Bat size and balance

[crisco]

DD is 12, she is currently swinging a demarini cfx 31" drop 10. It is 2 years old.

Her coach recommended we start looking with a 32-33" and a drop 8 or 9. Isn't that a really big bat? DD is 5'3" and 130 pounds, or around there. We will have her try out bats, but I assume there are limited bats available to try, far fewer than the million online. I don't mean to question her coach, but it seems drop 8 and drop 9 are far less common than 10 or 11. DD is strong. Regular 12 yo strong kid kind of strong, not hold the phone kind of strong.

How does bat balance contribute?

 

[Westwind]

There is quite a bit of info in this thread:

Bat size

My dd has grown about 3” since May. She swings a DiMarini 31” drop 10. It’s clear it’s too short. She is 5’7 98lbs with ok strength and is 14. Any tips or suggestions on bat length and weight. Thanks gang. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

www.discussfastpitch.com

I agree that what is being recommended is a pretty big jump. She would be going from a very balanced bat to a bat some players wouldn’t swing in college. You are right to be cautious.

That doesn’t automatically mean it is wrong. I‘d say a 12u who could swing a low drop 32 or 33 either has an exceptional swing or is not seeing very good competition.

 

[_MIA_]

DD is 12, she is currently swinging a demarini cfx 31" drop 10. It is 2 years old.

Her coach recommended we start looking with a 32-33" and a drop 8 or 9. Isn't that a really big bat? DD is 5'3" and 130 pounds, or around there. We will have her try out bats, but I assume there are limited bats available to try, far fewer than the million online. I don't mean to question her coach, but it seems drop 8 and drop 9 are far less common than 10 or 11. DD is strong. Regular 12 yo strong kid kind of strong, not hold the phone kind of strong.

How does bat balance contribute?

It depends... . I wouldn't make the jump to a 33" drop 8 but a 32" drop 9 might be fine. My 10 YO 5', 75 lb DD swings a 31" drop 10 with no issues (ok well no issues might be pushing it but she does ok with it ) . Does she have any teammates which swing similar size bats which she can try?

 

[badmonkey]

DD is 12, she is currently swinging a demarini cfx 31" drop 10. It is 2 years old.

Her coach recommended we start looking with a 32-33" and a drop 8 or 9. Isn't that a really big bat? DD is 5'3" and 130 pounds, or around there. We will have her try out bats, but I assume there are limited bats available to try, far fewer than the million online. I don't mean to question her coach, but it seems drop 8 and drop 9 are far less common than 10 or 11. DD is strong. Regular 12 yo strong kid kind of strong, not hold the phone kind of strong.

How does bat balance contribute?

My DD is 11. 4'10" 76lbs. I got a deal on a 32 -9 LXT and I picked it up thinking in a year or so she could use it assuming a growth spurt. She wanted to use it in BP at home, and she actually swung it OK. She threw a fit when I wouldn't let her take it to a tournament. I decided to let her swing it at a league game so she could see how it would be too big for live pitching. She jacked one to the fence. Your DD has a bit of height and weight on mine, and I'm assuming of fair bit of strength. I'd wager she could handle a 32 -9. I'd definitely have her swing some bats before you drop $350 on a guess, though.

And as a side note, damn that ball jumps off the -9 vs her 31 -11.

 

[crisco]

Thanks for the input.

She is a big kid, she has 55 pounds on those responding with 75 pound kids, and most kids on her team are lighter than her. Some are her height or taller, not sure what matters more. I will ask around to see what her teammates might have for her to test. She is a tumbler for cheer, and I have definitely noticed that her softball helps her tumbling and her tumbling helps her softball. I have no doubt she is a strong kid who can handle a hefty bat. I would rather buy a bat this year and next year instead of buying something that is more than she can handle.

 

[cnardone]

I would rather buy a bat this year and next year instead of buying something that is more than she can handle.

This statement should be a sticky!!!!

 

[murphdog]

You want a bat that she’s comfortable with. It’s more than whether she can handle the length/weight.
DD is 5’5” and maybe 120 lbs and swings a 33/23 and has for a while. She’s always preferred a heavier bat than her size would suggest and many times coaches suggested a smaller/lighter bat until they really watched her swing both.
Are there any girls on her team with a bigger bat than she swings that she can try in a few practices/games to get a feel for what she likes?

 

[Rick M]

13yo DD is 5'2", about 110 pounds. She's been swinging a Ghost 32" -10 for just over a year. The Ghosts are notoriously overweight, so it's probably closer to a -9 from other manufacturers. It definitely took her a while to adjust -- she hit a lot of pop-ups to second base when she first started using it.

I'm ordering her a new one with the dual stamp for 2020, and was going to get the -11 to make up for the weight difference. But just in the last few weeks she's been hitting really well with it and wants to keep the same weight.

There will be an adjustment period, but going with the heavier bat will work to her advantage in the long run.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Never buy a bat now for her to use thinking she will grow into it...always buy what fits her now. I know
bats aren't cheap, but having her use a bat too heavy will not be a fun experience for her and might even ruin
it for her.

As for choice...its always best to go feel bats somewhere in person or use someones. But going from a balanced 31/21 bat
to a bigger bat AND a drop9 seems to be quite a jump and considering 99% of bats aren't on sticker weight.

 

[crisco]

going from a balanced 31/21 bat
to a bigger bat AND a drop9

Are the heavier bats necessarily not balanced weight? I am still struggling with the balance part. Are drop 8 bats always end loaded or something?