Heavy bat or light bat?

[FiveFrameSwing]

 

[SoGASoftball]

Now I am proven wrong and concede...

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

LOL ... SGS, I was reviewing my Williams material last night and came across that comment ... thought I'd share it.

No question though, Williams did make use of heavy barrels ... but he also had smart goals/objectives as he worked with them.

 

[jbooth]

Regarding this graph ...

Notice the 'red' "batted ball speed" curve. The 'red' curve doesn't drop off much after it peaks ... sort of flat. I interpret this to imply that those with a healthy swing are not as greatly impacted by a small increase in barrel weight.

Compare that graph to the following graph ....

Notice how the 'red' curve drops off more sharply with increases in barrel weight. I interpret this to imply that those with an inferior swing ... arm swingers ... are more at the mercy of barrel weight.

These graphs point out the basic laws of physics. Velocity of the bat has more of an affect on the impact than the weight. Kinetic energy formula is .5*mass*velocity squared.

As shown even an MLB power hitter cannot swing a heavier bat the same speed as the lighter one, but because they are very strong the blue line (velocity) doesn't drop as drastically with increase in weight, as it does for the weaker 10 year-old. The lack of speed by the 10 yo reduces the KE so much, that the batted ball speed drops. The ball has KE also, and the drop in KE in the bat, due to reduction in velocity, doesn't overcome the KE in the ball as much as it does with the MLB hitter who can keep the velocity up more.

It appears that 18 to 22 ounces, is OK for 10 yo's. Above that, and the velocity drops too much and you get a significant drop in KE.

A bat that is too light is also not good, because if you don't swing it at high velocity, then due to light mass AND low velocity, the KE is so low, that the ball will overcome the bat, and in slow motion you will see the bat recoil and/or get knocked off path.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

These graphs point out the basic laws of physics. Velocity of the bat has more of an affect on the impact than the weight. Kinetic energy formula is .5*mass*velocity squared.

In the graph above, swing speed is shown to decrease linearly with increased bat weight .... yet for a large portion of the graph there is an increase in batted ball speed.

 

[jbooth]

In the graph above, swing speed is shown to decrease linearly with increased bat weight .... yet for a large portion of the graph there is an increase in batted ball speed.

Yes, because a 23 oz bat is much too light for the speed/KE of an MLB pitch. A 32 oz at 65+ is ideal. At the heavier weights, their ability to still swing it fairly fast, allows the weight to help. Guys today use the ideal weight around 32oz whereas Ruth and Williams swung around the optimum weight. Less speed but they still got it around in time. Heavy is fine, if you can get to any pitch.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I think an important element not spoken to here in this thread is the ability for the batter to control her bat. My DD has a heavy and a lighter bat. She works out all off-season long with the heavier metal bat and into the cute little HS season where its too cold yet for composite.

BUT when she faces the better pitching in TB where two successive pitches break 12 inches apart from each other I think she has got to have the lighter, and more controllable bat in her hands.

I have seen DD, against the same great pitcher, look "owned" with her heavier bat, and then put the lighter one in her hands and it's a whole different story. Just from a couple ounces and a little difference in balance.

 

[jbooth]

I think an important element not spoken to here in this thread is the ability for the batter to control her bat. My DD has a heavy and a lighter bat. She works out all off-season long with the heavier metal bat and into the cute little HS season where its too cold yet for composite.

BUT when she faces the better pitching in TB where two successive pitches break 12 inches apart from each other I think she has got to have the lighter, and more controllable bat in her hands.

I have seen DD, against the same great pitcher, look "owned" with her heavier bat, and then put the lighter one in her hands and it's a whole different story. Just from a couple ounces and a little difference in balance.

That's true. I, and others on this board often state that you want as heavy of a bat as you can control and still get around on the best fastball at your level of competition. If you can't catch up to the fastballs in your league, you either need a better swing, or a lighter bat. But, you don't want an extremely light bat, just to get bat speed. Too light of a bat, will get overcome by the KE in the ball.