34" Bats

[stox]

Y’know- I do.

First of all, it’s more available. If you need to walk into a sporting goods store and pay full retail at 7:45 pm on a Saturday you can.

I believe that a kid that can hit a ball 220’ with a low drop 33” can do it easily with a 34/24. And eventually, if not immediately, that same kid can be more adjustable with the 34. Look at the pitch longer, initiate quicker.

My younger kid swung a 33/25 for years, and I think it was completely unnecessary. Grey ghosts mostly. I tried to make her use a 34/24 LXT. She went off, hit the ball farther, went right back to the 33/25. This was summer ball, think she was a junior in hs. I let her do it and I shouldn’t have.

My other kid liked -9’s and she set all of her small hs home run records but she may have been even better with a 34/24.

I also think its an opportunity to convince them that its the hitter that is awesome, not a special bat.

My younger one just had her college senior day, she spent four years on a top 25 team. This is a well known program, you would think you would have a barrel full of every size bat you could want. Surprisingly it’s not. She switches back and forth between LXT’s and Xenos according to what is available. Coaches couldn’t care less. I think there is a lesson for us dads who stay up at night worrying about this stuff. Just roll with a -10 and be done with it.

I would be a jerk if I had it all to do over. My kids would be swinging -10 one piece bats as soon as they were barreling most front toss and easy machine training pitches.

Why one piece -10? What advantage do they have over 2 piece bats?

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[LEsoftballdad]

Why one piece -10? What advantage do they have over 2 piece bats?

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A) they break less due to not having a connection.
B) they transfer more power to the ball due to less flex in the bat.

 

[Westwind]

Why one piece -10? What advantage do they have over 2 piece bats?

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What @LEsoftballdad said- plus it is said that the hitter is discouraged from mishits by stinging hands, lol!

This might not be for everyone- but an established hitter with a pretty decent swing might benefit long term. I’ve been away from youth hitters for a long time, I forget that sometimes. DD was home last year and forgot to bring a bat home from school. The only bat I have left is a 33/25 Stealth Retro. After hitting she says “that bat actually hits pretty well”. That bat is a dog! It was near new and I couldn’t get $60 plus shipping on eBay for it! I think they get strong, put good swings on most balls and pretty much anything works.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Swing the biggest bat possible while maintaining the highest bat speed. Player comfort also matters.

My oldest does not like swinging a 34. She is 5’5”. She swings a 33/25. It’s what she prefers.

That's a load!

 

[Rolling Hard]

A) they break less due to not having a connection.
B) they transfer more power to the ball due to less flex in the bat.

They give you more feedback on misfits too.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Y’know- I do.

First of all, it’s more available. If you need to walk into a sporting goods store and pay full retail at 7:45 pm on a Saturday you can.

I believe that a kid that can hit a ball 220’ with a low drop 33” can do it easily with a 34/24. And eventually, if not immediately, that same kid can be more adjustable with the 34. Look at the pitch longer, initiate quicker.

My younger kid swung a 33/25 for years, and I think it was completely unnecessary. Grey ghosts mostly. I tried to make her use a 34/24 LXT. She went off, hit the ball farther, went right back to the 33/25. This was summer ball, think she was a junior in hs. I let her do it and I shouldn’t have.

My other kid liked -9’s and she set all of her small hs home run records but she may have been even better with a 34/24.

I also think its an opportunity to convince them that its the hitter that is awesome, not a special bat.

My younger one just had her college senior day, she spent four years on a top 25 team. This is a well known program, you would think you would have a barrel full of every size bat you could want. Surprisingly it’s not. She switches back and forth between LXT’s and Xenos according to what is available. Coaches couldn’t care less. I think there is a lesson for us dads who stay up at night worrying about this stuff. Just roll with a -10 and be done with it.

I would be a jerk if I had it all to do over. My kids would be swinging -10 one piece bats as soon as they were barreling most front toss and easy machine training pitches.

So if a hear you correctly, your saying the 2 Oz. extra wiegh difference is of less value because the hitter loses bat speed? So why not swi g a drop 12? Being serious.

 

[Rolling Hard]

A) they break less due to not having a connection.
B) they transfer more power to the ball due to less flex in the bat.

What would happen if you took a 2 piece and JB welded the connection

 

[LEsoftballdad]

What would happen if you took a 2 piece and JB welded the connection

Aside from being highly illegal, it might melt the composite.

 

[Westwind]

So if a hear you correctly, your saying the 2 Oz. extra wiegh difference is of less value because the hitter loses bat speed? So why not swi g a drop 12? Being serious.

We need Pattar up in here. And yeah, maybe thats true about the -12 but I don’t know, maybe there is a point of diminishing returns? What I DO know is a -10 hits a ball over fences, at pretty much all ages, it is the regularly available standard item. Maybe we as softball dads can quit losing sleep over this stuff.

I think the extra two ounces are of no value. I know… force times mass and emc2 and all that…. Initiating your swing earlier and having less adjustability are the cost of those two ounces. If the player isn’t hitting balls over fences with a -10 she isn’t going to do it with a -9. Barreled up balls are what we want, I think the -10 gets us there more often and we don’t have to fret about all the other stuff.

That being said, my kids liked a heavier feel. I don’t think them liking it made their hitting better. Hope that helps.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

We need Pattar up in here. And yeah, maybe thats true about the -12 but I don’t know, maybe there is a point of diminishing returns? What I DO know is a -10 hits a ball over fences, at pretty much all ages, it is the regularly available standard item. Maybe we as softball dads can quit losing sleep over this stuff.

I think the extra two ounces are of no value. I know… force times mass and emc2 and all that…. Initiating your swing earlier and having less adjustability are the cost of those two ounces. If the player isn’t hitting balls over fences with a -10 she isn’t going to do it with a -9. Barreled up balls are what we want, I think the -10 gets us there more often and we don’t have to fret about all the other stuff.

That being said, my kids liked a heavier feel. I don’t think them liking it made their hitting better. Hope that helps.

From our friend, Pattar.

Bat Weight, Swing Speed and Ball Velocity