Baseball Bat Buying (The Pros Guide)

Bat sizes. Be sure to get a bat that will match your size - and keep in mind that everyone is different in build and this is just a close approximation.


Next be sure to get a bat with a good weight behind it.

• Tee-Ball Bats
  Tee-Ball bats are for ages approx 5 thru 7. They are generally used in tee-ball and coach pitch leagues. The bat barrel is 2 1/4 inch in diameter. Bat lengths range from 25 inch to 27 inch. Bat weight is measured in weight drop, which varies between brands and models. Heavier bats are around minus 7 weight drop, lighter bats are around minus 13.

• Little League Bats
  Little League bats are for ages approx 7 thru 12. They are used in leagues including Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, PONY, and AABC. The bat barrel is 2 1/4 inch in diameter. Bat lengths range from 28 inch to 32 inch. Bat weight is measured in weight drop, which varies between brands and models. Heavier bats are around minus 7 weight drop, lighter bats are around minus 13.

• Senior League Bats
  Senior League bats are for ages approx 10 thru 13. They are used in certain travel and tournament leagues. The bat barrel is available in 2 5/8 inch (high school regulation), and 2 3/4 inch (Big Barrel). Bat lengths range from 28 inch to 32 inch. Bat weight is measured in weight drop, which varies between brands and models. Heavier bats are around minus 5 weight drop, lighter bats are around minus 11.

• High School / College Bats
  High School / College bats are for ages approx 13 and up. They are used in most High School and College leagues. The bat barrel is 2 5/8 inch in diameter. Bat lengths range from 30 inch to 34 inch. Bat weight is measured in weight drop, which must be minus 3. Most leagues require an approved BESR stamp on the bat (Bat Exit Speed Rating).
  

Composite Baseball Bats, such as the Easton Stealth Composite and Louisville Catalyst, are fairly new to the Baseball scene. They have been used in softball for many years. Early on, there seems to be some mixed reviews on the Composite baseball bats. I believe this is because the baseball world is not fully educated on these bats, and don't realize how to make a composite bat work for them.

To start off with, composite bats have a much longer break-in period than aluminum bats, and hitting jugz balls will not do it. If you plan on breaking in these bats in the cages, you need to use real baseballs. Another common complaint in some reviews is the poor durability of these bats. But, what players and coaches must realize is that they are not just swinging a hunk of metal anymore. Composite bats should not be used in cold weather; temperatures less than 70 degrees they can easily break, as many are finding out. Another common complaint is the cost. Yes, they are expensive, but if broken in correctly and used correctly, you will get so much more out of your bat than the aluminum or hybrids of past years.

There are several Pros and Cons (and misconceptions) about composite bats, but players and coaches need to have the correct information before making a judgment. After I explained the proper break-in and use of composites to a few of our high school players, they were amazed at the difference. At first, the ball will sound like it came off a wooden bat, which was another complaint in many reviews, but with proper effort and care you can break them in to the point where it sounds more like a rifle than wood. Players, coaches and parents need to know what they are buying. Without proper knowledge, they are just buying a $300 or $400 Bat, but with the correct knowledge they could be buying $300 Lightning Rod. Composite bats give a whole lot more forgiveness for the imperfect swing, and have the potential to make the average hitter a clean-up hitter.

Coach C, Franklin Express.

Here is a little bit about the Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat build.

* Weight Drop
o Weight Drop is a term used to describe the weight of the bat. Weight Drop is shown as a minus number, such as minus 3 or minus 12. It refers to the difference between the length of the bat (in inches) and the weight of the bat (in ounces). Weight drop varies between brands and models. For example, a Little League DeMarini F3 bat is minus 10. It is available in lengths from 28 inch to 32 inch. The weight of the 28 inch would be 18 ounces, the weight of the 32 inch would be 22 ounces. Weight drop for Little League bats range from approx minus 7 to minus 13. The higher the weight drop, the lighter the bat. High school and college bats must be minus 3.

* Barrel Size
o This is the diameter of the largest part of the bat. Little League bats are 2 1/4 inch in diameter. Senior League bats are available in 2 5/8 inch and 2 3/4 inch (big barrel). High school and college bats are 2 5/8 inch.
o The longer and larger the barrel, generally, the larger the sweet spot for hitting the ball.
o Some players prefer baseball bats with smaller barrels and lighter weight, which allows for more bat speed.

* Bat Taper (diameter of the bat's handle)
o Standard baseball bats are tapered 31/32 of an inch but can be slightly larger or smaller depending on whether you want a lighter or heavier bat.
o Some players like a narrower taper for the lighter weight and to rotate their wrists faster when hitting. Other players prefer the feel of a bigger bat taper, which can also reduce the sting when a ball isn't struck on the sweet spot.

* Grip (covering on the handle of aluminum bats)
o Baseball bats with leather or synthetic leather grips give a tackier feel for a surer grip.
o Rubber grips absorb more of the shock.
o Some bats come with a cushioned grip to decrease the shock even more.

Metal baseball bats significantly outperformed wooden bats according to a recent study by a group of Brown University bioengineers, confirming a belief widely held by players and coaches. The average speed of a ball off the fastest bat, a metal model, was 93.3 mph; the average off the slowest bat, a wooden model, was 86.1 mph. Only 2 percent of hits made with wooden bats exceeded 100 mph, while 37 percent of the hits with the fastest metal bat were more than 100 mph, according to Joseph J. Crisco, associate professor of Orthopaedics at the Brown Medical School. The findings were published in the October 2002 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

Although there is a general consensus that metal bats outperform wooden bats, few scientific studies have documented performance differences. In addition, the study confirmed the notion of a "sweet spot" associated with maximum ball speeds - those within the top 20 percent of the fastest hits from each bat model. The sweet spot was located approximately the same distance from the tip of wooden bats as it was from the tip of metal bats. Researchers concluded the metal bats produced faster batted ball speeds in part due to faster swing speeds, and in part to greater elastic properties found in nearly all of the metal bat models. In general, the lighter bats were swung faster and were associated with faster batted ball speeds.

Nineteen baseball players at the level of minor league, collegiate, and high school participated in the study. They used two wooden and five aluminum models from four manufacturers. Researchers measured batted ball speed, bat swing speed, bat impact location, and the elastic performance properties of the bats. Each player faced 10 to 20 pitches from a pitching machine with each bat. Researchers surrounded home plate with scaffolding supporting four infrared-sensing cameras to track the three-dimensional trajectory of the bat before impact as well as the pitched and batted ball; the cameras sensed reflective tape affixed to the bats and the balls. More than 1,000 pitches were recorded, of which about half were able to be analyzed. The others resulted in foul balls, pop-ups, missed pitches, or incomplete data.

The findings contribute to an ongoing dialogue about whether metal baseball bats increase the chance of injury to a pitcher - something this study did not examine - and therefore should be regulated. Currently high school and college players use aluminum and other metal alloy bats, while wooden bats are used in major and minor league baseball. However that may change. A recent decision by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, which regulates high school play, requires wooden bats in the 2003 tournament. Metal bats were introduced in the 1970s as a cost-saving alternative to wooden bats that were prone to break. A decade later, a general consensus had developed among players and coaches that metal bats could outperform wooden ones. In the late-80s, the National Collegiate Athletic Association implemented guidelines for weight and length of bats.

Step1
Know your league's rules. Do you use wood or metal? How big can the barrel of the bat be? Is there a certain ratio between a bat's weight and its length that must be followed? You can find out all of these answers by consulting your league's commissioner or perhaps your coach. Today, many of the bats even say directly on the barrel where it meets approval (example "Little League Approved".)

Step2
Set your budget. Bats can range anywhere from $25 to $300. Going up in cost does not necessarily translate into hits or replace hard work and practice. Technology has allowed bat manufacturers to turn baseball bats into lightweight trampolines. The micro-thin walls of today's upper ended bats produce a trampoline-like effect, while allowing the hitter to produce more of what produces power: bat speed! The potential downside however of essentially putting steroids into bats is that dents and a lifeless bat are a reality in due time. This does not mean a week of hitting at the park or even a long season is going to sap your bat of its power. However, refrain from using your shiny new investment in batting cages, where the balls are often harder than traditional game baseballs. If a $300 wand sounds ridiculous to you, and in many respects it is, you can still purchase a high quality bat that meets your needs as a player. Particularly for the recreational baseball player, the size and weight of a bat is far more important than whether the bat has a nitrogen chamber situated inside (see many of the TPX bats).

Step3
Pick up and feel the bat at the store. Unfortunately, there is no full-proof way or scientific method (although attempted) to measure what the right size baseball bat is best for you. There is no spot on your hip where the bat should come up to, and no rule that 9-year-olds have to use a 29-inch bat. It's a feel more than anything, but caution yourself to a bat's supposed feel in the store and its feel when it's the bottom of the seventh and the winning run is in scoring position.

Step4
Consider the weight. A bat should be light. Bat speed generates power. This holds true for a pitcher as well where arm speed is the main determinant for velocity.

Step5
Consider the length. In addition to weight, length is equally important. Often young players opt for a long bat because they feel "I can't reach the outside part of the plate." However, a big bat often looks like a telephone pole in the hands of young kids and makes hitting a baseball - the hardest thing to do in sports - nearly impossible. Control and comfort is what is most desired when stepping into the batter's box.

Step6
Grip the bottom part of the handle with just one hand. Using just your fingers (with the exception of your thumb), hold the bat directly in front of you and lift the bat 6-8 times using only your wrist. If you have to bend your arm/elbow in order to lift the bat then it would be in your best interest to select a lighter bat.

Step7
Buy for this season. There's a prevailing thought out there that a young player should select a bat "he can use for a couple of years." This appears to be a logical suggestion. The problem is that for a young player, hitting a moving object hurled at you is not easy and is often quite frustrating, leading them to quit. Buy for the now to give you the best chance for success. Baseball is tough. It is a sport that allows for athletes to fail 70% of the time-and then be given a huge contract. There are many things in baseball that a batter cannot control, such as what the pitcher is throwing, the umpire, what happens after the ball leaves my bat, etc. However, having the right equipment is one thing you can control.

Step8
Practice. Remember, selecting a bat that fits you is an important step before getting into the batter's box. However, perfect practice is the only thing to enure success on the baseball field; a baseball bat is simply a bat, you provide the skill. As one Hall of Famer put it, "A bad carpenter blames his tools."