Creative Handymen, I need your help: Hit-A-Way Baseball Swing Trainer

[Squisher]

Google: DIY moveable Tetherball pole.

You make it from an old wheel and tire filled with cement.

 

[Homerboy]

Google: DIY moveable Tetherball pole.

You make it from an old wheel and tire filled with cement.

Oh man! DUH! We used to have those in gradeschool (many moons ago)
5 gallon bucket way easier to find tough I think than an old tire...

 

[Homerboy]

damn it. Now I'm liking the tire idea more (wider base and easier to roll)
Wonder if some service station has crap ones they'd give away (rather than pay to dispose of)

 

[Scotteq]

damn it. Now I'm liking the tire idea more (wider base and easier to roll)
Wonder if some service station has crap ones they'd give away (rather than pay to dispose of)

Certainly does not hurt to ask

 

[Sentrosi2121]

Your son is well on his way to being the eventual replacement for Braunie. Kind of geeked about this move. #8 will be Milwaukee's #2.

 

[Homerboy]

Your son is well on his way to being the eventual replacement for Braunie. Kind of geeked about this move. #8 will be Milwaukee's #2.

I actually posted a thread on that here, the minute it was released
TOTALLY geeked about it. Coincidentally, on Wednesday my brother and I were talking about how awesome it would be if Braun resigned when his current long contract was due up... the next day... BLAMMO 2020. He will be born and die a Brewer. So awesome. He'll get a statue outside Miller Park along with Yount etc.

 

[Sentrosi2121]

I wish I could get out to Milwaukee to see a game there this year. I'd head to Fenway or Yankee stadium, but don't want to shell out $$$ for tickets. Besides, people on the East coast don't know how to tailgate. And that's half the atmosphere of a Brewer game in Milwaukee.

I can take comfort that at least I can hear the Bob Uecker on the radio now. Got the MLB app on my iPhone. I love it

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.ondecksports.com/Derek-Jeter-Hit-A-Way-System

OR, buy a 6-8 foot piece of 2" galvanized pipe. If you need it to be movable, use an old tire filled with concrete. Set pipe in the center of the tire, brace until the concrete sets.
If it can be stationary, dig hole in ground, fill with concrete, stick pipe in concrete, brace until concrete sets.

A 5 gallon bucket will work, but won't be as sturdy as the old tire. (easier to dispose of when you're done with it though)

 

[Homerboy]

how the hell does 160lbs of concrete not even fill a tire? Jeebus

 

[John P]

Just my opinion, but it looks like you're asking for trouble not setting that thing up correctly (or even using it at all, haven't heard too many good things about it).

If you want him to really work on his swing invest in a Juggs screen or just set up a blue tarp somewhere for him to hit wiffle balls off a tee into.

If you work with him yourself in the front yard buy a hitting stick
http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Hitti.../dp/B002BCJ3I0).

For some good hand eye coordination work take a baseball - drill a hole through the center - and tie it to the end of a 10' or so rope. Swing the rope over your head and let him hit it - watch where you stand or you can get smacked with a foul tip. And you can also throw him some soft toss with wiffle balls and hit into the the tarp/Juggs screen.

Even more importantly - post some video over here:
http://www.baseball-fever.com/forumdisplay.php?53-Baseball-101-Coaching-Fundamentals

There are some guys there who will help you make sure his mechanics are sound.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Homerboy]

Thanks for the suggestions. Honestly we do a lot of that stuff (or similar) with him already. This is just one more thing that he can do on his own and with some buddies goofing around. A bunch of them have them so its the "cool" practice toy with them right now.

 

[John P]

Thanks for the suggestions. Honestly we do a lot of that stuff (or similar) with him already. This is just one more thing that he can do on his own and with some buddies goofing around. A bunch of them have them so its the "cool" practice toy with them right now.

The main thing at this age is that he's having fun, so that's great!

The guys over on Baseball Fever helped me a lot as far as teaching proper mechanics. There is also tons of great stuff here if you ever want to study up:
http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Hitting/index.html

 

[sjwaste]

If you said there are basketball hoops across the street, is the thing portable enough for him to just go there and set it up when he wants to use it?

In any case, good for you, I used to just hit tennis balls against our garage doors all the time. They really took a beating, but my dad never seemed to mind too much. Really noisy, though.

 

[Homerboy]

The main thing at this age is that he's having fun, so that's great!

The guys over on Baseball Fever helped me a lot as far as teaching proper mechanics. There is also tons of great stuff here if you ever want to study up:
http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Hitting/index.html

Yeah he's having fun. Two leagues this summer (well 1 league, one tourney team he had to try out for) On the way back from practice the other night he was complaining that it wasn't fun... but then he said "It's OK though, I don't play to have fun, I play to win." *GULP* This was the tourney team and its a little more "competition" oriented. The summer league is the fun one, where kids play all positions etc.

If you said there are basketball hoops across the street, is the thing portable enough for him to just go there and set it up when he wants to use it?

In any case, good for you, I used to just hit tennis balls against our garage doors all the time. They really took a beating, but my dad never seemed to mind too much. Really noisy, though.

Well after 160lbs of concrete, I don't think he'll be wheeling it many places. I think it may find a semi-permanent spot in teh backyard, but I'll be able to roll it away etc. There's a whole playground and 2 baseball fields within 50 yrds of our house. He has space to roam.

I used to do the tennis balls against the garage too. Actually that was a game of my 2 older brothers. They would put me in front of the door and hit the balls at me. 1 pt per hit

 

[olds]

There are more ways to break the PVC pipe than hitting it while swinging the bat.
It can be damaged while moving or storing.

Get a steel pole
Drill holes near base
Insert bolts or all thread
Place in bucket
Fill with concrete.

The bolts/all thread will keep the pole from spinning.

 

[Homerboy]

Finding a 4" steel pole is the trick. The only thing I did find at HD yesterday was one of those beam support poles (adjustable screw height like you'd find in a basement or temp construction.... $80. Pass.

In closing:

https://picasaweb.google.com/joe.potrzebowski/Misc#5599173766588326114

Sadly it has some decent wobble to it (due to not being metal of course). I have a feeling it's going to work itself free/loose from the concrete after a few thousand whacks.

 

[John P]

Finding a 4" steel pole is the trick. The only thing I did find at HD yesterday was one of those beam support poles (adjustable screw height like you'd find in a basement or temp construction.... $80. Pass.

In closing:

https://picasaweb.google.com/joe.potrzebowski/Misc#5599173766588326114

Sadly it has some decent wobble to it (due to not being metal of course). I have a feeling it's going to work itself free/loose from the concrete after a few thousand whacks.

Hehe, that does actually look like fun.

 

[Homerboy]

Hehe, that does actually look like fun.

I told him no less than 500 swings a day... I'll be counting,