Proper bat size....???

...hey folks now that we're on the subject of bats, whats your opinion on how to size a bat to a kid?

I'll start by saying that the bat should be whats comfortable weight wise for the kid. OK, I know thats an easy answer so ya'll take this thread from here.

Thanks

Fishman

 

this is a nat avg...

A player should be able to swing their bat with a smooth level motion and in control when swinging at full speed. Provided is a national average for bats used at various ages.
Most Popular Length By Age
Age Length

5-7 .... 24-26"
8-9 .... 26-28"
10 .... 28-29"
11-12 ... 30-31"
13-14 ... 31-32"
15-16 ... 32-33"
17-18 ... 32-34"

 

Are those just lengths? My DD (who is 17) uses a -10 22oz 32".

IMO, you also have to let them demo/swing a bat in a cage or something to see how they like it. That is what is great about GrandSlam. They have a wide variety of demo bats the girls can try.

I have found that some bats are end heavy and a lot of girls (especially younger ones) have trouble getting the head through the strike zone.

 

correct

You are correct "MOST" bats have a 10oz drop and some are 9oz and some 11.5oz. but 10 is a good place to start. My chart was a normal 10oz chart. My DD is soon to be 12 swings a 31-21...

 

I didn't get a good answer..

....OK, heres the gig folks, ......why does a kid choke up on the bat? Isn't there a knob at the end of a bat for a reason?
If by choking up, which slides down the hands, which moves the pivot point of the bat......think about it....moving the hands down makes the bat more manageable. Think about bunting, you don't bunt without moving your hands down the bat.
So in hitting why not swing a bat that you can control in every pitch or pitch count?

And if your answer is "different pitch counts or situations" call for different uses of a bat and how one uses it.....then why would it not be feasible for a batter to holler "time", and get another bat? Just like a golfer changes clubs? C'Mon folks, talk to me and my TBR peeps.



Fish

 

wow

For a 10 year old travel ball player a 28 or 29 should work real well on the outside corner!!!!!WHERE DO THEY SELL THOSE SIZES WALMART????That has to be for rec ball players I really can't think of many if any 10 year olds swinging a 28 or 29 in 10u travel.How old is the National chart??

 

Typical

Typically an average 11-12 year old shouldn't swing anything over 19.5 -20 oz. Now there are some 12's going on 13 that swing 21-22 oz ,but you get a faster pitcher, and everything they hit goes to the right side if she is right handed due to not getting the bat through the zone quick enough........ Guru

 

Right or Wrong

I thought it was more of a matter of if you have a heavier bat to swing it earlier.After all isn't timing the ultimate goal when the girls get to be older?I have several 11 year olds and a couple 10 year olds on my team swinging a 33/23 and they are hitting 50mph pitching.We played in Georgia at the King of the Mountain against some of the best teams in the Southeast and finished 4th in the A bracket and they didn't have any trouble swinging the bats on Sunday.Could maybe some college coaches add some input it is a delicate subject to some coaches.I really can't see how you judge right or wrong size if the timing is there.

 

IMO

I think the girl should go and demo a bat before buying one. My DD is 13 and she swings a 33/23 and hit just fine with it but she also carries a 32/22. So I say let the girls choose what she wants to swing she is the one swinging it.

 

Swinging a bat that is too heavy during the beginning years creates significant mechanical problems. That can also happen even with more experienced batters. A bat that is too heavy can create bat drag for one thing.

I once heard a girl say she was using a heavy bat because she was swinging too early; she wanted to slow her hands down.

You have to find the right balance. You want the bat speed primarily but if you can maintain the speed the heavier bat is better. There is also the issue of being able to adjust to pitches quickly.

I know one excellent college player that swings a men's slow pitch bat. And she kills it. But not everyone is a Nikki Prier.

For beginning players, say 10U, I would make sure the bat is light. After they develop their correct fundamentals then they can move up. A flawed swing is hard to fix sometimes.