Bat size and balance

[djcarter1966]

My DD swung a 31/21 until she was 14 yr old 5ft2in and 110 lbs. Then she went 32/22 until she graduated although she was more of a gap hitter not really a power hitter....not really sold on a 33 drop 8 suggestion by a coach for a twelve year old...lots of college HR hitters aren't swinging that big a bat...

 

[CoreSoftball20]

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?

Pm'd you...hope it helps try to get a feel on weighting. Didn't want to post a huge response in a thread

 

[Rolling Hard]

"Pm'd you...hope it helps try to get a feel on weighting. Didn't want to post a huge response in a thread ."

I like to know about weighting also.

 

[crisco]

Thanks, all, this has been very helpful.

The description on the website for the demarini FNX says it is a stiffer bat. What sort of hitter benefits from a stiffer bat?

 

[YOCOACH]

"Pm'd you...hope it helps try to get a feel on weighting. Didn't want to post a huge response in a thread ."

I like to know about weighting also.

Most bat manufacturers have models that are either balanced or end-loaded. For example, the LS Xeno is an end-load and the LXT is a balanced bat. That said, there are extremely few truly end-loaded composite bats until you get into slowpitch bats. Most FP bats calling themselves end-loaded take the weight and slide it down the barrels a bit and call them end-loaded. Compare that bat to a SP bat or a Rocketech and you'll instantly know the difference between a truly end-loaded bat and what manufacturers are claiming an end-loaded FP bat is.

As a general rule, power hitters with a high swing speed and good mechanics will benefit from a truly end-loaded bat. Most others will benefit from a balanced bat although I have seen some lefty slappers starting to use end-load models as well.

 

[YOCOACH]

Thanks, all, this has been very helpful.

The description on the website for the demarini FNX says it is a stiffer bat. What sort of hitter benefits from a stiffer bat?

That's code for your 'DD better have great swing mechanics and a huge swing speed otherwise the ball will go nowhere.' JK but not really. Stiffer bats usually benefit power hitters.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Compare that bat to a SP bat or a Rocketech and you'll instantly know the difference between a truly end-loaded bat and what manufacturers are claiming an end-loaded FP bat is.

That's for sure...funny what people think an endlaod is because FP markets the bat as so or think a bat is endloaded just because its overweight. Endload means at the end of the bat, most endload FP aren't really endloads...just heavier. You pick up a DC41 Miken SP bat or Primo ASA Supermax short barrel...those are endloads.

 

[mmeece]

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?

Just for frame of reference, on our 18u team we probably only have 2 or 3 girls that swing -9 and none that swing -8 that I know of. Most are 32-33 inch.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

You wont see many drop8s anywhere and most drop9s are going to be your 33/24 that you see. 32/23 and 34/25 aren't big
sellers.

 

[crisco]

We will have her look at (at least) 32/22 and 32/21 in whatever is available to demo in demarini, and 32/22 in the ghost.

I worry a little that what is available to her to demo will be one easton, one louisville, one demarini. I hope the variety is there.