Heavy bat or light bat?

[GA42sDad]

Need help understanding this. I've read on this site and other related forums that bat speed is one of the keys to good hitting along with proper hitting mechanics.. I seen on a post on this site that a heavy bat will make the ball go farther along with proper mechanics.
Will someone please help me with understand this.. My daughter swings a Steallth 31/21. She had a Synge 18.5 but it was time to get a new one because it had run its course due to pop off of bat..
Would love to understand the concept of a heavy bat vs a lighter bat..

Thanks

 

[redhotcoach]

Imo it is heaviest bat you can swing without losing speed and good mechanics.

Again imo I think the biggest problem that parents take little Sarah in to the sporting goods store and say "I read them say on dfp that you should swing a heavier bat". So they pick up a 23oz and little Sarah doesn't look quite right, so then they pick up a 19oz and little Sarah flies through the swing with it. Parents decide the dfp guys are wrong, and walk out with the 19oz.

It takes a few 100 swings min to get used to a new bat weight. My best advice is borrow someones heavier bat, buy a used heavier bat, or worst case buy the cheapest new heavier bat you can find. Hit with it for a few weeks to a month, then decide what bat weight works best.
Or do like us and have a fp bat at every weight... no kidding, just put them all together and dd (or me) has a 18,19.5,20,21,22,23,25, and 26; plus my 26 and 30.

 

[softballphreak]

The advice of borrowing someone else's bat above is the ideal way to test the bats. Most of the time another player will let you try their bat in practice and in games.

The quality of the bat does make a difference, so don't buy a "cheap" bat. An inexpensive bat should not be a "cheap" bat. There is a difference.

Using a heavy bat for drills is different than using it as a game bat. Read some of the other posts on the subject. Search this forum, in other words.

Bottom line, after all other considerations, is the batter MUST have confidence in the bat. She MUST love the bat!

 

[2bucketdad]

The info about heavier bats for drills is dead on IMO my youngest DD swings a 34 24 in games and swings a 34 27 in practice...

And before you say WTF she is a slugger just turned 15 and 5'8" 170 16 homeruns this year...

 

[iMlearning]

The info about heavier bats for drills is dead on IMO my youngest DD swings a 34 24 in games and swings a 34 27 in practice...

And before you say WTF she is a slugger just turned 15 and 5'8" 170 16 homeruns this year...

WTF...oh, too late

 

[nanotech14]

here is another way to think about it. You and a buddy at a bar, buddy runs is mouth to a couple of guys. Both guys are MMA fighters, one fights in the light weight class, the other heavy weight class. You do you want to get punched in the face by?

 

[LeftiesDad]

Here is a study on the question. He has done the math for you and makes nice graphs.

Bat Weight, Swing Speed and Ball Velocity

 

[iMlearning]

Here is a study on the question. He has done the math for you and makes nice graphs.

Bat Weight, Swing Speed and Ball Velocity

That formula has my DD using about a 30oz bat. Seems way to high but she does like her 28oz practice bat.

 

[MsDinosaur]

I've always enjoyed reading that material, but IMO the fastpitch equation is worthless and has been ever since the first time I saw it. Let's face it, when the slowpitch calculation yields a far lighter bat weight than the fastpitch, something's just not right.

However, the youth baseball equations seem pretty good; I ignore the fastpitch and look at those as a general guideline. The 13-17 puts my DD into a 22 oz bat which is right in the ballpark. She's stocky, so the weight-based 11-12 equation puts her into the 23-24 oz range. Probably a little high, but possible for her to learn to swing well--certainly nowhere near the fastpitch's 29 ounce calculation.

 

[iMlearning]

I've always enjoyed reading that material, but IMO the fastpitch equation is worthless and has been ever since the first time I saw it. Let's face it, when the slowpitch calculation yields a far lighter bat weight than the fastpitch, something's just not right.

However, the youth baseball equations seem pretty good; I ignore the fastpitch and look at those as a general guideline. The 13-17 puts my DD into a 22 oz bat which is right in the ballpark. She's stocky, so the weight-based 11-12 equation puts her into the 23-24 oz range. Probably a little high, but possible for her to learn to swing well--certainly nowhere near the fastpitch's 29 ounce calculation.

Okay, that seems more reasonable and puts my DD in that same range, which is what her game bat is.