BAT SIZE and AGES
Most everyone is aware that if a bat is too heavy for a player he will likely struggle at the plate. I wanted to talk about the opposite problem we don't hear much about -- that is when a bat is too light for a player.
We had a 13-year-old on a team this year going through a growth spurt and developing a lot of strength. He had a 24 ounce bat (31 inch) and as the season progressed, he pulled everything. His best hits were generally foul. Even when he swung late, the ball would hit on the handle and be pulled to the right side (he is left-handed). His mechanics were very good except that he couldn't keep the barrel of the bat back behind his hands after he started his swing. This was never a problem when he was younger. After finally convincing him to go with a heavier bat (27 ounce, 32 inch), he hit the ball hard to all fields. The additional weight corrected the flaw in his swing.
The point here is that when you see a hitter pull everything, especially off the handle of the bat, you might want to try going with a heavier bat. The additional weight can keep the barrel of the bat from drifting forward during the early part of the swing.
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by
Jon Anderson
jontanderson@juno.com
