Choose a Wiffle Ball Bat to Hit Dingers
Picking the right wiffle ball bat can be an overly complicated topic. While it’s easy to think that anything, including a stick, will do, the truth is that the bay and ball selection will alter a game.
Depending on how you setup the field and the dimensions you choose for wiffle ball, the bay can determine how often batters are hitting dingers vs putting balls into play.
Wiffle ball vs Blitz ball
A traditional wiffle ball has holes or slots in it. These serve to slow down the ball and create resistance while also enabling spin so pitchers can throw curves.
Compare that to the recent rise of blitz balls, which are dimpled like a golf ball to enhance spin for even crazier pitches. The solid design of a blitz ball means there is no added air resistance to keep a ball in the park.
Wiffle ball pitching
Throwing a wiffle ball is not the same as a baseball, but that only makes pitching even more important.
A raised pitching mound allows a pitcher to push off and use gravity to assist their speed. This makes a wiffle ball or blitz ball pitch even nastier.
Even more, a raised pitching mound makes a field look more professional. Setup a couple bases in the backyard and you can play. Add a fence and it’s getting real. Throw in lines and a raised pitching mound and you might need to start selling tickets.
What are the types of wiffle ball pitches? The ability to curve a ball increases the types of pitches that you can throw with a wiffle ball. Pitches include:
- Fastball
- Riser
- Curve Ball
- Kunckle Ball
- Sinker
- Change Up
- Screwball
Each of these pitches can be modified slightly depending on the position of the holes when you grip the ball.
Types of Bases for Wiffle Ball
One of the best ways to enhance a wiffle ball game is to improve the field conditions. While mowing daily may be out of the question, there is gear that is easy to acquire to ensure proper maintenance.
Turf bases make a great option for their raised nature and grippy design. The raised base can slow down some runners but it also makes it much easier to locate a base for a fielder.
If you can find them the raised turf based are better than “throw down” bases. Throw down bases are much slimmer and easy to store and carry in a gear bag. Still, most of them are made of slick plastic which can send runners flying.
On more than a dozen occasions we’ve seen players slip right past a base and take an unneeded fall. The low profile design also makes it tougher to call a close play either when the fielder pulls their foot or the runner missed the bag.
Ways to Make A wiffle Ball Field Legit
After you have decided to get a game going, you’ll want to setup an awesome field. For that you can take a look at our article on the dimensions and setup for the perfect backyard wiffle ball field. Once you have the standard Wiffle Ball field dimensions there are a handful of ways to really take your field to the next level. These accessories will turn a sandlot game into a destination for everyone in the neighborhood. Done correctly the proper setup will draw enough of a crowd to have fans, concessions, and plenty of fun for a summer evening.
- Line chalk for marking foul lines in grass. A field simply looks better when you determine the boundaries for it.
- Foul Poles. Similar to the lines, having a designated foul pole makes things look professional, while also providing a practical accessory that helps determine when a ball is in play or out.
- Fence Lining. Fence lining comes in all types of shapes and sizes. We prefer the classic bunting for an Americana look.
- Backstop. A backstop can be a simple pitching net. It serves a practical purpose of keeping crazy sinker and curves from flying all over the place, and again provides a limit to the playing field that will enhance the game from simple backyard play.