Re-thinking bat weight ratios

[InsidePitch]

DD was hitting a 31-13 last year which she hit well. She grew about 3 inches and is now 5'5", 105 lbs. This year she went to a 32 -12 Miken Rain. She put the bat on the ball but never really hit it with much authority and then our team came down with "no hit-i-tus". How we won any games is amazing and they were usually 2-1 or less. Loses where the same.

Anyway, DD started hitting after sending her to a week long camp but I thought with her swing she should be sending more to the OF so decided to try something different and picked up a 2010 CF4 32 -10. Wow, what a difference. The extra 2 oz didn't hurt her speed at all and she started finding the OF the first night she used it with the hit of the night.

I'm sure the new found confidence is a major contributing factor. She put the bat on the ball well last week but I felt there was more in her ability. With the new bat this week she sent more into the outfield. (Amy was the one that swayed me towards a heavier bat) I was an advocate of the light bat and probably still am for younger slightly built girls but as they mature I think the heavier bat now is the way to go. I think next year we try some -9's.

This was a solid shot up the middle on a low inside pitch. DD loads the back foot and does not step the front.

 

[RichK]

Yes. Moving from -12 or -13 to a -10 will have a big impact. Use a shorter bat at -10 if DD has trouble handling it. The mass will matter.

I've told this story before, I was able to grab a -13 at both ends and bend it in my hands. Such bats trampoline backwards when hitting a pitch with any speed at all. Weak, low "pop-ups" start to reach the outfield on a line...And yes, learn a good swing sequence above all.

Good luck to your daughter.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Good luck to your dd. She is the exact size of mine. We have the same type of bat, but a 33-23. She loves it.

 

[starsnuffer]

I honestly feel the light bats are only good for really weak kids or kids who are newer to the sport. The more the kid practices and swings the bat (t work in the back yard or garage is great) the stronger they get, and in just a few months they're ready for a regular -10 bat and will hit the ball a LOT harder. In summary, if the kid can't put the bat on the ball and is consistently late or hitting to the RF side, a light bat is a good idea. Once contact is being made consistently, increasing bat weight is a good idea.

-W

 

[softballphreak]

You can be too light as well as too heavy. On average I'd say anything below drop ten is probably too light. Too heavy a bat can cause problems when learning fundamentals. 21-23 oz bat are probably going to fit the bill in most cases. 24-27 oz should be the exception at HS and lower.

 

[Hoover's Dad]

My DD is a small 9year old that is useing a Combat 30-18, she hits pretty good with it, but does not have enough power to hit balls past people or over there heads.

We also have a Easton Stealth 30-20 that she can kill a ball with, but when I filmed her swinging the heavier bat, I could see a good bit of bat drag. plus she couldnt get it around fast enough to catch up with fast pitchers.

So we are sticking with the 30/18 to keep her mechanics in tact, and hopefully she gets stronger and can use the other bat.

We routinely hit balls at the high school field (205' fence), there are 35 11" balls in our 6gal bucket. She will hit maybe 7or 8 to the fence with the -12 and will hit more than half the bucket with the -10 to the fence.


But sometimes different brands of bats are either lighter or at least feel lighter than others of the same drop. I offered my dd's 30/20 stealth to a kid last week to use at the USFA World series, the girl picked it up and said it felt like a log. She was using a friends brand new 31/21 Demarinni. I picked up the Demarinni and it felt light as a feather compared to the Stealth.

I think if I would go ahead and get some TCB balls that would help her hit through the ball and gain some more power.

 

[InsidePitch]

Her hitting instructor recommended a Louisville Slugger Catalyst last year, 31/-10. She was hitting well with it when her All Star coach said it was too heavy and she immediately stopped hitting with it. I bought the Bustos -13 and she started hitting again. I suspect she is susceptible to coach influence very easily. I wonder if coaches ever stop to think about the power they hold over their teams. I have always told the team coaches that dd goes to a hitting instructor. I wonder if I should also say take her or leaver her but don't mess with her swing unless you are ready to pony up the same kinds of money for an equally qualified instructor. FWIW, this is 12U.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Gee, the Catalyst is a much better bat than the Bustos. I swing the 32,22 myself and the more I hit with it, the better it gets. I use the old yellow one.

I think if a girl is hitting well, a coach should leave her alone.

 

[softballphreak]

Her hitting instructor recommended a Louisville Slugger Catalyst last year, 31/-10. She was hitting well with it when her All Star coach said it was too heavy and she immediately stopped hitting with it. I bought the Bustos -13 and she started hitting again. I suspect she is susceptible to coach influence very easily. I wonder if coaches ever stop to think about the power they hold over their teams. I have always told the team coaches that dd goes to a hitting instructor. I wonder if I should also say take her or leaver her but don't mess with her swing unless you are ready to pony up the same kinds of money for an equally qualified instructor. FWIW, this is 12U.

Private instruction is a difficult issue at times. It gets even stickier when there is more than one kid with their own instructor. I think it is best to have discussions with the coach and instructor so that it is clear to everyone what the policy is.

 

[InsidePitch]

It is a difficult situation. I'm paying good money, some would say too much money for this instructor. Equivalent to what I pay for DDs off season workouts so obviously I don't want someone with less than His resume trying to interject their techniques.