Posted by: DKN (d_nitta@sbcglobal.net) on Fri May 9 13:29:35 2008

I don't think barrel size makes a difference at 8 years old. A 2 3/4 barrel is illegal for little league but legal in most other youth leagues. He can always use a team mates bat to find out if he prefers a big barrel. As a general rule, the bigger barrel will weigh more, given the same length. I believe that going to a longer bat gives more of a benefit by increasing plate coverage than using a bigger barrel.