Bat Selection question

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May 1, 2017
47
0
Georgia
DD currently swings a 31/21 CF9. She hated it at first and refused to use it because she thought she didn't hit as well with it. After it was broken in, she liked it a little more and starting using it more than her other bats, but she didn't seem like she really loved it. I told her if she made the school team this fall, I would buy her a new bat. She said "why, I love the bat I have". Okay....didn't see that one coming but I didn't mind because that's less money I have to shell out. Well she made the team and now she wants a new bat.

Long story short she borrowed a friends bat and it was either an LXT or a Xeno. Not sure which but for sure one of those. She said she felt like she was hitting the ball better with the Louisville compared to when she went back to using her CF9. The hubby tried to tell her it's the indian and not arrow and that she probably had a bad swing when she practiced the next day. So she's been using the friends bat and she's pretty much made up her mind that she doesn't like her old bat anymore.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the Xeno just because of the God awful noise it makes. I've never seen an LXT in action in person before so I have no clue about anything with that one.

Honestly, I'm super intrigued by the Ghost. I would buy it in a heartbeat if I knew she was going to like it, but I really don't want to waste my money. No one around here has one, and I only saw one team with a Ghost during her summer tournaments.

So right now I'm trying to decide if I want to buy the bat she wants so she can practice at home with it. I thought about seeing if she could just use the friends bat during the games, but she wants to practice with what she's going to be using. Or if I need to let her swing a ghost in the store and see how she likes the initial feel of it and go from there. Also, she's around 5'2 or 5'3 and weighs approximately 85-90 lbs. She's 12 btw. Do I need to go for a 32/22? Google says 31" but she's growing like a weed right now and I don't want it to fit her now, but be too small when spring rolls around.

I would greatly appreciate any insight that you guys might have.


****Also, I didn't proofread anything I typed so please excuse any grammatical errors, lol.
 
Jun 11, 2012
741
63
I’m inclined to say you go with what she’s comfortable with.
DD has always swung a heavier bat than most people thought she should and many a coach tried to have her swing something lighter and promptly gave her her bat back soon after because her swing is better with the heavier bat. Yet one of her friends who is bigger swings a lighter bat and does great with that.

Do you know what size the teammates bat is?

My DD is on the smaller side, went from a CF series 31/20 to a Xeno 31/21 to an LXT 32/22 and has swung a Xeno 33/23 since freshman year of high school
when she was about 5’1” and about 105 lbs. she’s stuck with that size and as a incoming college freshman she’s 5’5” and 120 lbs.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Xeno and LTX are different bats. Like them both but are different. Having use her teammates bat for a little bit sounds like a really good idea.

I asked somewhere else and did not get a reply, at one point you needed 2 ghosts if you played in different tournaments so I would stay away from ghost until 1 bat can play everywhere.

DD swung a Xeno for a while, I loved the sound. DD must be hitting at practice. :) Just hear that ping.
 
Mar 1, 2016
195
18
DD is also 5’2”, but weighs more. Probably the leg muscle from being a catcher for 10 years, but whatever. On to the bat. She swung a Demarini 32/22 when she was 12 and didn’t like all that much. Said it was dead and I didn’t believe her until I, too, had a hard time getting a ball out of the infield with it. So we got her a Xeno 32/22. She broke it. Got another Xeno and sold it a year later to get a bigger size (33/22). She broke it. Got her a Easton Mako 34/24 for $120 while we were waiting for the replacement Xeno. She hit REALLY well with the Mako during that HS season (soph year) and didn’t want to go back to the Xeno for summer TB. Gave the 33/22 Xeno the little sis and she loves it. Fast forward 6 months, we got a good 1/2 price deal on a 34/24 Xeno, bought it, she used it with success until she started lusting after a Easton Ghost. Then she wasn’t so successful with the Xeno any more. Weird. So I gave in and pulled the trigger on a new 34/24 Ghost for $215. Wouldn’t let her use it when it came in because I’m evil like that. It was really just because it was January and I didn’t want her to break it in cold weather within 2 weeks. When I did finally let her use it, she was killing the ball but still can’t hit well with the Xeno. You can’t convince me it isn’t psychological.

Here’s the bottom line. The Ghost is her favorite bat now, followed by the Mako (which Easton doesn’t make any more), and then the Xeno. She will never swing another Demarini and won’t even sniff at a Rawlings Quattro because she had a teammate who had one and hated it. She has her mind made up that the quality of her swings are associated with what bat she is using, even if I have video evidence to the contrary. I suspect your DD is the same way. She has to have confidence to play well, so you have to do what is necessary to make sure she has that confidence.

All of that being said, she’s 12. Look for deals on whatever bat you choose so you don’t have to pay full price. She WILL change her mind about what bat she likes a couple more times before it’s all over.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
DD disliked the Mako, not sure why. I have one around here somewhere. She is 17 so has been through a few bats, only bat she disliked.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
If an Indian or anyone else was shooting arrows at a very small target a long ways off, he'd want the finest made arrow available. Bow hunters will tell you that not all arrows are created equal, and for hitters, neither are bats. Can my DD get a base hit with her aluminum cage bat? Yes...she used it effectively during an exceptionally cold day earlier this year. Is that bat anywhere near as good at producing big hits as her Xeno or LXT? Absolutely not.

The difference in how the bat is weighted can easily affect the swing, quality, and consistency of contact. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong about the CF9, but I believe that one is a bit end-weighted. My DD's Xeno is fairly well balanced, and her LXT is even more balanced and seems to have a bit bigger sweet spot than her Xeno. If your DD likes something, and hits well with it, you can put up with whatever sound it might produce.
 
Jan 28, 2017
1,663
83
Last year went to the Sporting Goods place to buy a bat. They have indoor cages and let you hit with the bats. We tried everything.

1. Killed the ball with the LXT and we bought it. Rep said the most balanced bat with the biggest sweet spot.
2. Didn't have the Ghost in her size but she swung it really good and it was 2 inches to long.
3. I just don't like the Xeno and DD didn't but hit OK with it.
4. Didn't hit well with any of the other bats.

Rep stated that at a young age it's hard to tell which bat is weighted correctly for them without trying them out. I would have never bought the LXT but the bat speed was a lot better for some reason. I played college ball and it was all about the handle size for me and I think this also had something to do with my DD swinging one bat better than the other. I have never told her that because a don't want her thinking about crazy stuff like me.
 

CoreSoftball20

Wilson = Evil Empire
DFP Vendor
Dec 27, 2012
6,215
113
Kunkletown, PA
Just to throw something out there..if she doesn't feel like the 31/21 CF is hitting as well right now over other 31/21's...it may be that she needs a heavier bat. The CF is wayyyy
balanced and either right at sticker or bit under. The LXT will be a little over and the Xeno will be more than that over sticker. So maybe she is feeling like there is no drive
in the bat because she needs a little more weight behind it as she is growing out of it...and the other bats she is trying are providing that extra weight right now.

BTW, I hate the "book" on what girls should swing. You get what weight your DD needs, not what someone else says she should be swinging.

Also, if you only play ASA or USSSA, then you only need one Ghost :)...but yes, if you play all associations, then there is no dual stamp Ghost.
 

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