Buy a bat based on the size and experience of
the player. The taller the batter, the longer the bat should be. This allows
the player to better drive the ball.
Buy a properly weighted bat. Test this by
holding the bat out to your side, using your weaker hand. You should be able to
control it for at least 30 seconds.
Swing the bat. A measure of proper weight is
if you can hear the noise of the wind. If you can't, the bat is likely too
heavy.
There are some
standard rules of thumb in selecting the appropriate bat length. The charts
below offer some guidelines based on age and weight and height:
Age
Using your age as a
guide, use the chart below to determine the bat length that fits your body.
|
Age |
Bat length |
|
5-7 years old |
24"-26" |
|
8-9 years old |
26"-28" |
|
10 years old |
28"-29" |
|
11-12 years old |
30"-31" |
|
13-14 years old |
31"-32" |
|
15-16 years old |
32"-33" |
|
17+ years old |
34" |
Height and weight
|
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 weighted
in ounces
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, etc.
This basically means a
34-inch bat with a -6 ratio weighs 28 ounces
Selecting weight
really depends on two critical factors--your strength and your
hitting style
It also depends a lot
on your personal preference in weight and length, so the following are simply
guidelines to follow:
Bigger, stronger
players prefer a heavier bat since they get the benefits of both the heft and
swing power
Smaller players with
less strength should consider a lighter bat to generate a quicker swing
Younger players, too,
should consider that a lighter bat increases control, great for singles
hitters, while also reducing the risk of injury