Does an ounce and an inch make that much of a difference???

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Mar 20, 2014
918
28
Northwest
Does an ounce and an inch make that much of a difference in a bat???

After swinging the 2015 Xeno at a college showcase, my DD worked her guts out and earned the money to buy her new bat. She had been swinging a 33/23 Easton FS1 and decided to get the 33/24 Xeno. Last night at her first semi-private hitting lesson with a D1 head coach, the coach told her that she should be swinging the heaviest bat that she could swing without slowing her hands down (DD is a very strong power hitter). The coach had her swing one of the team's 2014 Xenos that was a 34/25 and said that she should replace the new Xeno with a 34/25!

New bat is less than a month old and while it has a bunch of practice swings on it, it has never been swung in a game. She has been hitting the snot out of the ball with her new bat and loves it - has even hit a bunch over a 225' fence in practice. Does an ounce of weight and an inch of length really make that much of a difference that we need to figure out how to get her the heavier/longer bat? :confused:
 
Last edited:
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
I'm curious about the answer here as well, as DD is ready for a new bat, and she's probably going to something 2 ounces heavier.

But, if my daughter were hitting them 225+ in practice, I wouldn't scrap the new bat to go heavier. Not sure I'd pay $300 extra for one ounce. :)
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
Not sure I'd pay $300 extra for one ounce.
Unless it was...1 oz. gold bar $ 1,290.26
if my daughter were hitting them 225+ in practice, I wouldn't scrap the new bat to go heavier
Agree, will the 1 more oz help her to hit them 235' +. Fence is only 220':p
 
Last edited:

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Going to a 34/25 directly is likely too big a jump at this time IMO. Getting used to and having success under game conditions with her new bat will keep her confidence high. Entertain transitioning to the bigger bat before the next season.

FWIW hitting 225 ft v. 250 ft may not seem important if the fences are 200 or 220 feet, but the difference in distance is due to the ball exit velocity off the bat. A higher ball exit velocity means that the balls that aren't going over the fence are still traveling faster and giving the fielders less time to react and make a play which means more hits, runs, higher BA, OBA, ROEs, OPS, RBIs and team Ws.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
The coach had her swing one of the team's 2014 Xenos that was a 34/25 and said that she should replace the new Xeno with a 34/25!

Some people love to spend other people's money.

Is there a 34/25 you can borrow to try out in a live pitching situation? The change in length and weight might be magic or it might be death. It's a hard thing to predict.
 
Mar 20, 2014
918
28
Northwest
Some people love to spend other people's money.

Is there a 34/25 you can borrow to try out in a live pitching situation? The change in length and weight might be magic or it might be death. It's a hard thing to predict.
She swung the team's 34/25 2014 Xeno for the lesson yesterday. She hit fine with it. Seemed to me that her bat speed might have been a little slower (which might have been due to the adjustments that the coach was making to her swing) but it didn't seem to be too heavy/long for her (she is just shy of 5'8" and very strong). I asked DD what she thought and she said that it didn't feel any heavier but that she likes her new bat better...
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
She swung the team's 34/25 2014 Xeno for the lesson yesterday. She hit fine with it. Seemed to me that her bat speed might have been a little slower (which might have been due to the adjustments that the coach was making to her swing) but it didn't seem to be too heavy/long for her (she is just shy of 5'8" and very strong). I asked DD what she thought and she said that it didn't feel any heavier but that she likes her new bat better...

There is value in comfort and confidence with the bat in your hand.
 

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