Let’s talk about bats…

[OHsoftball]

What bat do you all recommend for a strong power hitter swinging a 34/26? Or does it even really matter? Are there really some bats that are actually better than others or does it all depend on the swing?

 

[daboss]

I've mentioned this numerous times. The best bat is the one you like. The one you have the most success with.

Some can swing heavier bats. Some can use end-loaded while others are prone to hit better with a bat sporting a larger sweet spot. If you have the money you will try a large number of bats before settling on the right one. Most of the time you will get the wrong one the first purchase but that mistake will get you closer to deciding on which features to look for when shopping.

One of the things I use as a "go to" is watch some college games and see what the best prefer. Those girls have opportunity to swing multiple bats and get a chance to settle on a bat that works for them under the circumstances. This is something a regular consumer doesn't normally get a chance to do.

Bat manufacturers are strictly scrutinized as to standards to be certified. Having said this, some bats can break in and perform better but let's be honest, you can't pick one up off the shelf and say "this is the one". Even mass-produced bats can take on a personality. About the time you think you've got the "right" one it'll break or go dead leaving you to shake your head.

Perfect bat??? No such thing. That's why there are as many kinds as shoes on a shelf. Sorry but my wife bought another pair recently so I'm sensitive to the subject at the moment. lol. Shoes-----not bats.

 

[Chad G]

We are lucky enough to have a bat demo day with 4 manufacturers. My daughter swung 6 bats and 4 of them she swung at 1 pitch and said no. So it will take some time. Luckily she is a slapper and bunts so her current bat has lasted 3 season.

 

[EvanKeith1994]

I have a Easton Ghost 2023 softball bat brand new in plastic for sale 31in drops 10 hmu 940 257 5883

 

[yocoach]

What bat do you all recommend for a strong power hitter swinging a 34/26? Or does it even really matter? Are there really some bats that are actually better than others or does it all depend on the swing?

Swinging a 34/26, I don't think anyone needs to worry about her swing mechanics. As for a bat, my DD took a 2018 34/26 Ghost out of the wrapper from her last year of TB through college ball. IMO, the hottest bat out there still. I've heard about breakage, etc. but the truth is, any bat as hot as the Ghost from Easton to Demarini to LS, etc., is going to have those same issues and that has been proven out time and time again. That said, a drop 8 in any of the hottest bats will usually last quite a bit longer than other lengths and weights. So now it comes down to feel.

My DD grew up swinging the Anderson Rocketech which everyone knows is a true end loaded bat. Other than SP bats, the only true end loaded FP bat manufactured was the Rawlings Quatro Pro/Mantra end-load. Contrary to popular belief, everything else is actually considered an evenly loaded bat. Out of all the composite bats my DD tried throughout the years, the Ghost came out on top because it felt the closest to an end load and had the pop she was looking for. So, depending on what your hitter liked to swing growing up, that's going to determine what she'll like the feel of for her next bat. One option is to find a place such as SPC in Cleveland where your hitter can go, swing numerous top of the line, hot bats and actually have their exit speed velocities taken by radar and shown on a screen to determine the best bat for her. If that's not a valid option, then i would suggest staying within the brand she likes. Every one of those has a top notch, very hot bat. For example, if your hitter is a Demarini girl, order a Whisper in a 34/26.t I hope this helps at least a little bit.

 

[CARDS]

What bat do you all recommend for a strong power hitter swinging a 34/26? Or does it even really matter? Are there really some bats that are actually better than others or does it all depend on the swing?

My DD swung both 34/26 end load and ballanced Mikens all through HS and College. Now our travel team was sponsored by Miken so we would get a lot of bats to try out from single construction to three piece construction. The key is getting a bat that feels good in her hands and dosent mess with the swing mechanics. She never cared for the two or three piece designs and honestly they would tend to break where the handle meets the barrel. She currently coaches at a local HS now and she has a couple ladies that are able to use her old bats. Miken would give us12 bats a season to sell as team fundraisers. We sold a ton of Halo and Rain lights -10/12 but they never held up like the Freak or other -8-9 Miken ballenced bats.
The Freak two piece swung like a CF Demarini with good pop but was not very durable and had a much smaller sweet spot.
The pic below are all 34/26... one ballanced, one std end load, the third max load.
.

 

[flygirlsdad]

What bat do you all recommend for a strong power hitter swinging a 34/26? Or does it even really matter? Are there really some bats that are actually better than others or does it all depend on the swing?

Swinging 34/26 really opens up your options as you could also check out the slow pitch section.

 

[yocoach]

Swinging 34/26 really opens up your options as you could also check out the slow pitch section.

True. But you have to pay close attention to which ones because many aren't approved for FP. Two different stamps.

 

[CARDS]

NFHS bat list is the best list to check for HS play. (OHSAA puts this list out at the Spring coaches meeting).

Travel and College have other requirements as they allow some bats that HS does not sanction body etc.

Open events or, exebition events such as some showcases tend to have diffrent or "no bat rules" like QD events or Open / adult events.

 

[flygirlsdad]

Travel and College have other requirements as they allow some bats that HS does not.

I thought it worked the other way in that if a bat failed NCAA test it could still be used in HS if it wasn't specifically banned and had the ASA stamp. That's how the old Eastons stuck around and became so expensive. Banned by NCAA but still able to use in HS.

 

[Stedman00]

the grey Ghost and blue versus gold writing were the biggest problems. gold was USSSA only. Blue everywhere else.

Needs to have the correct stamps and NOT be on the NFHS banned list.

 

[CARDS]

I thought it worked the other way in that if a bat failed NCAA test it could still be used in HS if it wasn't specifically banned and had the ASA stamp. That's how the old Eastons stuck around and became so expensive. Banned by NCAA but still able to use in HS.

Depending on the sanctioning body some bats were banned in FP but legal in SP and vice versa.
Sanctioning bodies ASA/USA, USSSA, NSA, ISA, ISF drive the bat certifications.

NCAA has a lot of bats legal (over1400). Slow pitch has also made "ball changes" that allowed some bats to stay in the game.
Fastpitch balls at .47core-400 comp may be addressed down the road with exparimenting with IMO, Junk balls. like the 52-300 that drives up the cost to play with needing 2X as many balls to play a game.

 

[flygirlsdad]

Depending on the sanctioning body some bats were banned in FP but legal in SP and vice versa.
Sanctioning bodies ASA/USA, USSSA, NSA, ISA, ISF drive the bat certifications.

HS has used ASA stamps as long as I've known and the FP and SP stamps were the same until recently. NCAA has done their own testing to ban bats outside ASA. To tell which bats were hot, the NCAA strike list was a good place to look. Three strikes your out. The gray 18 Ghost has 2 strikes. There is a mizuno with 2 strikes. Several other Mizuno and a couple Demarini with 1 strike. If the NCAA bans a bat, it isn't necessarily banned in HS or USA softball.