Length or weight when "sizing up"?

[CoachJ5513]

In your opinions, does bat weight or length have a more dramatic effect on swing? Would you be more comfortable going from a 31/21 to a 32/22 or 31/22?

 

[Coach JV]

depends on physical size and strength of player

 

[only1bigdaddyo]

Coach JV is correct but to answer your question, Yes it has effect on your swing: a lighter bat can usually be swung faster and a heavier bat takes more to get around. Having said that physics tells you that the heavier the object in motion is when making contact will in turn project the object further. The size/weight is solely dependent upon the size of the batter. I've heard coaches say use the biggest bat possible and eventually they'll develop the muscles and grow into it. That's not my philosophy: I think that you take the time to fit the proper weight/length bat to your batter and as they develop you change bats accordingly. Hope this helps...

 

[Coach JV]

Yeah, I went with the short answer for the 'comfortable' part of OP.


I have found that the younger and smaller girls swing the
drop- 11 or -12. With the lighter bat they can get more bat speed. As they grow and mature physically
they top out at the 33" length and the older/bigger girls swing the heavier bats. These end-loaded
and heavier bats will increase the force of impact and the ball will travel a greater distance.