It is the season to be giving and many parents have asked me what I think about the current bats on the market. Let it be known I try out every bat I see walk through my door. Even the “toothpicks” as I call them. And although there have been some people who think there is an exact science to determining bat size and weight I am here to tell you there is nothing of the sorts. There are too many factors to consider and the right tool can only be determined by the carpenter. Although I hesitate to recommend a specific bat, I will definitely recommend a “big girl bat.”
When I left coaching college softball and began to give lessons I saw something very strange. Most of my students were using what I call “toothpicks.” These are bats that are way too light for the hitter. I kept thinking why on earth would a strong and athletic player, who is 5’6” and 140lbs, swing a drop 12 32” bat? Many people think the lighter the bat, the quicker the hands. And of course they have no idea that bat speed, or “quick hands” is only 1/100 of the swing. Bat speed is the result of what the body does. Also, most don’t realize using a “toothpick” can prevent the hitter from maximizing their power and force them to develop some very bad habits like rolling off or on top of the ball. I have realized a trend in the type of student that comes to me. They are usually 12-14 and they are only hitting ground balls that cannot leave the infield. From the time they were 10 they were told to “put the ball in play”, meaning hit the ball on the ground. Unfortunately, we are teaching our young kids to chop down at the ball, use only their arms and upper body, not finish through the ball, have limited plate-coverage, and rely on the defense to make an error. Especially in the Midwest, where we have limited access to full fields in the winter time, our defense is often neglected. Not to mention we are only now beginning to see coaches with college playing experience enter the mix – those who know how to train our players defensively in limited space settings. Please don’t forget pitchers and hitters can be trained all year long. But, for how long does the hitter have an advantage? And are we able to compete nationally if we cannot produce runs even if our pitchers are limiting the best teams nationally to 2 runs? So indirectly we are limiting the growth of our hitters and our success in national competition. By the age of 14 the players are able to defend the constant ground ball. So the growth of the defense is a result of pure athleticism and better pitching training, and the decline in offensive production is a result of improper hitting fundamentals and poor long-term preparation. Do we teach our young baseball players to simply put the ball in play when they first start? Do we ask our young baseball players to use “toothpicks” and chop down at the ball? Toothpicks “dumb down” our hitting.
What bats should we use when we are taught to swing like “Big Girls?” The answer is as heavy and long as you can handle. I have an old bat I keep around the barn and her name is Bertha. Bertha is a 10 year old, 34”-27oz I used in college, with one side so dented it’s almost flat, and the handle is ripped to shreds. When hitters use Bertha correctly she hits further and faster than any of the high tech bats on the market today. It isn’t the material she is made of, it is her weight, weight distribution, and the faith we have in her and ourselves that makes the difference. It also helps to learn to swing like a Big Girl.