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As a coach, I get asked the question what is the right bat for my kid a lot, so here is the low down on picking a bat.

 

 Length is easy to do, your players weight and height chart below is the best way. The weight of the bat that is the one most important thing and it's a judgment call by watching the player swing a bat and adjusting to their style and strength of swing and speed of swing. As a coach I request the parents to not buy a bat in the beginning of the season, at least not until we figure out which bat is best and the fact that most good bats start around $150 - $300 price range and bats are only good for one or two years.

 

Determine Bat Length by Your Weight and Height

Your height (inches)

Your weight (pounds)

36-40

41-44

45-48

49-52

53-56

57-60

61-64

65-68

69-72

73+

Bat length

less than 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"

29"

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"

161-170

31"

31"

32"

32"

33"

33"

34"

171-180

32"

33"

33"

34"

34"

180+

33"

33"

34"

34"

 

Determining the Right Bat Weight

Most bats are also weighted in ounces and Manufacturers have done a great job in balancing the bat's weight to its length. Many bats have a weight-to-length ratio, often shown as -4, -6, -10, etc. This basically means a 30-inch bat with a -10 ratio weighs 20 ounces.
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Here is one thing that I hear all the time, if the player can hold the bat straight out and level with one arm then that bat will be just fine....  ....This is just Hog Wash.... and here is one example of why this just doesn't work for all players, some players may have the upper body strength to hold the bat straight but they have a real slow swing.

 

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Selecting weight really depends on two critical factors and only two--your players strength and swinging style. Style is determined by; speed of swing, levelness of swing and control of the swing.

 

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To see this in action:

 

Pitch to your player, move the ball around in the strike zone, high pitches, low pitches, inside and out, increase speed (fast ball), decrease speed (change up or off speed).

 

If the bat is to heavy for your player they will not be able to adjust to changes in speed and location, lower the bat weight and/or shorten the bat length. Example: 29 inch bat -8 is to heavy then use a 29 inch -10 or 28 inch -8.

 

General Note:

 

Lighter bat weights increases control and long bats increase range but decrease control. Confessing? Yes it's confessing and sometimes a best guess and as a coach the main reason I ask my parents to not buy their player a bat for games. I may depending on the pitcher move a players bat weight up or down depending on the speed at which a young pitcher is throwing the pitches (9-10 age).

 

A lot of times a coach just doesn't wish to deal with a parent that has spent good money on a bat and just lets them use the wrong bat all season long. This can hurt your player mentally and fiscally. A bat is a tool, and the right tool for the job makes all the difference in the world.

 

 

 

Last Update 06/18/11

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