How To Choose The Right Bat
From President Ryan Davis
Picking the right bat can often times be a tough decision. Our hope is to simplify the process for our customers as much as we can. Using the chart above you can get a very basic idea of the appropriate bat length for your height and weight. Choosing bat length is the easy part, the next step is choosing the proper weight, which is a much harder decision. An ideal bat will feel comfortable and balanced when you swing it. Basically that means not too heavy, and not too light. A bat that is too heavy bat will result in a slower than natural swing, and give you a bad approach as you hit the ball. On the other hand swinging a bat that is too light will cause you to open up to fast, and will result in wasted power.

Two popular tests for determining the proper swing weight are as follows:

1.   Take the handle of the bat in your right hand if you’re a right-handed hitter (left hand if you’re a lefty). Point the bat straight out from your side, keeping your arm straight and parallel to the ground. If you can hold the bat like this for about 25 seconds without dropping the barrel, then it's probably a good bat for you. If the barrel drops, the bat is most likely too heavy, and it's recommended to try out a lighter weight.

2.   A coach or parent takes the bat at the barrel end and extends it toward the hitter. The hitter places the bat across the palm of his bottom hand with the palm facing upward and then wraps fingers and thumb around the grip in a comfortable position. The coach (parent) then releases the bat. If the hitter cannot control the barrel end of the bat - Meaning it drops more than one inch or two - The bat is too heavy, too long, or both. The grip of the bottom hand should be firm, with most of the grip strength coming from the middle two fingers.

When in doubt between two swing weights, it's normally recommended to go with the lighter bat. Never swing a bat that feels even a little over-weight, as it will be too hard to control.

Another important factor in selecting your bat is barrel length. In general, a longer
barrel length increases the potential hitting surface, and will directly increase good bat-ball contact, which will then increase batting average. To put it simply - A longer barrel will get you on base more!

All About Swing Weights
From The Mathematicians at West Coast Sports
Every day we get asked the following questions from at least a few of you.

• How do you determine a bats swing weight??
• What dose the minus number mean??
• How much does a 32" -9 weight??

Hopefully our simple explanation below will transform you into a swing weight calculating professional. 

The minus number (-9, -12, -10, etc...) represents the weight of the bat relative to the length. So how much does a 32" -9 bat weigh? Take 32, subtract 9, and you've got your swing weight: 23 ounces. Simple right? How about a 34" -12 bat? Take 34, subtract 12, and you've got a swing weight of 22 ounces.

It's very common for bat manufacturers to create several models with varying weight/length ratios. For example the popular Miken Halo bat is manufactured in a -8, -9, -10, and -12 model, that way you are almost guaranteed to find the length/weight combination that's right for you. It's also common for bat manufacturers to create varying swing weights of a certain bat length. Take the 34" Miken Freak for example - It's a 34" bat made with a swing weight of 27, 28, 29, or 30 oz. The choice is up to you.

So if a bat has a standard -9 to it, you will know the swing weight (in ounces) is always 9 less than the length. If there is no minus number assigned to the bat, then there is probably more than one swing weight available for each size.  

For those if you that need a simple solution, just take a look at any of the bats listed on our website. Every bat we sell is listed showing both size and weight, which means you never have to wonder how heavy the bat you're looking at is.

If you have questions about any of the bats on our site, or any other product for that matter, don't hesitate to send us an email or give us a call.

Thanks and have a great day!