing, mostly at high pitches.

Second video shows dd scrambling to get into hitting position after she loads machine and barely has enough time to swing. Not enough time to get set up to work on proper swing technique. Looks like she just has enough time to thow her hands at the ball....all upper body swing.

Not something I'd want my kid to use.

 

[SBdad]

It might be alright for slow pitch, though - where we have to wait, wait, wait - and then contact the ball as it comes down.

I wouldn't use this product on a student over 10 YOs.

I saw on a slow pitch softball messge board, where Diet Pepsi (I believe a member on here) asked for the opinions of adult softball players, on the Pop Toss Tee.
Biggest majority that responded said that it was no good.

 

[FJRGerry]

Out of all the softball related products I've purchased online this is the only company that offered an opportunity to make some money selling their product. I bought one and tested it myself for a week before deciding to take them up on their offer. If the product falls apart after a bit I'll post that as well - I'm not going to assist marketing something that is junk. For now though I think it's worth using as another tool in working on hand/ey coordination. The second video I posted shows the tee set to the other extreme - I agree it's too quick to allow the batter to setup, but I wanted to show this setting as well.