Bat Sting

[mdgtoothy]

I am coaching a Fall Ball Recreations 12U team. 11 of 12 girls on our team are moving up from 10U RIF ball to 12U hard ball. I am getting lot of complaints about bat sting from the girls. My question is whether this is just something they will get used to or is it something else. Many of the girls have smaller/lighter bats that they have probably been using for the last two yrs of 10U and I wasn't sure if a heavier bat would negate some of the sting issues.

I am familiar with the physics of the causes of bat sting and know that the composite bats have some dampening to remove the vibration, but was wondering more about the mass of the bat and any impact that might have. I seem to be getting complaints from end of the bat hits, sweet spot hits, on the hands and both metal and composites.

Anecdotal experience is fine by me for this one. I'll save the hardcore research for when I am retired and decide to get a PhD in physics.

Thanks

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You have the right idea. I wouldn't think that any bat would sting, if they hit the sweet spot. Make certain you have then in a good batting posture and they are bending to reach the ball, not just casting their hands out. I show them where the bat should be meeting the ball.

Yes, a tad better bats will help, too. Maybe they all need a little bigger bat.

Also, I like for the girls to wear batting gloves.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Read the posts Howard/Hitter has posted on Grip. My kids don't wear batting gloves when we work on hitting.

 

[abbygale]

Totally agree with the above post about reading Hitter's comments on bat grip. Go to a batting cage yourself and see what the differences feel like. And you don't need a high dollar bat or gloves when you do it. It will be much easier showing and explaining to them what you are trying to accomplish, especially if you have some fresh memories of bat sting vs no sting.

If you can get them out of at least that top hand glove, your teaching will get much easier.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Why no gloves? Ouch. Turbo slot gloves will put the bat where you want it. Any blisters on the hands will take the girls out of the game unnecessarily. My bat rotates in my hand (off set grip), so I don't swing even once without gloves on both hands. See Crystl Bustos, here -- extremsports: Crystl Bustos top player of soft ball

 

[Ken Krause]

Years ago I remember my son complaining about bat sting during a practice. (I was there as a parent only.) When practice was over I grabbed a few balls out of the trunk and hit them. Boy, he wasn't kidding. It was easy to see why he wasn't that enthused about hitting. We picked up the balls and headed immediately to the local sporting goods store. I bought him a bat and we stopped off at a field on the way home to test it before unwrapping it. Problem solved.

If the girls have been using cheap "beginner" bats, especially aluminum ones, perhaps it's time for their parents to spring for a new bat. They don't have to drop $400, but more than $30 would be good!

 

[lhowser]

I wasn't sure if a heavier bat would negate some of the sting issues.

Not always. The cheapie Easton Cyclone is many players first bat. It is heavy. It is I think a -8. It's like hitting with a steel pipe and it can sting.
Bat quality does make a difference. Most of the -12 composites I've seen sting and vibrate a lot (exception Miken Rain -12).

It is likely a swing mechanic issue though. When they hit the sweet spot problem will be solved. Until they do it is going to keep on stinging. get them some good cuts off a tee so they know what it feels like to swing and not get stung.

 

[mdgtoothy]

We are doing a lot of what is suggested. We work Tee and soft toss every practice and have 1 hr in cage once a week. We also use the reverse top hand drill off a Tee to get the girls the feeling of extention. We have our fair share of girls that cast and they get stung more frequently and we are working with them to get more balanced and more rotation in the lower body as they seem to keep that back foot nailed to the ground. We also have our fair share of Easton Synergy bats, et al in the bat rack.

Many of the girls are still swinging -12 bats. Probably a function of just being younger coming up from 10U. I have been trying to get a couple of the better hitters to move up to drop 11 or drop 10 bats (I know 2oz is a big jump for some) as they are strong girls with solid swings that IMO have the ability to maintain bat speed and swing mechanics with a heavier / longer bat. Some are still tiny and I think need the drop 12 bat to prevent drag issues.

My DD was swinging a 30/18 Halo Light in 10U and now is capably swinging a 31/19.5 composite Lisa Fernandez (a tad late but driving ball with power) borrowed from another girl on team. The larger mass seems to have alleviated most of the sting issue for her. I was just wondering if the larger mass is a driver of less sting with the harder ball.

Good news is we hit ball hard in our first Rec game and didn't go fishing for too many pitches that were hittable by only Shaq or a mermaid. And we scored more than the other team. Always a good outcome. Thanks for the input.

 

[Wellphyt]

If the ball is hit square it should not hurt. When the ball is hit off the end of the bat or off the handle it hurts like crazy. Demarini CF4, Easton Synergy, Easton Stealth; it doesn't matter. Adjusting the grip will help some and batting gloves will help some, but I don't think you can totally eliminate it.

 

[SBFAMILY]

One new training device to see if they are hitting the balls square . TCP training balls. You don't hit the ball square you get instant feedback. Howard/hitter has found they are a good training device for slappers. The ball stays on the bat longer.