Thread: Are there any "absolutes" with bat length?

"She was swinging a 30"/-11 all of last year, and towards the end of the season was swinging very fast. Figured we would end up with a 31"/-10."

Ignition,
No, there are not absolutes, but here is my 2 cents:
80% of 12u girls ...-10 suits best
The weakest 10% or so go lighter.
The heavy/strongest 10% or so go -9.

I would be looking to get your dd into the 80%. Based on her height, she is just now tall enough for 31" so 31/21 is where I would hope to end up. However, based on her height AND weight, she is physically VERY skinny...fit, long and lanky, I mean no offense. There is a very real possibility that she is currently in that weaker 10% physically. If that is the case, then I'd consider a 31/20. If not, then a balanced 31/21 is the ticket. Hopefully this helps. I deal with a lot of kids this size/age and if anything, I would just validate that it sounds like you had the right choice this year and you have a pretty good handle on where she should be based on your quote above. I would completely avoid a 32" bat at this point, but start saving for when she is 5'3". I swear by 'right-sizing' a kid's bat and would never buy one to 'grow into.' As she grows, sell one/buy another. Buy good bats even if you have to drink cheaper beer.

If it were me, I'd look at a transition bat 31/20 for fall ball and (maybe) move into 31/21 sometime in spring/early summer. (guessing).
Good luck!
VW

Originally Posted by vdubya

"She was swinging a 30"/-11 all of last year, and towards the end of the season was swinging very fast. Figured we would end up with a 31"/-10."

Ignition,
No, there are not absolutes, but here is my 2 cents:
80% of 12u girls ...-10 suits best
The weakest 10% or so go lighter.
The heavy/strongest 10% or so go -9.

I would be looking to get your dd into the 80%. Based on her height, she is just now tall enough for 31" so 31/21 is where I would hope to end up. However, based on her height AND weight, she is physically VERY skinny...fit, long and lanky, I mean no offense. There is a very real possibility that she is currently in that weaker 10% physically. If that is the case, then I'd consider a 31/20. If not, then a balanced 31/21 is the ticket. Hopefully this helps. I deal with a lot of kids this size/age and if anything, I would just validate that it sounds like you had the right choice this year and you have a pretty good handle on where she should be based on your quote above. I would completely avoid a 32" bat at this point, but start saving for when she is 5'3". I swear by 'right-sizing' a kid's bat and would never buy one to 'grow into.' As she grows, sell one/buy another. Buy good bats even if you have to drink cheaper beer.

If it were me, I'd look at a transition bat 31/20 for fall ball and (maybe) move into 31/21 sometime in spring/early summer. (guessing).
Good luck!
VW

VW! You get it! I don't know how many people on here and at fields think I spend $1000s on bat for my dd. I keep telling everyone you have to find a great deal on the best bats, use them for a while, then sell them. Just last week a store I was in had "demo" stealths and synergys for $89. If you wiped of a few spots they would look every bit new. I bet not one of them hit more then 20 balls. I would guess I have sold every bat we have bought for an ave of 75% of what we've paid.
I have a girl on the team, she is probably 5'. He folks (despite my rule of don't buy a bat without talking to me first) bought her a 33" cf5, at full retail, so that she "could use it for a few years." After several practices that she couldn't get around on pitches, I told her she had to borrow a smaller bat in games. I told her a bat that is heavy enough to last you a few years isn't any good, if you can't hit right now, you won't be on a team in a few years.

The "Absolute" is don't use a bat that is to big for you to swing with the correct hitting sequence.

If it helps, my DD is 16, 5' 3" and 117 lb. She used a 32/22 until very recently, when she moved to a 33/23. My DD is a gymnast and has more upper body strength than most her size. 32/22 seems too big for a 5'0" 75 lb.

Originally Posted by 02Crush

Have her hold that bat at the end of the handle with one hand. Then have her hold that bat, wit the one had at the end, up even with her shoulder pointed straight away from her. If she can hold that for 60 seconds without shaking she is strong enough to bat with it. Otherwise I would suggest a 31 drop 11 or 12 bat. You made a comment about her bat speed being fast....That is a GREAT thing. She needs good bat speed. Everyone wants a heavier bat cause it will drive the ball more...and I agree it does...However it will slow them down and cause their back shoulder to drop. It will cause more problems them add benefit at her age. m2c

I have heard this as well. What I did, was have her do the same setup, but instead of just holding it for 60 seconds, I had her spell out "Softball" in the air. The bat she is and has been using (30" -11.5) she had no problem. The bat she wanted to use (30" -10) she struggled. The -11.5 is a balanced bat, the -10 was end loaded, which I believe makes it feel even heavier.

This year DD had a 30/20 composite bat and a 30/20 aluminum bat in her bag. For grins I gave the 2 bats to some parents and asked them if they were equal or which bat was heaver. Everyone picked the composite bat as being heaver, it is end loaded.

The most common response when I told them that both bats were the same size and weight was this one is composite of course it weighs more.

Originally Posted by Greenmonsters

Not all endloaded bats actually weigh more. To my knowledge, Anderson is the only bat company that uses the swing weight concept. ABC does this just for the Rocketech, which is endloaded, and the Techzila, which is balanced, but not for the Nanotek and Ignite, for which the labeled weights are actual scale (i.e., actually measured) weights (+/- 0.5 oz). In contrast, Demarini's regular (i.e., CF4) and endloaded models (i.e., CF4 Insane) of the same length bat weigh the same a 33/23 CF4 is the same weight as the 33/23 CF4 Insane. Also not all 23 oz bats weigh the same and, more importantly, they don't all feel, swing, and perform the same!

As I was writting I was thinking maybe demarinis don't. I have never owned one. I guess I just rts and miken slowpitch.