Expert: Rick Bundy - 2/27/2011

Question
What type of baseballs would you recommend for indoor practice drills for high school students? Also, what is your stance on fielding batted ground balls during indoor practice in a gym with a rubberized mat floor?

Answer
Lisa:  Thank you for your question.

For hitting drills I would suggest using "smush balls" or whiffle balls.

Smush balls are easier to throw, basically indestructible.  Use whiffle balls off tees, the smush balls for soft toss, short toss.  

Because of vision issues, it might be easier to use incrediballs to throw with inside.  Depends upon your light situation.

I grew up in Arizona, where inside baseball didn't exist.  I have taught here and coached here as well.  Not much experience with indoor situations.

I played 2 years of college baseball in Kansas, where indoors was common.  We took fungoes off of wood gym floors.  Not sure I would recommend that for high school players.  The ball gets to moving.  I have no experience with rubberized floor mats and what they will do to a baseball, slow it down or speed it up.

You might want to contact some of the other members in this section, who may have some indoor experience.

Sorry I wasn't more help.

Yours in baseball,

Rick