Bat Size

[Hit by the Pitch]

According to 11 YO DD she is 4’ 12” and 90 pounds, she is currently swinging a 30/20 Xeno. She occasionally hits the ball over the OFs heads but has never hit the fence. Our fences are pretty far out, I have never seen a player hit it. I need to measure it someday but it is not 220.

She does great hitting with her current bat but no one else on the Team will touch it because it is too small.

IDK, she needs some hitting lessons and a new bat, I am not sure what problem I am trying to solve.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Bat size has more to do with her swing than her size. A hitting coach worth his or her weight should give you good advice after a lesson. My dd's first bat at 10 was a 32-22. currently for college a 33-23 She is 5' 4" 107 lbs and will be using the worth 454. She has been using a CF4 in high school. She bounced them over the fence at 220, but not on the fly yet. It's all about using the correct swing, not the bat.

 

[absdad]

I think maybe it's Amy's signature that sums it up. I'm paraphrasing from memory.. but basically you'll get more return from $300 in hitting lessons, than you will from a $300 bat. Once she's gotten the mechanics, then definitely get the bat and you'll certainly see some results.

 

[smddad]

You're better off with a bat that's a tad too small, than one that's a tad too big. Without even seeing your daughter, I would start her with a 30/20. After assessing how well she swings it, after several AB's, I might change it...I might not. I am also not a fan of changing bat sizes mid season, unless it's obviously necessary.

 

[mogsoftball]

your probably right on the verge of using a 31" but 30/20 should be ok. My DD is right around the same size/weight and I just moved her up to a 31 this spring.

 

[Saintrob]

I just bought my DD a 2013 Xeno from a friend but is still in the original wrapper. She has been swinging a 31/19 for two years now and this one is 32/22. She will be 12 in a couple of months and is 5'3" and 105 pounds. Does this sound like it would be an OK size for her?

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

That is a big jump, if she can hit it it watch out fence.

 

[MsDinosaur]

I just bought my DD a 2013 Xeno from a friend but is still in the original wrapper. She has been swinging a 31/19 for two years now and this one is 32/22. She will be 12 in a couple of months and is 5'3" and 105 pounds. Does this sound like it would be an OK size for her?

The real experts can chime in, but I think it depends upon her mechanics. To me, 32/22 doesn't sound crazy for 12 yrs old 5'3" and 105. My DD was about that age and height when she went to a 32/22, though quite a bit heavier. Since your DD's more slender, mechanics will really matter in how effectively she'll swing that longer, heavier bat. Adding the inch and three ounces at once is quite a change, if she has some small flaws she's been getting away with while using the drop 12, the 32/22 is going to expose them. OTOH, maybe that's not such a bad thing, to know if there's something she should be working on?

 

[Little Angels Softball]

I can usually do an OK job of estimating correct bat size by watching a girl swing at live pitching a few times. I tend to look for bat speed and how quickly she's getting the bat head through the zone. Position yourself almost directly beside her across the plate and see where her bat head is in relationship to where the ball is being struck. If she is hitting the ball out front (or missing outside pitches because her bat head is too far through the zone) then you may want to move her up an inch. Adding weight is different. I see overall bat speed issues when a girl is swinging too heavy of a bat. It is usually pretty easy to spot as mechanical flaws are magnified.

Just for reference, my DD is 11 years old (a 10 year old on the ASA clock, though), 5'3" tall and 118 lbs. She's a power hitter and 21oz seems to be her optimum weight at the moment. Her game bat is a DeMarini CF5 32" drop -11.

 

[Bchbum54]

Sounds like your DD is doing just fine. It's more about what she feels comfortable swinging then what her teammates feel comfortable with.

My DD is 9 playing 8U All-Stars right now, she is 4'10" 125 lbs solid. No surprise she is a power hitter in her age division. We upgraded her bat this past Spring so now Her game bat is an Easton Synergy Speed -10 30/20 and her practice bat (batting cages) is an Easton CV12 -10 30/20. As of now I don't see her changing bats anytime soon, especially since she is moving up to 10U this Fall.