Another bat weight question - can it be too light?

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Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Absolutely! I know some players will have a lighter bat in their bag to use against faster pitchers because all things being equal the same player will usually generate more bat speed with the lighter bat. I had one player who was a decent gap hitter who loved to swing a lighter bat because she had better bat speed with it and she claimed she could wait an instant longer before committing to the swing and it helped her make more solid contact. I can't argue with her results. Other girls want to swing the heaviest bat they can comfortably swing. One thing that I think is almost universal is that if a kid is hitting well nobody messes with anything. If a kid is struggling, we want to questions her mechanics, her bat, what she ate for lunch, etc...

Here's the problem, good results don't necessarily mean good mechanics and that is the crux of the problem with light bats IMO/IME. In fact, it often is the case that it isn't until the quality of pitching increases that the poor mechanics previously masked by light bats are exposed as successful at bats diminish significantly. With the long-term in mind i.e., the goal of playing at some collegiate level, there really should be a much greater focus on the mechanics than the results at the younger age as the longer poor mechanics are utilized and ingrained, the longer and harder it is to correct them.

In my case, it was the summer after finishing 8th grade that DD decided that she wanted to get more serious and try to play in college. At that time I explained that although she was one of the better hitters in her local peer group, we needed to break down and rebuild her swing mechanics if she wanted to a chance to play, not sit the bench, at the next level, even if she was only interested in D3 schools. She bought in and we steepened and shortened the learning curve by working exclusively with a heavy, end-loaded Rocketech during during fall and winter "off-season" practices and games. There was a minor step backwards for a frustrating (but relatively short) period of time, but the new mechanics were ingrained in time for her to be the only freshman starting HS varsity come the following spring and subsequently served her well during her college career. YMMV.
 
Feb 15, 2016
273
18
Here's the problem, good results don't necessarily mean good mechanics and that is the crux of the problem with light bats IMO/IME. In fact, it often is the case that it isn't until the quality of pitching increases that the poor mechanics previously masked by light bats are exposed as successful at bats diminish significantly. With the long-term in mind i.e., the goal of playing at some collegiate level, there really should be a much greater focus on the mechanics than the results at the younger age as the longer poor mechanics are utilized and ingrained, the longer and harder it is to correct them.

In my case, it was the summer after finishing 8th grade that DD decided that she wanted to get more serious and try to play in college. At that time I explained that although she was one of the better hitters in her local peer group, we needed to break down and rebuild her swing mechanics if she wanted to a chance to play, not sit the bench, at the next level, even if she was only interested in D3 schools. She bought in and we steepened and shortened the learning curve by working exclusively with a heavy, end-loaded Rocketech during during fall and winter "off-season" practices and games. There was a minor step backwards for a frustrating (but relatively short) period of time, but the new mechanics were ingrained in time for her to be the only freshman starting HS varsity come the following spring and subsequently served her well during her college career. YMMV.

When you talk "light" bats what are you talking about? I was making reference to 16U or 18U players who may choose to use a 32/22 instead of a 34/24 because they are more effective with a lighter bat. Same mechanics and lighter bat allowed them to generate more bat speed, get the bat to contact more quickly, and hit better.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
When you talk "light" bats what are you talking about? I was making reference to 16U or 18U players who may choose to use a 32/22 instead of a 34/24 because they are more effective with a lighter bat. Same mechanics and lighter bat allowed them to generate more bat speed, get the bat to contact more quickly, and hit better.

Just an FYI ... I don't see a lot of 32/22 bats at 16U and 18U ... and I see a large number of 16U and 18U players.
 
Feb 15, 2016
273
18
Just an FYI ... I don't see a lot of 32/22 bats at 16U and 18U ... and I see a large number of 16U and 18U players.

FYI. I don't see a lot of 22oz bats either. I was making a point that I have seen girls with my own eyes who hit better with a lighter bat even though they were strong enough to swing a heavier bat. That is all.
 
Mar 9, 2015
321
18
Are most 16u, 18u, and college teams going with drop 9 bats or are they going with a drop 10 that is longer and heavier? Just the other day my DD and I were watching some college games that were recorded, the commentators mentioned a lot of players are using drop 9 bats and there are players using drop 8 bats.
 
Apr 12, 2016
316
28
Minnesota
Are most 16u, 18u, and college teams going with drop 9 bats or are they going with a drop 10 that is longer and heavier? Just the other day my DD and I were watching some college games that were recorded, the commentators mentioned a lot of players are using drop 9 bats and there are players using drop 8 bats.
I watched Minnesota and Northwestern this weekend and it looked like most of them were swinging -10 although it looked like Sara G. may have been swinging a -9. Kendyl Lindaman who leads Minnesota in HRs, definitely swings a -10 and I am assuming it is a 34/24.

Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk
 
Aug 23, 2016
359
43
On the recommendation of a DFPer I bought DD a 30/20 Rocketflex off eBay. DD used it in her hitting lesson tonight.

She did great. Her hitting coach was really pleased. He's okay with her using the Rocketflex in a game if she's comfortable, but if she does that he wants her old bat handy as well.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

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