How to best break in and use new CF6 without OVER using...?

[Carsonsig]

ok, got my DD a CF6 for this summer... this is her first nice bat. Therefore, I am STONE cold ignorant on how to best break in the bat... AND what people do as far as protecting a pricey piece of gear. Does she use it in practice? at BP? Will pitching machine balls hurt it...? She needs to use it, as it is a larger size and weight than her current bat... but I dont want to screw it up either! Thanks everyone!

 

[Little Angels Softball]

My team has a dozen CF6s (and half a dozen LXTs and a couple of Makos). We use them for everything and always have. Each has thousands of hits on it and all are still going strong.

We don't hit machine balls but we do hit the heavy TCBs. We hit regulation softballs to the tune of 200-300 swings per week, as well. Half the CF6s are still used as gamers, too.

I know this is your first "real bat" but my experience has shown me that these bats are great and they're tough so we just go out and hit and hit and hit and hit. If it's going to break, it'll break. While none of ours has, it does happen....that is what the warranty is for, as far as I'm concerned.

Just rotate it at first to get a fairly even break in then let 'er rip. We don't baby ours at all.

 

[longball00]

I second what Angels has said above. My DD's Mako has at least 3000 swings by now ( Hitting coach 3 days a week, weekly practice, and now 4 tournaments) Received it in Sept, and shows no sign of giving in.

 

[Carsonsig]

thanks!!!! I am glad to hear it...so, no go for machine balls... why? I use the machine a bit as we get into all stars to prep them from rec and its slower pitching....

 

[longball00]

We never use a machine. Front toss, soft toss and tee work only, besides live pitching. A machine delivers the same pitch over and over, and some girls develop what I call A Cage Swing. Same path for every pitch. May sound funny, but I have seen quite a few at the younger age.

 

[KCPRK]

Read the warranty card-it says only avoid the commercial pitching machines as in the ones that fling real balls at you with the lever arm that produces no spin on the ball.

So use the machine as they'll honor the warranty.

 

[humpty]

If you've got a receipt and a warranty. Beat the piss out of it. They get real hot right before they break. When it starts rattling and makes a cracking sound when hit it's getting right. When it brakes mail it in and get a new one.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

Nothing against machine balls.....we just don't use pitching machines in our training. That's why we don't hit machine balls.

 

[riseball]

I think the problem with machine balls/commercial cages is that the balls tend to get loaded with water and increase in weight. The additional mass with regular hitting could become a problem. But as one poster said you have a receipt and a warranty.

 

[Westwind]

DD just broke a Xeno. First bat she ever broke, she babied it, no jugs balls, used an old Catalyst when it was cold.

We are in the meat of her hs season, had a new one overnight end to us and I told her to hit it like she stole it, dimple balls and all.

I do think there is a difference between ages, my 11 year old has been mashing the ball pretty well for her age, played three in cold temps using a Rocketflex and hasn't put a dent in it. A 16 year old I know absolutely destroyed a RF on the same day in two at bats. Not dented; trashed, wrecked, triangled, paint coming off in flakes.... Looked like she stuck it out the window of grandmas Buick and hit every mailbox on a country road.