Demarini CF8/ bats in general questions

Just getting into this whole need to upgrade my DD's bat from a run of the mill off the shelf bat to something more powerful that maybe she can translate into something competitive. She is 5'3" 103lbs and has been using an Easton off the shelf aluminum bat 29/20 which she swings decently but not much pop. Another girl on her team lent her a Demarini bustos 31/18 and a Easton Mako 33/23. She was able to hit with both bats in the cage about equally although bat speed looked slower to me with the Mako. Balls came off each bat about equally. I took her to the local diamond and pitched her a few and both hit balls about the same distance. I'm thinking she needs something in between the two bats....something like a 32/31 or 31/21 or 31/20....what do you all think?

She acts like she likes the Demarini but before I buy her one I would like to know a little more about the xeno since most of the high schools/colleges around here seem to use it. From reading this sight it seems like it is purely kid preference as they are both good bats. Is there much difference in buying last years model of each versus this year? What is the difference between the CF8's like a sprite, slapper, hope, insane versus a plain CF8? Does the xeno have multiple models as well? I appreciate any insight you all may give. Please forgive me if this has been asked before...I didn't see it in my searches for information.

Thanks in advance!

At a lean 5'-3" size, I would recommend a 32" bat, and probably not any lighter than 21 oz. If she can swing a 32/22 effectively, it's a good choice, but if she struggles with the weight a little, a 32/21 might be better. A 29" bat is WAY too short for someone her height. 29" is a little-kid's size. The -13 Bustos is generally designed for young and small players, and is not at all comparable to a Xeno. I do not recommend the Bustos except in extreme situations with young and small players. The 33/23 Easton is probably too much for her. Eastons tend to weight 1-2 oz over sticker weight, making the bat she tried more like a 33/24-25. It's not surprising that her swing looked slower. What you saw was the mass vs. velocity balance at play. In a game situation, quickness is an important factor.

The LS Xeno is slightly-end loaded and is available in -10 or -11. The end-load is a feel preference.

CF8s...
Insane - End-loaded (a little more so than the Xeno), -10. This has a heavier "swing feel". Tends to be preferred by power hitters.
Slapper - Weight shifted more towards the handle. Has a very light "swing-feel".
Sprite - Balanced, -11
Hope - Balanced, -10
"Regular" CF8 - Balanced. Available -8, -9, and -10.

Also...Welcome to DFP!

EDIT: For comparison, my DD is 5'2", 110lbs. She has just moved to a 32/22.

Rule of Wrist I use :

I stand them up, with bat @ side.... the top of the knob should hit them @ the same place above the wrist where a watch would be if wearing... JMHO...

You need to be careful with colleges, they will swing what they are givin free.


Last DD's at bat, she smoked a 32/22 LTX into right center, dang CF made it look Easy.

Erik F my daughter is a youngun and small at least to me...she's 11. Makes sense what you said about mass versus velocity. It seems like its a balance that is not easily determined. Thanks for the breakdown of each CF8 bat.

Perfect Circle I did the wrist thing as soon as I got home from work. 31-32" hits her right across the watch area.

Quincy that's a good point about schools swinging what they get for free. I take it you are a Demarini fan?

Yes, but DD is swinging an ltx.

She knows it her not the bat.

My reference to the Bustos bat for "young and small" players, I'm talking about 8U and (maybe) some 10U players. I would never recommend that bat for a 12U player. I see a lot of 12U players. Your DD is a pretty common size for an 11yo. My DD is also 11.

There are quite a few college teams swinging Demarinis for free, too. Quincy's comment has nothing to do with like or dislike of Demarini or LS bats. A college team using a particular brand has more to do with sponsorship deals than performance. All of the top bats perform pretty equally, no matter which manufacturer. The important factor is finding which one fits the player the best - size, weight, balance.

Eric F said:

My reference to the Bustos bat for "young and small" players, I'm talking about 8U and (maybe) some 10U players. I would never recommend that bat for a 12U player. I see a lot of 12U players. Your DD is a pretty common size for an 11yo. My DD is also 11.

There are quite a few college teams swinging Demarinis for free, too. Quincy's comment has nothing to do with like or dislike of Demarini or LS bats. A college team using a particular brand has more to do with sponsorship deals than performance. All of the top bats perform pretty equally, no matter which manufacturer. The important factor is finding which one fits the player the best - size, weight, balance.

Click to expand...

And, when all things are equal, color!

May I still be upset with CF, she was good.

My daughter looks pretty average in size compared to the other players. I've always thought she was swinging a bat too light for her but up until this year she hasn't been able to get her swing fast enough to catch up with the pitch. Probably more of her needing to swing early but also appeared to be too heavy for her...at least until this year. She still has no power but she is making contact with just about everything thrown to her. I feel that the 33/23 is too big for her as her swing looks sluggish (if that makes sense)...and the 31/18 bustos, while she may like it, is too light for her. I wish I would have found that bat two years ago.