Hey guys,
I have a little dilemma. I throw maybe once a week (if I’m lucky!) and really have no one to throw with. Is there anything I can do to substitute throwing or simulation of throwing a baseball? I used to use one of those training balls to throw up against a wall, but I don’t have that luxury anymore either.
Thanks
Heath
Eyy this question comes up a lot. The only way is to get a backstop and a bucket of baseballs. You’ll need $175 plus but there aren’t many other options. Thats not a lot of money you should be able to get some kind of a job or something. Any chance?
If you live close to a baseball field, would making a strikezone out of something and then putting it on the backstop of the field and just practice throwing into that work? I’m having the same problem as you, Heath.
Here’s a collection of ideas from a previous post…
What to do when no one is around to throw with?
Don’t have a throwing partner? No one to throw with? Here are 10 ways you can still practice your pitching.
Save up and buy a canvas catcher. It’s a stand that has a square cut out in the canvas around the strike zone. It’s great to have a bucket of balls and throw into the canvas catcher. That way, you can throw more pitches before you have to gather the balls.
Sting a large blanket between trees and throw into it. Or go to a baseball field, put one of those large metal trash barrels on home plate, and long toss from a bucket in center field.
Get a “ball catcher” such as the Franklin Jr. Pop-up Catcher. It folds up to a small circle for storage. It costs anywhere from $50 to $60. Or try hhe Easton Jr. Pitcher. This is more cumbersome to set up (still not bad, though) and you can change out the canvas backing and install a pitchback net. It costs about $80 at Sports Authority.
Use a 4-foot by 5-foot piece of plywood and lean it up against the fence. Tape a four-zone “target” to it. You can add some used carpet to the plywood to deaden the noise a bit.
Find a brick wall, outline a strike zone, color in the corners, and practice throwing trying to hit corners.
If you attend a church, you could use the gym, if it has one. Or try your local school gymnasium. You can make a portable pitching mound, and use it inside, throwing to a net … it’s a great help in the winter!
Get a net such as bird netting (you can get it out of most farm supply catalog) that is about 8’ by 5’ and hooking it to a doorway in your basement. It will take about 6 hooks (2 on top, 2 on each sides) and a heavy weight-cinderblock or bricks to anchor the bottom down. Then throw into it.
Leave the ball out and work on your mechanics in front of a mirror.
Line up 60 feet away from a soccer goal and try to hit the crossbar as many times as you can. You can also do this for long toss: Set up a bucket of balls about a 50 to 60 yards away and throw at it. After all the throws, sprint to the bucket and back, and do it again.
Put a ball in your hand and then a big sock over your arm and hand leaving 2 or 3 inches at the end and tape the sock on your wrist. You can do all your mechanical work and actually throw the ball with out a partner and being in your house. you cant work on location but you can work on feel and everything else.
Thanks guys! Sorry, I should’ve done a search before I posted. A big thank you to Steven for taking the time to put all of that together! Yeah Bower, I have a job. I was just looking for alternative ways without having to spend money. I don’t know why I didn’t think of the soccer goal. I have one about 2 blocks from my house. I also like the sock idea. That’s a great idea!
This may not relate but I try to play long toss alot and I have this bucket full of baseballs that my dad throws to me for hitting. When I’m home during the summer, I would take that bucket out to a backstop behind our church, dump out the balls and try to throw it in. I would then collect, move back, throw, collect, move back, etc., etc. Worked good from what I’ve noticed.
If you have an old lawn chair you can set it up behind homeplate, decent strikezone
All you guys that read this should thank god you have a father, brother, friend, or even mom or sis to throw to…
Make sure the next time they catch you they get told how much you appreciate it.
Reminds me of the story about Paul Byrd (Formerly of the Cleveland Indians and now of the Boston Red Sox)… His dad at sixty years old wanted to catch him in Spring training. So they let him and Paul threw a fastball with some tail on it and hit him square in the face cutting open his forehead to the point he needed stitches. I’m 49 and still catching my son and I’d like to do it when I’m, sixty!
Don’t give up heathdean514
Wow I feel really blessed that I have a dad that is willing to play catch almost every other day.
take advantage of that!!!
The schools around here all have handball courts or some sort of wall I can find to throw at. I almost prefer to throw w/ the wall when I’m working on things as I can take my time.