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QOD; Gadgets for practice; Yes or no?

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by eddiez577 » Thu Feb 28, 2019 3:09 pm

Question of The Day:

Do you use gadgets for practice? Swing Rail, Toe Tunnel, Power Toe, Xcelerator, Reaction balls, Power Pod, Power Wedge, Spin Right, etc, list goes on...

These items will not be used during game time, so do they help, or become a distraction to working on fundamentals?
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by jonriv » Fri Mar 01, 2019 4:55 am

Have used volleyballs, soccer balls etc to work on hitters keeping bat on ball. Saw it at a camp hosted by a college. Used it with my daughter and felt it had some great results
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by eclipse09 » Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:54 am

Does placing a red stuffed bear on two buckets at first base to be thrown at count as a gadget???
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by GIMNEPIWO » Fri Mar 01, 2019 12:46 pm

eclipse09 wrote:Does placing a red stuffed bear on two buckets at first base to be thrown at count as a gadget???


If it does, then so does dividing the team into partners and tying their legs together like a 3 legged race, starting them at home plate all at once ... Then dump 10 buckets of balls in center field and tell them they can only fetch 4 balls at a time and bring them back ... Whichever partners fetch more balls in 10 minutes win the giant candy bar behind dugout door #2 ... It never came up in a game situation, but ....
"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, the strength of the wolf is the pack" Rudyard Kipling
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by eddiez577 » Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:20 pm

GIMNEPIWO wrote:
eclipse09 wrote:Does placing a red stuffed bear on two buckets at first base to be thrown at count as a gadget???


If it does, then so does dividing the team into partners and tying their legs together like a 3 legged race, starting them at home plate all at once ... Then dump 10 buckets of balls in center field and tell them they can only fetch 4 balls at a time and bring them back ... Whichever partners fetch more balls in 10 minutes win the giant candy bar behind dugout door #2 ... It never came up in a game situation, but ....


Nah I'm talking about $$$ devices.
Nothing beats my 1/2 inflated basketballs that I pitch to the batters from 20ft. One bounce and must hit it on the rebound ;)
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by GIMNEPIWO » Fri Mar 01, 2019 2:55 pm

eddiez577 wrote:
GIMNEPIWO wrote:
eclipse09 wrote:Does placing a red stuffed bear on two buckets at first base to be thrown at count as a gadget???


If it does, then so does dividing the team into partners and tying their legs together like a 3 legged race, starting them at home plate all at once ... Then dump 10 buckets of balls in center field and tell them they can only fetch 4 balls at a time and bring them back ... Whichever partners fetch more balls in 10 minutes win the giant candy bar behind dugout door #2 ... It never came up in a game situation, but ....


Nah I'm talking about $$$ devices.
Nothing beats my 1/2 inflated basketballs that I pitch to the batters from 20ft. One bounce and must hit it on the rebound ;)


Yeah ... I do use gadgets for several reasons ... One is to get a point across and to enable the athletes to feel what muscle memory or coordination I want them focusing on ... Sawed off pvc pipes sections for batting drills, semi deflated soccer or volleyballs ... inside outside tees, miniature bats, heavy bags, truck tires to beat on or car tires to hoist and wear around their waist in running drills ... Buckets turned upside in a pyramid for a target (same as stuffed animal thing) ... But also love a fielding machine for a lot of reps and a pitching machine when I don't have a live arm to throw. Some may argue if you don't see it in a game it shouldn't be used ... I argue if you practice (in HS) 6 days a week for 3 months it keeps things interesting ... How many times can you just hit infield outfield or take regular BP before they fall asleep ?
"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, the strength of the wolf is the pack" Rudyard Kipling
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by eclipse09 » Sat Mar 02, 2019 2:20 pm

GIMNEPIWO wrote:
eclipse09 wrote:Does placing a red stuffed bear on two buckets at first base to be thrown at count as a gadget???


If it does, then so does dividing the team into partners and tying their legs together like a 3 legged race, starting them at home plate all at once ... Then dump 10 buckets of balls in center field and tell them they can only fetch 4 balls at a time and bring them back ... Whichever partners fetch more balls in 10 minutes win the giant candy bar behind dugout door #2 ... It never came up in a game situation, but ....


I like it! Whatever works! ;)
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by eclipse09 » Sat Mar 02, 2019 2:23 pm

GIMNEPIWO wrote:
eddiez577 wrote:
GIMNEPIWO wrote:
eclipse09 wrote:Does placing a red stuffed bear on two buckets at first base to be thrown at count as a gadget???


If it does, then so does dividing the team into partners and tying their legs together like a 3 legged race, starting them at home plate all at once ... Then dump 10 buckets of balls in center field and tell them they can only fetch 4 balls at a time and bring them back ... Whichever partners fetch more balls in 10 minutes win the giant candy bar behind dugout door #2 ... It never came up in a game situation, but ....


Nah I'm talking about $$$ devices.
Nothing beats my 1/2 inflated basketballs that I pitch to the batters from 20ft. One bounce and must hit it on the rebound ;)


Yeah ... I do use gadgets for several reasons ... One is to get a point across and to enable the athletes to feel what muscle memory or coordination I want them focusing on ... Sawed off pvc pipes sections for batting drills, semi deflated soccer or volleyballs ... inside outside tees, miniature bats, heavy bags, truck tires to beat on or car tires to hoist and wear around their waist in running drills ... Buckets turned upside in a pyramid for a target (same as stuffed animal thing) ... But also love a fielding machine for a lot of reps and a pitching machine when I don't have a live arm to throw. Some may argue if you don't see it in a game it shouldn't be used ... I argue if you practice (in HS) 6 days a week for 3 months it keeps things interesting ... How many times can you just hit infield outfield or take regular BP before they fall asleep ?



Nice. Keeping high schoolers motivated is much different than travel.
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