Bat Size Advice

[Westwind]

Thanks for your help Westwind. So moving up an inch in length will have more effect on her than going up in weight? I'm scared to venture to far from her current bat size because she hits so well. I guess I'm going to have to face the facts that softball is not cheap and I have a daughter that's going to out grow everything pretty fast.

Yep- agree with all that.

Softball is so much about "right now". You want to have the right bat, right now. If you settle for something too big it can really set them back. And if she is doing well I wouldn't change much.

I'm pretty superstitious about changing bat length, usually won't do it during the season. And it's a long, painful decision for me!

 

[Westwind]

Thanks Vdubya, I learned a lot from all the soul searching on theses boards about this topic the last few years!

Once I started paying attention to it I realized how many kids are swinging the wrong size bats, it's a pretty widespread deal. Good hitters that don't perform solely because of the wrong dang number on the knob.

 

[catmaster]

Update. So at my daughters last practice she tried out a 31/19 demarini vendetta. I did some soft toss with her and could quickly see she had no problem handling the bat. She also used it for 3 at bats in a in team scrimmage and hit the ball very well. I found a combat Lisa Fernandez Lffp1 30/20 for a cheap cheap price. So I bought it. Her first reaction handling it was it felt heavy to her. I soft tossed her about 50 balls and she had no problems swinging it and was hitting the ball hard. I guess time will tell how she does with it. Anybody have any comments on the Combat Lisa Fernandez bat. Everything I read seems to a good bat. Thanks

 

[Eric F]

My DD current has a Combat Lisa Fernandez LFFP6 30/18 (2-piece hybrid alloy/composite) and a Combat Avaritia 31/21 (might be too much for her for a little while yet). I have been pleased with the quality and performance of both bats - especially for the price. More and more, I'm becoming a fan of Combat bats.

My DD also has a Vendetta 30/18 that she likes the feel of, but it doesn't have the same pop as it's CF-series cousins.

 

[josh]

We made almost all of our 8U team use a 29/16 last fall, as most of them were using bats that were too small. My daughter needs a longer bat, but she tends to hit better with the lighter bats. I am glad I am not the only one with a giant 8 year old (4'8" 80lbs, lost a little weight in the summer, she was closer to 85 in the spring). I just keep her birth certificate with me because some people don't want to believe she is only 8

I think its best to use a proper length bat rather than choke up

 

[NVfishing]

I haven't bought a bat yet. Still looking. She swings her Easton very well and is crushing the ball. There are girls in her league that have composite bats and she hits the ball harder then they do. The reason I was looking for a composite because I wanted her to get maximum distance on her hits. I was thinking maybe get her a 31/19 or 31/20. Thanks for all your responses.

My DD is 65lbs and swings a 31/20. I think your DD can handle the bat. DD was swinging a 30/17 and could barely get the ball into the outfield. Now she's driving it 3/4 of the way to the fence.

 

[6kimages]

a decent way to size a bat is. have them grab the end of the bat(right hand ,LH batter etc.) ,pick it straight up , with a straight arm pointing at something (horizontally aiming ) and count to 10(seconds).If they struggle it is too big (long or heavy). On my sons (in canada) 12U travel team , most of the kids used too big of a bat , first sign is the majority fouled off back field on a regular basis (some were just simply behind) There is no need to hurry to larger bats, I played Fastpitch my whole life (up to age 35) one of the best batters i came accross used a 25 oz bat (mens fastpitch ,he played ISC as well) I regularly used a 30oz.