Bat Buyers Guide

One of the most challenging tasks for a parent or player these days is to choose or to help choose the correct baseball or softball bat for their son or daughter, whether they are little league, travel league, high school or college players. You're looking for a bat they can swing without straining, and that will maintain a reasonable performance level for at least a couple of years.

Within this guide you will find the following valuable information for both baseball & softball:

        Little League Basics        
        Glossary of Terms
        About Bat Alloys
        Liquid Metal Bats
        Composite Bats
        Deciding on Bat Weight & Length
        Little League Bat Selection Chart
        Senior League - Big Barrel Bats
        College & High School Metal Bats
        Bat Weight Guidelines - College/High School Baseball
        Bat Length Guidelines - College/High School Baseball
        Softball Bats
        Bat Length Guidelines - Softball, All Divisions
        Softball Bat Standards
        
We at "Let It Rip" have compiled this Baseball/Softball Bat Buyers Guide with the hope it provides the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision. Should you have a question not answered in this buyer's guide please feel free to call our knowledgeable facility staff. If we don't know the answer we'll make every attempt to get it for you.

LITTLE LEAGUE BASICS

First, we'll take a look at Little League and Youth League baseball/softball bats, clarify some of the technical terms, and provide some charts to help you select the proper length and weight bat for your ballplayer. The Little League organization, by its own definition, starts with Tee-Ball Leagues at age 5-6 and ends with Big Leagues for ages 16-18. There are several divisions between, created by age, skill level and local options. Some players chose to move to faster paced more aggressive "Travel" teams/leagues as early as 10 years old. Local youth leagues independent of Little League have their own age requirements, usually with a 2-3 year gap in age from one division to another. From a bat perspective the most important aspect of this is be certain the bat is "league approved" prior to using it in a game. This can save embarrassment at the least and possible confiscation of the offending bat at the worst. General Little League restrictions are as follows:
  
   BASEBALL
        2-1/4" Barrel - Tee-Ball, Minor, & Little League Divisions
        2-3/4" Barrel - Junior League
        2-5/8" Barrel - Senior & Big Leagues

   SOFTBALL
        2-1/4" Barrel - All Divisions

Baseball & Softball manufacturer tags are full of confusing technical terminology which is meaningless unless you learn the lingo. Hopefully this glossary of terms will be helpful. If you don't find the term your looking for here try doing a Google search of the term on the web.  

GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

MINUS (-)3 DROP: Refers to the differential between the length and weight of a bat. As an example a (-)3 bat would be a 30in. length 27oz. weight bat. A (-10) bat would be a 26in. length bat which weighs 16 ounces. In order to be High School (NFHS) or College (NCAA) approved a bat must have a drop (rating) of no more than -3. Little League (through age 12) currently does not employ a drop (rating) system. Generally speaking bat sizes in the 8-12 age group range from 16oz. thru 23oz. in weight and 26in. thru 32in. length.

HALF AND HALF TECHNOLOGY: The barrel of the bat is made of one material while the handle of the bat is made of another. Usually the handle is a composite material while the barrel is aluminum alloy creating a two-piece construction bat which some say increases the "trampoline effect."

TRAMPOLINE EFFECT: "A baseball experiences a certain amount of deformation during its collision with a baseball bat. During the collision the barrel of the bat compresses and expands appearing to throw the ball away. This phenomenon is unique to hollow (metal and composite) bats and gives rise to what is called the "trampoline effect."

VIBRATION DAMPENING: "There are several aluminum bat models with vibration reduction mechanisms which attempt to reduce the vibration that causes hand discomfort. If you grip a normal aluminum bat lightly in one hand, at the top hand location on the handle, and tap the barrel end of the bat on the floor you will feel a buzz in your whole hand. Doing the same with a bat that has a vibration reduction system results in significantly less buzzing sensation the surprising thing is that bats which effectively damp out the vibration in this example still cause sting in the top hand for hits at the taper."

SWEET SPOT: "Trying to locate the exact sweetspot on a baseball or softball bat is not a simple task, because there are a multitude of definitions of the sweetspot. For most bats all of these "sweet spots" are at different locations on the bat, so one is often forced to define the sweetspot as a region, approximately 5-7 inches from the end of the barrel, where the batted-ball speed is the highest and the sensation in the hands is minimized. When a ball hits an aluminum bat away from the sweet spot the batted ball will usually go farther than a ball hit by wood off the sweet spot."

BAT PERFORMANCE FACTOR (BPF): Most aluminum bats have BPF values near 1.20 and some super high performing bats have BPF values around 1.30 or higher. The legal limit set by USSSA, ISF and NSF is BPF 1.20, we'll discuss the ASA in the softball section. Little League youth bats must pass with a BPF rating of 1.15 or lower.

BESR (BALL EXIT SPEED RATIO): A test currently used by both the NCAA (for college baseball) and the NFHS (for high school baseball). The test uses a special machine which swings a bat at a ball moving at 70 mph. After impact the ball passes through a radar detection unit which measures the ball exit speed. The current maximum ball exit speed standard set by the NCAA is 97 mph and 94 mph by the NFHS. All bats used in college and high school play must carry the BESR certification, usually found imprinted on the barrel of the bat.

LONG BARREL PROFILE: Refers to a bat with the maximum legal diameter measuring the longest from the end cap to a point where the barrel begins to taper down providing larger contact surface and theoretically a larger sweet spot.

ROTATION INDEX: A DeMarini innovation designed to extend bat life. A series of numbers encircle the base of the bat barrel. The first time you use a bat with a rotation index pay attention to the number facing you when you hit. After every hit simply rotate the bat to the next number. Utilizing this method evens out the number of hits on the barrel and will reduce flat spots which could occur over time.

DOUBLE WALL: The barrel of these bats have two ultra-thin walls independent of each other but spaced close together. The intent of this design is to intensify the "trampoline" effect and indeed independent testing has proven double wall bats provide an edge in performance. The downside is doublewall bats dent easier and are more expensive.

CARBON LINING: Manufacturers add a carbon lining to increase strength most notably Easton. The Easton C-Core and Z-Core bats have carbon fiber bonded to the inside of the barrel walls for increased strength and durability.

VARIABLE WALL THICKNESS: This process allows the manufacturer to put stronger, thicker areas next to thinner areas and is purported by the bat maker to make the bat less likely to dent.

CRYOGENICALLY TREATED ALUMINUM: Alloy is frozen and reheated to provide greater durability, less vibration and 2-4% greater distance.

GRAPHITE BATS: Stronger and lighter than high-grade aluminum, graphite bats are either made of a graphite-fiber composite material or have an aluminum core with graphite lining.

TITANIUM BATS: Stronger and lighter than high-grade aluminum, titanium bats generally have an aluminum core and titanium lining or wall. Some softball associations, notably both the ASA and USSSA have banned the use of titanium bats in their sanctioned softball leagues. Check with your league before purchasing a titanium bat to ensure they are league approved. These are very expensive bats and can create an unnecessary headache should you discover after the purchase you can't use the bat in your league(s) play.

LIQUID METAL BATS: The zirconium and titanium based Liquidmetal alloys achieved yield strength twice that of conventional crystalline titanium alloys with superior elasticity, up to three times that of other alloys. Due to their non-crystalline (amorphous) structures, the materials are harder and more elastic than alloys of titanium or aluminum used in similar applications.

BARREL: The widest portion of the bat generally measuring between 2.25 inches and 2.75 inches in diameter.

TAPER: Refers to the handle diameter which must fit a player's hands comfortably providing a good grip. Most bats taper is 31/32 of an inch with some being 29/32 of an inch.

GRIP: Bat manufacturer's use leather, sythetic leather, composite material or rubber on the tapered end of the bat where the player grips the bat to swing. Generally leather grips provide the best hold but don't perform as well if they get wet. Rubber absorbs vibrations better than the other materials but typically doesn't hold up as well.

ABOUT BAT ALLOY'S

Next we'll take a look at the various alloy's used in today's aluminum bat manufacturing. Most modern bats are made of aircraft-grade aluminum supplied by Alcoa or Kaiser. Variations in the alloy formula have resulted in stronger alloys, allowing the manufacturers to design bats with thinner shell walls, which in turn correspond to lighter weight bats. Be careful of bats -11 or lighter that don't state the type of alloy used. These bats may be made of an alloy too weak to support the thinner wall needed for the light weight.

Standard aircraft aluminum is designated in the trade as "7046." Most budget bats are made of this grade. "7050" grade alloy includes a small amount of copper, and is approximately 33% stronger than 7046. Over a decade ago Alcoa branded its 7050 grade "CU31" and began marketing it in Slo-Pitch bats as the first high performance alloy. The "CU" designation refers to the addition of copper to the alloy.

Alcoa's "C405" is the next higher grade, supposedly about 10% stronger than CU31. C405 was introduced within the last decade, quickly followed by C405 Plus and C405 Ultra, which are the same alloy manufactured under different processes. The strength difference between C405 and C405 Ultra is only about 5%. C405 Ultra is, therefore, about 38% stronger than standard aircraft aluminum. "7075" is a new alloy by Kaiser that is claimed to be equal to or better than C405 Ultra.

Kaiser's Sc500 Scandium, and Alcoa's C500 and C555 represent the next level up. C500 and Sc500 Scandium are about 3-5% stronger than C405 Ultra, respectively. C555 is claimed to be about 7% stronger than C405 Ultra, or about 40% stronger than standard aircraft grade aluminum.

The next and very substantial improvement in bat alloys was Sc777, made by Kaiser. While the other exotic alloys only offer incremental strength gains over CU31, Sc777, if the claims are true, represented a truly big leap: about 50% stronger than C405. This means that Sc777 is nearly twice as strong as standard aircraft aluminum. The latest in the continuing race for the "perfect" bat alloy is Sc888 and Sc900. The general names for alloys from lowest to highest are: 7050, CU31, C405, SC500, SC555, SC777, SC888, and SC900 both touted to be improvements on the SC777 in strength and durability.

Liquid Metal Bats

Liquid Metal appears the heir apparent to the more traditional alloy's. Zirconium and titanium based Liquidmetal alloys have a yield strength twice that of conventional titanium alloys with superior elasticity, up to three times that of other alloys while utilizing an aluminum alloy Chromium Enhanced frame.




 

Senior League - Big Barrel Bats

There has been some confusion over the term "Senior League" bats which are also referred to as "Big Barrel". Senior League / Big Barrel youth baseball bats have a 2 5/8in or 2 3/4in barrel and are designed for baseball players age 10 - 15. The word "Senior" comes from the "senior little league" for which these big barrel bats were originally designed. Senior League bats are NOT approved for Little League, Dixie, Babe Ruth or AABC play.

COLLEGE & HIGH SCHOOL (ALUMINUM / METAL ALLOY) BATS

The section above covers a great deal of information which is basically the same whether its little league or college/high school baseball bats your talking about. This section is geared specifically for the college/high school baseball player.

Remember, lighter in relation to the batters ability to effectively and efficiently swing the bat is better. If the tendency, when purchasing a little league bat is to buy a bat to heavy for the player, this tendency becomes more prevalent as the player matures.

Most Major League Baseball players today, unlike players of the past, subscribe to the lighter is better philosophy. The reason for this change in thinking among MLB power hitters is a lighter bat is easier to control. The proof is you can hit a ball harder and farther with a lighter bat than with a heavy bat because your bat speed in noticeably quicker swinging the lighter bat. It's all about the speed of the bat at the moment of impact; the faster the striking instrument is moving the farther the struck object will go.

The NCAA and the NFHS (and other high school sports governing organizations) came to this realization in the late 90's prompting them to change their rules as it relates to baseball bats. For safety reasons they instituted the -3 drop rule which states the ratio of length to weight can be no more than -3, in other words if a bat is 30 inches long it can weigh no less than 27 ounces effectively maximizing the players swing speed which has the effect of reducing the speed at which the ball rebounds off the bat.

What is the most important factor in selecting a baseball bat. It must be comfortable to the player who is going to use it, not to his friend, parent or coach. The player is the one who will be using this bat on a consistent basis and expecting consistent performance from himself and his bat. Maximum performance can never be achieved if the player is not comfortable with his bat.

Below is a chart providing guidelines to help you select the correct bat. Regardless of whether you purchase the bat on-line or in the "Let It Rip" ProShop, make sure you have a chance to feel the bat, hold the bat, swing the bat and in general do everything you can to determine how comfortable you feel with your prospective new bat. While it may not be the same exact model, a friend, coach, or your team is bound to have a bat or bats you can check out for length and weight. Once you've established the proper length and weight, you can begin to look at various brands of bats to determine the features most attractive to you.

The information in this chart is a generalization and meant only as a guide in helping you choose the correct length and weight bat for your unique circumstances. Make sure before you actually purchase any bat you take the time to feel it and swing it, that your comfortable with your choice. An old general rule of thumb is hold the bat in your lead hand (i.e. a right handed batter would hold the bat in their left hand) and while holding the bat extend your arm out as far as possible holding this position for at least 10 seconds. If you can't do this the bat is too heavy. It may not be the brand you intend to purchase and that's ok as long as it is the length and weight you've decided is correct for you.

BAT PRICING

You will discover a very broad range of prices when shopping for an aluminum bat. Bat manufacturer's make "new" model bats and begin marketing them months prior to the actual season they have been designated for. For instance bats earmarked for the 2009 season are actually marketed in mid-2008. Sometimes the only thing "new" about the next years model is the paint job (and the price). It's best to read the specifications carefully, comparing the newest model against previous years models. Sometimes you can find last years model at a reasonably discounted price and a performance rating which is as good as or perhaps better than the "new" model.

BAT PRICING

You will discover a very broad range of prices when shopping for an aluminum bat. Bat manufacturer's make "new" model bats and begin marketing them months prior to the actual season they have been designated for. For instance bats earmarked for the 2009 season are actually marketed in mid-2008. Sometimes the only thing "new" about the next years model is the paint job (and the price). It's best to read the specifications carefully, comparing the newest model against previous years models. Sometimes you can find last years model at a reasonably discounted price and a performance rating which is as good as or perhaps better than the "new" model.

COMPOSITE BATS

Although composite bats have been around for almost two decades, due to several technological advances they are enjoying a revival of significant proportions in todays baseball bat market and are considered by many to be the "bat of the future." Amateur Baseball continues to transition from its roots in wood materials, to dominant aluminum alloys, and more recently to composite hybrids, and most recently to all composite baseball bats. All the major bat manufacturer's as well as several smaller ones have a few, if not many, composite bats in their catalog. These days composite bats come is a wide variety of state of the art materials including, but not limited to, graphite, carbon fibre, glass fibre and Kevlar. Todays composite bats come in several types, including all-composite bats, bats with composite handles and aluminum barrels, bats with composite outer shells over aluminum barrels, and all-composite double-wall bats. All-composite bats are attractive to the buyer because they are more durable than aluminum bats, much lighter than aluminum bats and allow the player to develop greater swing speed which translates into greater distance.

Armed with all this information regarding baseball bats (probably more than you realized was available or ever wanted to know) your now in a better position to make the right purchase. Whether you make the actual purchase on-line or at your local retail outlet is mostly a matter of personal preference. Regardless of where you make the purchase it is a good idea to "test" out the bat first. Test means to have the player hold the potential purchase in the hitting position and actually swing it thereby getting an idea of whether the bat is too long or too heavy. 

DECIDING ON BAT WEIGHT & LENGTH

It's best not to purchase a bat which is too heavy for your player. Rather than growing into the bat the player will develop bad habits that will be difficult to correct later on, not to mention poor self esteem because the overly heavy bat keeps the player from successfully hitting the ball, since bat speed(quick hands), is a major component of being a good hitter. Generally speaking if the bat is the proper size the player should be able to stand in the batters box in the hitting position and with arms extended be able to reach the outside edge of the plate. If the bat extends beyond this point it's too long, can't reach this point, it's too short. As for weight one rule of thumb is for the player to hold the bat in one hand (which ever is the top hand on the bat) and extend it out fully holding this position for at least 8-10 seconds. If the player can't do this the bat is too heavy. If in doubt about two bats it is always better to err on the side of the lighter bat.

High School and College sanctioning bodies have approved -3 drop bats(the ratio of length to weight can be no more than a factor of 3 i.e. a 30 inch bat can weigh no less than 27 ounces) as the standard for safety purposes (more on this later). In Little League and other similar age appropriate leagues, YMCA for instance, light bats aren't seen as unsafe due to the fact the players at this age (usually through league age 12) aren't nearly as strong as older players. For players in this age group it is critical to use a light bat they can swing properly.

Little League rules decree bats used in their sanctioned leagues can not be more than 32 inches in length with no more than a 2.25 inch diameter barrel and be made of Little League approved material. Unlike High School and College bats which must be imprinted with the BESR certification, Little League approved bats do not need to be imprinted with something like "approved by Little League." You can take comfort in the fact every major bat manufacturer uses approved materials in the making of Little League bats.

SOFTBALL BATS

Before getting started it would be helpful to review the glossary of terms (above) to familiarize yourself with many of the terms synonymous to baseball and softball bats.

The differences between baseball bats and softball bats, while not huge are very important.

At the Little League Baseball and Softball level there is no difference between a baseball and softball bat they are one and the same. It is however a different story at the adult level where there are important differences between baseball and softball bats as well as between slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball bats.

Length represents one of the differences between baseball bats and softball bats with the most common length for baseball being 33 inches, fastpitch softball 31-32 inches, slowpitch softball 34 inches and youth bats being 29-30 inches.

Weight is another significant difference. Obviously Little League bats are the lightest, with fast-pitch softball bats and slow-pitch softball bats heavier and wood bats the heaviest. Please see the Recommended Bat Length by Weight and Height chart (below) to help determine which bat would be the best for you.

SOFTBALL BAT CERTIFICATION

There are eight major governing groups for softball in the USA. Two of these groups, the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) regulate college and high school softball respectively. One of these groups, Little League has its own rules and regulations for softball. The other five groups set the rules for playing softball under the auspices of their particular association. All eight of these organizations have rules and regulations governing all aspects of playing the game of softball including specifications for bats.

For your convenience we've included links to all of the major softball governing groups.
For the latest softball bat requirements from your governing organization click the link below:

Click here for the ASA homepage: www.softball.org
Click here for the USSSA homepage: www.usssa.com
Click here for the NSA homepage: www.playnsa.com
Click here for the ISF homepage: www.internationalsoftball.com
Click here for the ISA homepage: www.isasoftball.com
Click here for the NCAA softball bat rules page: www.ncaa.org
Click here for the NFHS home page: www.nfhs.org
Click here for the Little League home page: www.littleleague.org

LATEST SOFTBALL BAT STANDARDS

After two years of testing both in the field and in the laboratory the ASA put into effect their newest bat standards entitled the ASA 2004 Bat Standard. The new standard stipulates the ball exit speed (a pitched ball post collision with a bat) must achieve a rating of less than 98 MPH with either slow-pitch or fast-pitch equipment and must meet the BPF 1.20 standard. The testing must be done in an ASA approved facility, not the manufacturer's. All softball bats meeting these standards will be stamped with the new ASA 2004 certification logo. 

GRANDFATHERED BATS

The ASA required bat manufacturer's to stop production of older bats with the previous ASA 2000 certification by the end of June, 2004. These bats had an exit speed of 100 MPH. The ASA has allowed players to continue to use ASA 2000 approved models with the higher exit speed indefinitely as long as they carry the ASA 2000 certification stamp and are on the ASA approved list. Over time and through attrition these bats will disappear from ASA play. 

ILLEGAL/LEGAL BATS

Some softball bats have an exit speed greater than 100 MPH. Bats in this category are illegal for ASA play. These bats currently are still legal in USSSA and the other softball governing bodies (excluding the NCAA, NFHS & Little League) as long as the association uses 1.20 BPF as its standard.

For your convenience we've included a link to the ASA's most current (updated December 2005) non-approved bat list
Click the Link Below For ASA Non-Approved Bats:

www.downloads.softball.net/pdf/2006-Non-Approved-Bats.pdf

Some of the softball governing organizations use the ASA 2004 Bat Standard to set the rules for what is a legal bat in league play for their particular organization. A notable exception is the NCAA accepts the ASA 2004 Bat Standard but stipulates the bat MUST have the ASA 2004 certification stamped on the bat for it to be legal. The NFHS accepts the ASA 2004 Bat Standard, requires the bat to be listed on the ASA site of approved bats but does not require the bat be stamped. The Little League has its own set of rules for a bat to be approved. The other governing bodies do not adhere to the ASA 2004 Bat Standard, rather they have their own set of rules for bat certification which more closely adheres to ASA's 2000 bat standards. 

SOFTBALL BAT PRICING

You will discover an extremely broad range of prices when shopping for a fast-pitch or slow-pitch metal softball bat. Bat manufacturer's make "new" model bats and begin marketing them months prior to the actual season they have been designated for. For instance bats earmarked for the 2009 season are actually marketed in mid-2008. Sometimes the only thing "new" about next years model is the paint job (and the price). It's best to read the specifications carefully, comparing the newest model against previous years models. Sometimes you can find last years model at a reasonably discounted price with a performance rating which is as good as or perhaps better than the "new" model. 

30in

The information in this chart is a generalization and meant only as a guide in helping you choose the correct length and weight bat for your unique circumstances. Make sure before you actually purchase any bat you take the time to feel it and swing it, that your comfortable with your choice. An old general rule of thumb is hold the bat in your lead hand (i.e. a right handed batter would hold the bat in their left hand) and while holding the bat extend your arm out as far as possible holding this position for at least 10 seconds. If you can't do this the bat is too heavy. It may not be the brand you intend to purchase and that's ok as long as it is the length and weight you've decided is correct for you.