34" Bats

[BrianTx01]

Are 34" bats only for really tall and big girls? I have heard that 33 are more common even in college. Can more average height girls (5'5 or so) ever use the big bat successfully? What ate the pros and cons of 34/24 vs 33/24?

 

[letsmow10]

Strength and barrel control. Can you swing a 34" bat at the same speed as a 33" bat and maintain barrel control? If yes, swing a 34" bat. Not to account for -10, -9, and -8 weights, but that is always my thought process as a general rule. 33" is more common as a "one size fits all" - if you can swing a 34" you can swing a 33" but not always the other way around. My$.02

 

[adm793]

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.

 

[Westwind]

DD’s college teams (2 daughters) swung mostly 34/24’s.

My older dd swung 33/24’s younger dd swung 33/25’s pre college. Both ended up swinging 34/24’s and hit the ball further. If I was doing it over, it would be all -10’s all the time. Don’t waste your time people, quit overthinking it. Been there done that.

 

[BrianTx01]

DD’s college teams (2 daughters) swung mostly 34/24’s.

My older dd swung 33/24’s younger dd swung 33/25’s pre college. Both ended up swinging 34/24’s and hit the ball further. If I was doing it over, it would be all -10’s all the time. Don’t waste your time people, quit overthinking it. Been there done that.

So you think the 34/24 is superior to the 33/24?

 

[erniekru]

If they're swinging the bigger bats, they're old enough to get the bat that feels the best to them. That being said, the 34" bat is by far the most popular bat on DD's team. I'd say it's a 50/50 split between -10 and -9.

DD swings a 34/-9

 

[Westwind]

So you think the 34/24 is superior to the 33/24?

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.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

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.

I agree with everything you said here. I watched Mia Davidson launch 290" home runs in Athletes Unlimited with a 34-24 Demarini CF. It wasn't the bat, it was the swing. Get the extra plate coverage with the 34, and the swing will do the rest.