Posted by: Mark H () on Sun Feb 2 20:14:23 2003

If you look in the catalogs for the manufactors there are of course bats that are anything from a minus11 to minus 3. The same make of bat may be a minus 8 to a minus 3 and obviously are made of the same materials. The endload or thickness of bat wall are the determining factor for wieght. The thinner the wall the easier the bat will dent. The effectiveness of a bat is not determined by how far it will hit but by the athlete using it. A heavier bat in theory will hit the ball further if the bat head speed is not reduced by the weight of the bat. Bathead speed imparts a greater influence on the distance a ball travels then the weight of the bat also remember the bathead speed is greatest at the end of the bat so length of the bat is also a factor.

One of the leading female power hitters in the game told me she swings a 34/27. Since this wasn't offered by her company as a fp bat, I assume she was using the slowpitch bat. Never checked to see if that's legal and didn't ask her what paint scheme/name the factory put on it for her, but if your kid can swing a 34 it might be something to look into.

Mark H.