Thoughts on adding a LXT or Xeno to a Rocketech hitters bag

[vdubya]

It probably weighs about 3oz less than her RT. No way it hit with the same amount of power unless it is the same weight. Seriously ... that is a 15% difference. That is a ton.

Worth repeating, and another way of suggesting to 'swing the heaviest bat that doesn't slow DD's swing speed.'

 

[Greenmonsters]

A hitter with a mechanically sound swing consistently should hit well with any bat, with the difference between different bats principally being ball exit speed/distance. After allowing for a reasonable adjustment period, when the hitting results vary significantly based on the bat being used, it is often an indication that there is a swing flaw. When a RT produces good power v. pitching speeds within the hitter's comfort zone, but is inconsistent v. pitching speeds near/at the upper AND lower limits of the hitter's comfort zone, it strongly suggests that while the results may be effective, the swing is not mechanically sound and that the player will struggle when the quality of pitching improves.

IMO, if you swing and consistently hit well with a RT against all types of pitching, you should be able to swing and hit well with any bat. If not, take a hard look at the swing mechanics.

 

[carvergear]

Quick post season update on the bats. After deciding on the LXT she used it in practices and one tournament. She did not have good results with it and came to the conclusion I had that this was not the right bat for her. She was still connecting but not driving with power like she had been and decided she didn't want to use it. We returned the bat to LS (who took the bat back with no problem under their 30 day trial warranty. Side note...the LS customer service people were great and seemed to really to take note of what she didn't like about it to pass to their R&D people. Great company who seem to take pride in customer satisfaction). The team she was playing on had a deal with DeMarini so we got the CF7 Insane, and I was also able to get a Mako as well. She didn't care for the Mako at all and it only has about 3 BP sessions and one game on it (need to list it for sale). The CF7 did OK, but same as LXT, she couldn't generate the same line power as she was used to with her RT. Ultimately she went back to her RT for the last 2 tournaments and did very well (hit for the cycle in second game using it again). Guess that goes to prove the odd adage of "if it isn't broke don't fix it", or her new adage of "stop screwing around with my bats...dad".

I know where you're coming from. My DD just had to have a new bat for this past summer. Decided on a new 2008(?) Easton Synergy scn8b. She really liked it at first, but her batting average fell dramatically. She was dropped from the number 4 slot to 8th. My wife was pissed at me for trying to fix what wasn't broken. DD picked up her old bat, an Easton cv12(2010) and hasn't looked back. She said she prefers the end loaded feel of her cv12.

 

[carvergear]

A hitter with a mechanically sound swing consistently should hit well with any bat, with the difference between different bats principally being ball exit speed/distance. After allowing for a reasonable adjustment period, when the hitting results vary significantly based on the bat being used, it is often an indication that there is a swing flaw. When a RT produces good power v. pitching speeds within the hitter's comfort zone, but is inconsistent v. pitching speeds near/at the upper AND lower limits of the hitter's comfort zone, it strongly suggests that while the results may be effective, the swing is not mechanically sound and that the player will struggle when the quality of pitching improves.

IMO, if you swing and consistently hit well with a RT against all types of pitching, you should be able to swing and hit well with any bat. If not, take a hard look at the swing mechanics.

I agree with you.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

If your ideal bat weight is 32/22...go pick up a 32/20 and tell me if you have the pop/hit as hard with it and most of all...feel comfy with it.

This wasn't intended for GM, I understand what you mean. This was meant for the OP to consider

 

[Westwind]

GM, those are really good comments.

I think I have seen what you are talking about. I always felt it was related to having to commit to the swing too early. Prob not that simple.

 

[Greenmonsters]

GM, those are really good comments.

I think I have seen what you are talking about. I always felt it was related to having to commit to the swing too early. Prob not that simple.

WW - give yourself some credit! IMO you're pretty much on target. I'm guessing that you've seen what I've seen - a lot of bombs when a long, slow swing with a RT runs into an average fastball, but when the speed (and off-speed) steps up, that same swing gets exposed. The recipe for success is to swing the heaviest bat you can without sacrificing swing speed or mechanics.

 

[vdubya]

GM, you have dealt some gems today.

 

[Greenmonsters]

GM, you have dealt some gems today.

It's fall here in New England and you'd have to be an incredibly unlucky and blind squirrel not to find an acorn.

 

[Westwind]

I'm going to take a shot at this.

I think that one of the ways kids with that long slow swing are successful with RT is late bat speed. They have similar hall marks, they set up crowding the plate to make as many pitches as possible "inside". They catch the ball out front when that sawlog is at max velocity. They pull almost every pitch and have a good result when they don't ground out to ss because the ball was hit too far out front.

That is why you see 10 u studs swinging RT. Crowd the plate, young pitchers shy away from hitting her, batter gets a perfect pitch on outside half to pull and whammo.

The kids who can swing a bat like that and can get it moving soon, have early bat speed, can set up correctly and take an outside pitch opposite hard are the ones that are dangerous, probably with any bat in their hands.