Finding the Right Length/Weight Bat And How To Protect It

[SoftballDad20]

((Yep - another one of these threads ))

My daughter is starting her second year of TB - she is 11yo and playing 12U. She is only 5ft tall and about 80 pounds (with arms no thicker than a bat handle )). I refuse to pay more than $100-$125 for a bat because I know for the next 3-4 years she will grow in size and strength which will change the length and drop she needs (so the CF4 and CF5 are out ).

Last year at 10U, I bought her a Synergy Crystal -11.5 (31/19.5) for $125 and she seemed to do OK with it but I felt she was a little more behind the ball than I thought she should be and got worried about the weight of the bat (it very well could have been her timing also).

I had fully intended to go into this season with the same Synergy but she has grown a couple of inches, so we borrowed a friend's bat (32/20) and she hit very well with it in the 50mph cage (many balls back up the middle), so I went out and ordered her a Miken Rain -12 (32/20) for this coming season ($76 on eBay brand new seemed like a good deal). My concern is whether or not I am still selling her short with a -12 and might she hit better with a -11 or -10. We don't have many places to go in and swing different bats so it's hard to actually test for weight. What's the best way to narrow down a good size/weight combo for her? Are there guidelines based on height/weight? I guess I can borrow some different bats and let her swing them? Possibly buy a couple of other options (cheap bats at -10 and -11) and have her use them in the cage?

Also, the majority of the work we do here on the snowy east coast is indoor work - she will be hitting everything from dimpled machine balls, to light flights to mini balls, deflated basketballs, a weight bag, wiffle balls, softies, etc off of pitching machines, soft toss and tees (rubber and harder tees). I don't want to damage the new Miken so I am going to get a second bat (cheap one) that she can hit indoors with. Should I go with another 32/20 for consistency? possibly a 32/21 or 33/22 to help strenghten her up (of course her timing might be off when she gets to the Miken)? Try to get another Rain for that cheap a price and use one indoors and keep one safe for games?

I can see positives and negatives to all the options above, so I thought those of you with more experience could proide me some suggestions....

 

[softballphreak]

IF she is comfortable with the Miken let her use it for everything. What you have described for practice is not going to hurt the bat. May even help it if it isn't already broken in. (That wouldn't be true with the 2-piece bats like Stealths. But that's a different discussion.)

What I would be concerned about is the deflated basketballs. They can be hazardous to the joints. A much better idea would be TCB balls. They are weighted but don't cause the shock that basketballs do. The weight bag is ok if used properly. Don't try to hit through it; that is a point of contact tool, not an extension tool.

If you insist I would get another Rain. I strongly recommend the TCB balls. They are very expensive (about $60 for a half dozen or $100 for a dozen) but they are a very good tool. Get the baseball sized ones. For an individual a half dozen is good; you need more for a team. You will LOVE the TCB balls. She can hit full swing in, say, a 30-foot garage or basement. (No, I'm not a TCB salesman.)

 

[InsidePitch]

I have heard you can use the composite bats indoors but you should put a Tuff Sleeve on them. DD used that same bat with good results.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Fire her hitting coach before she gets injured. Have them explain extension when you hit a weighted bag and stop the swing! If I can find them I will post some of the eye injuries when hitting deflated basketballs.

 

[7smom]

Perfect timing for this thread as I have bat question as well! (don't mean to highjack!) DD is 15, 5'3", left handed slapper who also hits for power (actually hits away more these days). She is strong for her size and has been lifting weights consistantly for about 2 years (dad is a former competetive power lifter so she is lifting correctly). She currently uses a 32/22 and I've been trying to tell her (and dad) that I think she needs to use a longer/heavier bat. We talked with the coach of her top choice school at camp this last weekend and she agreed DD is strong enough to go up to a bigger bat. She would like to see her go up to a 34 in. bat but DD is concerned about jumping from 22-24 oz. Coach reminded her 1 oz. is like taping a few paperclips to her bat. DD is one who worries too much about change and is particular about her equipment (getting a new glove is like buying a house with her). Thoughts on jumping 2 bat sizes? Or thoughts on bat sizes for her age/size? I do worry about too heavy of a bat causing control issues for her short game.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

There is a lot of good advice here. My small student that is 5'2 is using a 32 inch older Catalyst. It is an inch too long for her, but her '04 rocketteck, 31 inches and 22 ounces was stolen from her.

I would let your DD keep the bat that she has. Then, when she gets a good hitting coach (J/k), move her up in weight. I never put my students in a light bat. I teach them to swing the biggest bat that they can.

 

[quincy]

Are there guidelines based on height/weight?

There are but that is what they are guidelines, you are past them with your experience. All the good on-line bat stores will have one, like justbats.com. It says your DD should be a 30 or 31. Interestingly the 32/20 falls right into their guidelines.

Rain is a good bat, if she is comfortable with it I would have her swing it. Depending how she grows, next bat keep the 32” length and start increasing the weight.

 

[SoftballDad20]

My concern with the Rain is the cage - she will be seeing 50 pitches a week in the cage for the next couple of months - so that is 400 swings on the heavier, dimpled balls. That won't damage the bat? According to the Miken website that could hurt the bat so that is why I was worried. I am going to go out and get a Tuff Sleeve anyway for it...

As for the basketballs, I haven't seen those yet this season and only saw them a couple of times last season, but was unaware of the potential injuries with them...

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You need to ask some of us how we feel about hitting off of a machine, that often, anyway.

I would not use the gamer in the cage, if you are not willing to be one of the rare ones that has it break, then, lie to the company, to get your warranty. A like weight $40 bat, would do for the cages.

 

[7smom]

My concern with the Rain is the cage - she will be seeing 50 pitches a week in the cage for the next couple of months - so that is 400 swings on the heavier, dimpled balls. That won't damage the bat? According to the Miken website that could hurt the bat so that is why I was worried. I am going to go out and get a Tuff Sleeve anyway for it...

As for the basketballs, I haven't seen those yet this season and only saw them a couple of times last season, but was unaware of the potential injuries with them...

My DD always uses an aluminum bat in cages. The reading I've done indicates it is the density of the cage balls that causes the problems. The same thing with using a composite outside in low temps (we live in midwest), it is the fact that the balls are cold and therefore harder that causes the problems- so warming the balls helps. Don't know if that is true, but I've read it and heard it from others. My DD keeps her bats in her bedroom during the winter and just grabs them before we head to the indoor facility. If you don't want to drop a lot of $ find a cheap aluminum bat of same size just for cage work.