Archive for Baseball Bats
Baseball Bat Selection
Posted by: | CommentsBat Selection
Parents ask me all the time what type and size bat should they get their young player. Believe me there are lots of options and coaches have a variety of opinions on the subject.
This is a Tee Ball instruction manual so I would suggest you go with a Tee Ball specific bat for your young players or child.
Here are the common lengths to weight ratios for Tee Ball bats:
- 24 inch – 11.5 ounces
- 25 inch – 12.5 ounces
- 26 inch – 13. 5 ounces
- 27 inch – 14. 5 ounces
First or second year Tee Ball players should normal use the 24 or 25 inch bat unless they are well above average in size and strength. More on using a heavy bat later. Most of these bats can be purchased from local sporting goods stores or online for $25-$50. Average Tee Ball bat cost is about $30. I would not get too caught up in all the bat technology at these young ages. It really has very little to do with how well they hit at this age.
Below I’ve outlined a little more advanced bat selection and its not something you would expect to see in a Tee Ball manual; however I think it’s important for you to have should you have bigger kids playing for you. Some leagues play Tee Ball up through the 6 year old level so you could benefit from this information.
If you can’t use it today it will be something you can use for years to come to select bats for your child or the players on your team.
Remember that successful hitting is more about the batter than it is the bat. The technology will only make a slight difference so don’t get caught up in it. To me it comes down to getting a bat in your player’s hands and seeing what they feel the most comfortable with. Below is a guide for you to use when sizing a bat to a player. Remember these are guidelines for average players so use your own judgment.
Bat Length Sizing Chart
| Height | 3′-3’4″ | 3’5″-3’8″ | 3’9″-4′ | 4’1″-4’4″ | 4’5″-4’8″ | 4’9″-5′ | 5’1″-5’4″ | 5’5″-5’8″ | 5’9″-6′ | 6’1″-over |
| Weight | ||||||||||
| < 60 | 26″ | 27″ | 28″ | 29″ | 29″ | |||||
| 61-70 | 27″ | 27″ | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | ||||
| 71-80 | 28″ | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | ||||
| 81-90 | 28″ | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 32″ | |||
| 91-100 | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | |||
| 101-110 | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | |||
| 111-120 | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | |||
| 121-130 | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | ||
| 131-140 | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | ||
| 141-150 | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | |||
| 151-160 | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | 33″ | ||
| 161-180 | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | 34″ | |||
| 181-190 | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | 34″ | 34″ | |||||
| 190 + | 33″ | 33″ | 34″ | 34″ | ||||||
| Bat Length by Age Guide | ||||||||||
| AGE | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 | 11-12 | 13-14 | 15-16 | ||||
| LENGTH | 24″-26″ | 26″-28″ | 28″-29″ | 30″-31″ | 31″-32″ | 32″-33″ | ||||
Bat Weight Selection
- You will find most bat’s are weighted in ounces
- Bats have a weight to length ratio that applies to them.
- A -12 weight to length ratio for example means that on a 28 inch bat the bat weights 16 ounces. This is sometimes referred to as weight drop.
- You will see bats have a variety of ratio’s from -3 to -13
- Selecting weight depends on the strength of the player using the bat and to a lesser extent personal preference.
- Big strong players will usually prefer a heavier bat since they get the benefits of it being more heft but since they are strong it want slow down their swing.
- Smaller players should choose a bat that is lighter in order to increase the swing speed.
- I suggest players under 9 use the lightest bat possible by rule.
- Most of the players below 9 would benefit from a -12 or -13 drop off the length suggested in the table above.
Heavy Bats
Over the years we have always recommended the use of a light bat for most hitters. There are many reasons but one of the main ones is that heavy bats can lead to extremely poor swing fundamentals and I can assure you they will be hard to break when the player gets older.
Several well know players and coaches have said over the years that using a heavy bat can ruin your swing and we are in complete agreement with that so make sure you lean towards a lighter bat. I would choose the lightest bat I could find for the length I need.
A few additional problems heavy bats cause
- The heavy the bat the harder it is to control thus you will strike out more.
- A heavy bat can make your upper body have to do all the work and that will cause you to pull your front foot off the ball.
- And last but not least it will slow your swing down considerably and actually cost you power.
2 Best Big Barrel Baseball Bats
Posted by: | CommentsIn yesterday’s post we discussed ultra light bats and I gave you a few recommendations. These three bats I’ve seen used by a number of players with great success. I don’t just have a site of recommendation after recommendation so when I say they are good bats I’ve seen the used by players.
Here are the three ultra light bats I recommended in my last post:
Easton 2011 Reflex LX71 (-13) Youth Baseball Bat
Louisville Slugger 2011 Omaha YB116 (-13.5) Youth Baseball Bat
DeMarini 2011 Voodoo Black DXVDL (-13) Youth Baseball Bat
There is something for every budget but remember, it’s more the hitter than it is the bat so teach good fundamental swing mechanics if you want to achieve success.
Big Barrel Bats
Big barrel bats are fantastic and create a lot of offense that make the games very exciting; however they can potentially be very unsafe. While the bats are constructed very similar to 2 ¼ barrel bats, their size just make it easier for players to square the ball up. Additionally, their design creates more of trampoline effect that can absolutely launch baseballs.
As a coach of a travel team and one that pitches to players using these bats I can tell you it can be very scary when someone hits the ball back up the middle. The ball really does fly off the bat. Our team has been very fortunate not to have had any injury due to these bats but the potential does exist.
There is a lot of controversy about the use of these bats and that’s mainly due to the safety issue associated with them. Most of your recreational leagues will not allow them to be used because of insurance reasons. Several of the major youth organizations have banned these bats for players under the age of thirteen and within a year or so I suspect most others will follow suit.
As a coach that believes strongly in fundamental swing development I would have no issue if they were banned completely as I think big barrel bats can harm good swing mechanics. I say all of this but when it comes to games we play in, I allow my players to use them as we would be at a tremendous disadvantage without them. I guess it will take all leagues banning them for coaches to stop using the bats and that sadly includes me.
The two bats below are really the only one’s that I feel comfortable recommending. I’ve see them used by my players and other teams with success so I feel I’m giving you good advice. I’m sure there are other bats that are just as good, but I haven’t seen them used. Hope this gives you some direction as to what bat to purchase.
Remember, you need to check with your league before buying one of these bats. I’ve seen recreational league parents spend a lot of money on these bats and found out they are not allowed to be used. If you play USSSA or other select tournaments it should be ok for this season but check just to be safe.
In the next year or so, I’m not sure they will continue to be allowed but time will tell. Until then, enjoy the recommendations as they are good baseball bats.
Recommended Bats:
Easton 2011 BV22 V12(-10) Coach Pitch Baseball Bat
Miken 2011 MV-3 CPMV3115 (-11.5) Coach Pitch Bat
Selecting a Baseball Bat
Posted by: | CommentsWell, the spring baseball season is upon us and it will not be long before children all over the country start playing the great game of baseball again. The Youth Baseball Insider thought it appropriate to look into a topic that will be on a lot of peoples minds in the coming months and that’s how do I select a bat for my young player?
With all the choices available today it can really be a difficult thing to do; however we are hear to make it a little easier on you. Over the next several posts we will take a look at selecting a bat and giving you advice on all the different options you have.
But to start, I want to say one thing. The batter is more important than the bat in most cases. The real key is to get the correct length and weight for the player’s strength and size. The type of bat used is secondary in this coach’s opinion.
I know the bat companies will hate to here me say that but it’s true. Any coach that has watched players hit the baseball can quickly realize the batter’s swing is the most important. On our travel team the player that hits the best for us uses one of the cheapest bats available but absolutely hammers the ball. Why? Because he has a great fundamental swing developed in practice. Yes, he could benefit from a two piece composite bat but only marginal.
My point here is to not get too caught up into the type of bat used by your player. Make sure you get them a bat that is the correct length and weight as that will do more for create a great swing than the bat itself.
Here is our bat sizing guidelines:
|
Type of swing: |
Slowest to Fastest Swing | Slowest to Fastest Swing |
| Age |
Weight (oz) |
Length (inches) |
|
Under 9 years of age |
-13.5oz 13oz |
26″, 27″, 28″ |
| 9-12 years of age |
-12oz -10oz -8oz |
29″,30″,31″ |
| 13-14 years of age |
-10oz -8oz -5oz -3oz |
31″,32″,33″ |
The table above breaks down the weight and length based on swing type from slowest swing to the fastest swing.
To give you an example of how to read the table here you go:
You have a 10 year old with a slower than average swing, what bat should you buy him?
Answer: The table says he should have a -12oz bat with a 29″ length. This means he needs a 29 inch, 17 oz bat.
This works very well for most players just keep in mind it’s less accurate when children reach either extreme. If they are substantially weaker or stronger than average you need to be your own judge.
Hold the bat out test:
I do want to caution parents about judging what size bat a player needs by holding the bat out for 10-15 seconds. While this can be effective for older players, it’s really not for those under 9. Most 9 years and younger players are just not strong enough for any of the bats on the market today except for tee ball bats. I would not suggest tee ball bats for coach pitch player’s as the bats will not hold up. You will be forced to have them swing a bat slightly heavier than idea but it’s usually not a problem once they get used to the weight. Just use the table above as a guideline and you will be fine.
This is all for today but over the next several days we will look the types of bats available with all the pro’s and con’s. We will even provide a few recommendations along the way for every budget. Hope you enjoyed today’s post.
2011 Bat Rules by Major Governing Bodies
Posted by: | CommentsNational Collegiate Athletic Association – BBCOR standard will go into effect January 1, 2011. This BBCOR standard also includes ABI testing on Accelerated Break-in. No BESR bats will be allowed.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics – NAIA will follow the NCAA standard
National Junior College Athletic Association – NJCAA will follow the NCAA standard
National Federation of High School Athletic Associations – BESR standards will be allowed in 2011 provided those bats can meet the ABI standard. In 2012 and beyond the bats must meet the BBCOR standard.
Amateur Athletic Union – For divisions 15U and older, National Federation of High School Athletic Association rules apply but under that age group there are no restrictions.
Babe Ruth Baseball – All division’s will use of both metal and wood bats. All bats must be no larger than 2 ¾ inches in diameter and less than 42 inches in length. In Cal Ripken Division the bats shall not be more than 33 inches in length nor have a bat barrel more than 2 ¼ inch in diameter.
Little League Baseball – For major division and below bats will not have more than 33 inches in length and no more than 2 ¼ inches in diameter. No wood bats shall be printed with a bat performance factor of 1.15 or less. Junior division bats shall not be longer than 34 inches and the barrel cannot be more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter. Senior league and big league division’s bats shall be no more than 36 inches in length and no more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter. All non-wood bats shall meet the BESR performance standard and all bats should be labeled with a certification mark. There is also a moratorium on the use of composite bats in the junior, senior and big league divisions and will remain in effect until further notice.
Disclaimer:
All of these rules are subject to change without notice and we are not responsible for any omission. Please check with your specific league prior to purchasing a baseball bat. Your league can provide you will details. Please don’t purchase a bat without reviewing the rules of your league.
Baseball Bat Standards and Terminology
Posted by: | CommentsAs everyone familar with youth baseball up and through the college level there continues to be concern of how hot bats are and what can be done about it. There is a serious push to make Aluminum and Composit Bats perform more like wood bats.
This coach feels that’s a good thing; however the standards can be confusing and I’m always being asked about bat standards so I thought I would put up a couple of articles regarding it.
Today’s post will explain some of the common bat terminology to get you up to speed on what we are talking about. Tomorrow I will post the standards by which certain National Orgainzations follow regarding bats.
Baseball Bat Guide:
Composite Bat
A composite bat is an example of improved technological advancements in the industry which take the aluminum bat to a whole new level. Basically a composite bat is constructed just like an aluminum one from an exterior standpoint; however there is a woven graphite wall on the inside that you cannot see. This gives the bat an advantageous swing weight as compared to a traditional aluminum bat. In addition you get an improved trampoline effect which helps the ball pop off the bat.
BESR
This is know as the “Ball Exit Speed Ratio” and is the standard by which controls are placed on the performance of metal bats. It can be controlled in such a way to make them perform more like wood bats. The test measures the speed at which a baseball comes off the barrel of the bat. The testing is conducted with a ball striking a stationary bat and measuring the ratio of the rebounded ball speed to the incoming ball speed. This test is what’s currently being used; however a change to BBCOR will happened officially before long.
BBCOR
This is known as the “Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution” and is the new standard for metal bat testing. The BBCOR is tested just like the BESR but adds a value for the inertia of the bat itself. All weight and inertia requirements that applied for BESR approved bats will still be enforced for BBCOR approved bats.
ABI
Accelerated Break-in is a term that describes how a bat performs after lots of use and can actually get better with time. Coaches and Players have accelerated the use of bats artificially to gain an advantage with improved bat performance so the ABI test was developed to combat this. This test measures the improved performance over the useful life of a bat and ensures at no point does it outperform the original BBCOR standard.
Length/weight Ratio
Baseball organizations set limits on the differences between a bats length, measured in inches and a bats weight, measured in ounces. This ensures players don’t swing bats that are too light. For high school and college a typical limit is -3. Basically that means a 34 inch bat must weigh at least 31 ounces. Youth programs have different requirements and the difference can be -12 to -13. Check with your organization to see the restrictions.
Bat Rolling
Bat Rolling is basically a way to improve performance of a bat by artificial means. You place the bat under the pressure of rollers to accelerate the break-in process. Since testing is now done on the performance over time this method is not very useful.
