Performance of 33/23 same as 33/21?

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WiZ

Feb 11, 2010
36
0
I overheard a conversation the other day from two people that have been around upper level fastpitch softball for a long time. I really respect these two guys because they have been VERY successful.

They were saying how pointless it was for a kid to swing a 33/23 bat when a 33/21 bat is EXACTLY the same with the same sweetspot, just lighter so the player can generate greater bat speed. I'm not sure I believe that because I played upper level slowpitch and I always wanted an endloaded bat to just give me that "hammer" feel as I make contact. Just having something of substance to hit the ball with.

I'm curious as to what some of you think....
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
I've always heard and agreed with the opposite...that more mass = more power especially in fastpitch where the bats are already light and the ball bigger/heavier....plus more bat speed doesn't always = more power see Albert Pujols whose bat speed isn't the highest...
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I overheard a conversation the other day from two people that have been around upper level fastpitch softball for a long time. I really respect these two guys because they have been VERY successful.

They were saying how pointless it was for a kid to swing a 33/23 bat when a 33/21 bat is EXACTLY the same with the same sweetspot, just lighter so the player can generate greater bat speed. I'm not sure I believe that because I played upper level slowpitch and I always wanted an endloaded bat to just give me that "hammer" feel as I make contact. Just having something of substance to hit the ball with.

I'm curious as to what some of you think....

Ask them if they'd rather get hit on the head by an apple or a bowling ball falling from a tree.
 
Apr 1, 2010
1,675
0
The velocity of the ball off the bat depends on both swing speed and mass of the bat. I've seen an equation for figuring it out. Both are important. I think that an increase in speed may make more difference than an increase in weight, relatively, but there are obviously diminishing returns. Is a strong girl with decent technique really going to swing the 31 oz bat that much faster than the 33 oz? I think someone on here suggested that there has to be a difference of ~3 mph for it to be worth dropping an ounce?

Clearly, I need to start taking a pocket radar, postal scale and calculator on every bat buying trip to properly maximize the potential energy. :-D
 
Oct 10, 2011
3,117
0
I overheard a conversation the other day from two people that have been around upper level fastpitch softball for a long time. I really respect these two guys because they have been VERY successful.

They were saying how pointless it was for a kid to swing a 33/23 bat when a 33/21 bat is EXACTLY the same with the same sweetspot, just lighter so the player can generate greater bat speed. I'm not sure I believe that because I played upper level slowpitch and I always wanted an endloaded bat to just give me that "hammer" feel as I make contact. Just having something of substance to hit the ball with.

I'm curious as to what some of you think....
The coaches on our old team said the same thing (A level). They were idiots:)
The members on this board showed me the light! We moved up 2 ounces this year and will never look back.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
I wouldn't compare slowpitch to baseball/fastpitch, that's a different animal (maybe that was the point of the post).

Why do people swing lighter bats? For faster bat speed which is helpful for hitting movement pitches.

You really need to be talking about swing weight and not the actual weight of the bat.

So which is better, a 33/23 or 33/21? It's hard to say without doing some math on the bats. You are making a lot of assumptions that a 33/23 will out hit a 33/21.
 

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