Another bat weight question - can it be too light?

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Aug 23, 2016
359
43
DD is 8 years old, 4'10" and 82 lbs. She swings a 30/18.5 most of the time (and a 30/19 the rest of the time). She's in 8U but will play all-stars this summer and then move to 10U in the fall.

Her hitting coach wants her to move to a 30/20 bat. Her rec coach isn't a fan of that idea - he likes lighter bats for young girls and thinks a 30/20 is just too heavy.

On the one hand I tend to believe in DD's hitting coach, but on the other hand her rec coach seems pretty adamant that the bigger bat is a bad idea.

So if we go with rec coach's advice instead of hitting coach, is there any harm to using a bat that's too light?
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Simplied physics: F=MA

Force = Mass x Acceleration

Therefore, the heavier the bat (Mass) your DD can swing without loosing bat speed (Acceleration) the harder she will hit the ball (Force)
 
May 16, 2016
946
93
Last year, my 8u DD #2 after playing up in 10u spring season with a 30/17, went out for 8u all star team, and I bought her a 30" Demarini Cf8 -11 (30/19), and it worked out well. I think that is probably the perfect bat size, and a 30/20 is going to be a bit heavy. IMO.

My older DD used a 30/17 successfully through her 9u All Star season, and batted clean up in almost every game that season. As long as the bat is not so light that she "overswings", she should be fine.
 
Apr 26, 2015
704
43
FWIW - My DD is currently 78lbs and 5' tall. She is currently swinging a 31/21.
When she was in 10U she had an LXT 30/20. She was probably 65 lbs or so...she is pretty skinny. She hit several HRs with that bat. I think the sooner you can get your DD to a -10 the better.
 
May 16, 2016
946
93
Simplied physics: F=MA

Force = Mass x Acceleration

Therefore, the heavier the bat (Mass) your DD can swing without loosing bat speed (Acceleration) the harder she will hit the ball (Force)

Conversely: Acceleration = Force/Mass

Since the force a girl can apply to the bat is fairly constant, as the mass of the bat increases, so acceleration (bat speed) will decrease.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
Yes. It can be too light. I do not like feather weight bats. Getting them to ever change to a heavier bat, is difficult.
Most girls are not the weaklings, that their folks think that they are.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Conversely: Acceleration = Force/Mass

Since the force a girl can apply to the bat is fairly constant, as the mass of the bat increases, so acceleration (bat speed) will decrease.

I am not a physics major, but I do love to watch Big Bang Theory...and it seems to me that in your equation the force would be the amount of force the player is putting on the bat to create the acceleration, while in my equation the force was the bat striking the ball.
 
Last edited:
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Conversely: Acceleration = Force/Mass

Since the force a girl can apply to the bat is fairly constant, as the mass of the bat increases, so acceleration (bat speed) will decrease.

Acceleration (... and hence force) going into and through impact is a function of one's swing mechanics.

Your comment assumes that the same swing mechanics are used. I find that it is possible to improve one's swing mechanics when moving up from ultra-light barrels. For many kids the ultra-light barrels serve as a subsidy to use poor mechanics.
 
May 16, 2016
946
93
Acceleration (... and hence force) going into and through impact is a function of one's swing mechanics.

Your comment assumes that the same swing mechanics are used. I find that it is possible to improve one's swing mechanics when moving up from ultra-light barrels. For many kids the ultra-light barrels serve as a subsidy to use poor mechanics.

Well if every heavy bat came with a dedicated batting coach, you may have a valid point... but, alas, the only thing I see come along with heavy bats are slower bat speeds, and dribblers back to the pitcher. If a lighter bat, produces a dribbler that gets past the pitcher for a base hit... the kid has more fun, learns to love the game, and possibly will play the game long enough to learn proper (and apparently physics defying ;)) swing mechanics you speak of.
 
Apr 6, 2017
23
0
DD uses 31/21. She really wants something heavier because it feels more comfortable to her. Just ordered an 2015 Easton Mako Torq, and people said it's heavier than advertised so I guess when it comes in, she'll get her heavier bat, lol. FWIW, she weighs 68 lbs and is tall. I haven't measured her lately, so all I know is she is tall and skinny! Last year she was using a 29/19....
 

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