Opinions on Youth Baseball Bat for 8U

Welcome to hsbaseballweb. I'll be up front you chose an emotional subject with bat rolling.

In 7/8 machine pitch my son used a $25 Walmart special Mark McGwire bat. In 9/10 kid pitch he used a $50 TPX Laser. His first $100 bat was an Omaha in 11/12 Majors. He used his LL bats in 11U and 12U travel even though he could have used a big barrel and maybe hit the ball ten feet further.

Don't get caught up in the quality and expense of the bat for preteens. Get caught up in the quality of his swing. The bat is not going to start him on the road to high school or college ball. His swing will. I believe the TPX Laser is one of the best inexpensive bats available. It's now $60.

ROLLING BATS IS ILLEGAL. You could be responsible for getting a little pitcher or infielder badly injured, possibly for life. Put your kid on the mound and ask yourself what you think of rolled bats. Get your priorities in order. It's not how far a little kid hits a ball. It's about how he swings the bat.

From a bat rolling website:

"Everyone who rolls bats will let you know that bat rolling can’t be detected; to a degree this is fact. Any bat can be rolled and be undetectable; this statement comes with some exceptions. On about 90% of bats, rolling is virtually undetectable, even if a trained bat roller was given the bat for examination. The other 10% of bats have issues with being undetectable."

Why do you think detectability is an issue? My son was a high school third baseman before being moved to the outfield. I always said if I perceived a ball to come at him unreasonably hard and he got injured, I'd have the bat confiscated. If it turned out to be rolled I'd sue everyone connected with the bat right back to the parent who paid to have it rolled.

RJM,

My son is pitcher/1b and could not agree with you more.

Just wondering how hard it would be to "Confiscate" someone's bat....you might end up being arrested for stealing a bat?

Thanks RJM,

I knew bat rolling is a touchy subject, just curious what the majority of posters think on this site, this seems to be a well informed group of users.

I've never even heard of bat rolling until a few weeks ago, researching bats on the Internet. From my understanding so far after putting 200 to 300 solid hits on a composite bat would have the same affect as getting it rolled, bat rolling is just stream lining the process. Is that a fair statement in you guys opinion?

Your right about the quality of swing rjm, I coach his team and while I'm no expert or former standout myself I try to research all I can and make sure I teach the kids the best I can.

As I said he's really hit some shots this year, we play in a coach pitch tball league and he seems to like the ball a little high and usually he can put it in the outfield through the air rather than on the ground. It doesn't happen as often as I like though, for some reason he seems to hit better shots during batting practice before the game.

I was thinking a better quality bat would help him be more consistent on hitting some deep and driving in the runs. While I know some of these bats can make you a little better hitter but nothing is a substitute for good mechanics.

I appreciate the suggestion on bats rjm I'll look into the tpx laser as well.

Any thoughts on Miken bats?

I wanted to share this with you rjm. This is the most upfront site about bat rolling that I've seen.

http://www.batrolling4u.com/bat_rolling.html

Is bat rolling legal?
This is one of the most debated topics on the net today. All we can do is give you the facts as they stand today. Currently rolling is legal in only 1 slow pitch softball association. This association (ISA) clearly state in their rule book that rolling is legal. In another association (ASA), they have recently adopted a bat certification process that requires all bats to be tested after they have been rolled. This ensures that each bat that is certified by them does not exceed their performance factor after being rolling. We interpret this as rolling being legal even though it doesn't specifically say so. In USSSA, they do clearly state rolling is against the rules. Our opinion is that rolling your bat is doing nothing more than taking 500 BP swings. You're just doing it in a more controlled fashion and in a shorter period of time. Our advice to you is to check with your local association or league and find out what their stance is on this subject.


We play in a USSSA league, so it is illegal and I'm not going to do something like that, but back to my point earlier wouldn't it be no different after it got broke in?

quote:

From my understanding so far after putting 200 to 300 solid hits on a composite bat would have the same affect as getting it rolled, bat rolling is just stream lining the process.

When composites break in they violate the bat exit speed tests. The NCAA has banned composites. I've heard the NFHS will follow in 2012. Our state (PA) had banned composites for 2011. The composite bat is on death row. It's part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Most of the kids I remember who hit homers (over fences) from ages 8-10 were bigger stronger kids swinging from their heels. Some of these kids were still home run hitters through age twelve. But starting at 13U on the big field many of these kids were hitting nothing but fly balls. The kids who hit line drives on the smaller fields became the best hitters on the 60/90. Kids who couldn't hit homers in the preteen years became home run hitters in high school when they physically matured because they always had good swing mechanics.

Interesting Stuff, I've heard about the NCAA ban until further testing is done.

Supposedly this bat I'm looking at is Miken 2011 model bat, just came out. It's designed for Coach Pitch youth baseball.

I've heard with new composite bats they would break these bats in first and then test the ball exit speed before approving them. I'm not sure if that's happening now or not though.

I've had my heart set on a composite bat, I looked at one similar to this Miken at a sporting goods store the other day, it was an Easton and it just felt amazing in my hands so much more reach and just light as a feather.

You really feel these bats are bad for the game rjm? Have you had any experience with one or seen other kids hit with them?

The NCAA and NFHS determined they're bad for the game. That's good enough for me. Personally I don't see any need for metal by high school. High school should play with wood. My son's showcase team played all wood last summer. The scores were usually normal baseball scores like 5-3 and 6-4, not the 9-7 and 10-8 you get with metal.

If you want to see a kid's hitting improve have him use wood. If he doesn't swing properly and hit the ball on the small sweet spot he will fail. My son took BP with wood starting at age ten.

It's hard to say if a pitcher gets drilled by a ball off a metal bat it wouldn't have happened with a wood bat. But the exit speeds off a metal bat are faster than off wood. Logic dictates that split second difference or the velocity could be the difference causing catastrophy.

To date the bat exit speed tests have been a joke. A ball is propelled sixty miles per hour at a bat held in a vice. They look at the distance the ball pops back. That's hardly the same as a fastball hitting a swung bat.

I almost just want to buy one of these bats for myself and just play around with it and see how it performs. I'm a technology guy by heart, so I'm always interested in the latest equipment and such.

Either way if I get him the bat or not I've been reading on here that practicing with a wooden bat helps and I'll probably use that to re-enforce his technique. He may be a little young for that yet but definetly have him swinging another bat during practice that's not as high performance and make sure he is doing the little things right.

I'm really excited to leave tball and go to 8U, we don't even keep score in Tball and it will be nice to be able to play for something next year.

I really don't know why I obsess over the bat the way I do, he is a good hitter, we really need to work on his fielding of ground balls, he did catch a line drive and a pop fly hit his way this year I was impressed with that. But nothing makes the crowd go ewwwww and ahhhhhh when he launches that ball in the outfield lol. It sure makes me a proud dad to see him do that, something I wasn't good at for sure

He's 8??????

Spend $25-50 and get the right LENGTH/WEIGHT bat. And focus your efforts on developing a good swing and good fielding/throwing skills.

I have seen the worst hitter at 8 become the best hitters at 14 and vice/versa.

There really are better things to focus on other than the best bat for junior at 8.

Hi bballdad,

Actually he is turning 7 in August, so not 8 years old yet just moving up to 8U league next year. I'm looking for a bat for next year.

This year he swung an Easton 26 inch that weighed 16oz

The Bat I want is 28 inch and only weighs half an ounce more.

He is 4ft 2" and weighs 52 pounds looking at the guidelines and considering this is for next year I think that bat would be just right for him.

Here is a chart i'm looking at.
http://www.baseballcorner.com/batguide.asp

I plan to work on all his skills, hitting, fielding, base running throwing etc as well. I would like him to have the best tools to use as well like a bat though.

It's only $139 it seems to be a reasonable price for a bat that he can probably use the next couple years.

Looking at his height and weight you think I have the wrong size in mind?

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for a bat that he can probably use the next couple years.

Between physical and skill development chances are your son will change bats every year. The first time my son didn't get a new bat was this year after playing wood bat all last summer. Next year he's gettng a bigger metal bat.

Your son is too young for wood, IMO likely to cause problems as the swingweight will be different than even a similar weight alloy or composite. Get whatever bat your son swings well and feels good to him. In my experience this won't be one of the long, superlight bats similar to the one you originally asked about. The heavier bats seem to encourage swinging thru rather than hitting at, resulting in a better swing now and in the future. Use your excess cash on tokens for the cages or lessons.

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Your son is too young for wood, IMO likely to cause problems as the swingweight will be different than even a similar weight alloy or composite.

At age ten my son used a -5 wood bat in BP and a -10 metal in games. The weight difference didn't affect his hitting. It was two different pitching velocities. Besides I was considering having him ready for a -3 metal bat at thirteen. He was 5'2" 115 swinging a 31/28 in 13U.

The kid is 7, don't worry about spending hundreds on equipment. Enjoy the fact that the sport is relatively cheap at his age. That changes soon enough.

As for rolling a composite bat, I can't imagine rolling a bat would be that much of an improvement for the average 8 year old. As others have said, spend time (and money for proper lessons if you are inclined) helping him learn proper hitting mechanics and fundamentals of playing the game over fancy equipment. It may look cool but a cheap 30 dollar bad bought at Big5 will do the trick at that age.

When he is older rolling that bat may make a difference. But that is at least 2-3 years away for him IMHO.

Are we really having a discussion on bat rolling for pre-teen players? Honestly?

Spend $50 on a bat from any sporting goods store.

It's the Indian, not the arrow. There will come a time when these things will be a consideration but at this point in his career, it's irrelevant.

The only advice I would offer is to err on the side of smaller and lighter vs. longer and heavier. There is a temptation to buy a bat that the kid will "grow into"...a bat that is too heavy will start building the kind of muscle memory that you don't want. Get something that is light enough to swing with the hands, keep the knob inside the ball. Sacrifice a little mass right now...it'll pay off down the road.

I kind of disagree with TG...Some of the kids that hit homeruns in the lower divisions usually will continue to do so as they get older especially if they turn out to be big kids.

My youngest swung a 29-19 big barrel Omaha as a 7 & 8 year old. As a 9 year old he was swinging a 30-20. As a 10 year old he swings a 32-22.5. He has hit the ball over 228 feet and rarely strikes out. I only talk to him during BP and shut up during the game.

quote:

Originally posted by Yankeelvr:
Your son is too young for wood, IMO likely to cause problems as the swingweight will be different than even a similar weight alloy or composite. Get whatever bat your son swings well and feels good to him. In my experience this won't be one of the long, superlight bats similar to the one you originally asked about. The heavier bats seem to encourage swinging thru rather than hitting at, resulting in a better swing now and in the future. Use your excess cash on tokens for the cages or lessons.

Youth wood bats are now available in 28" to 30" lengths with a minus 7-10 drop. Wood bat tournaments in PA start at 10U:
www.berkshirebaseball.com

I recommend using a red bat. That always worked for my son.

nmbaseballdad,
Not sure if your boy's team is playing USSSA tournaments, but Utrip banned the use of coachpitch bats earlier this month & bats like the afore mentioned Miken & a very popular Stealth are now illegal. Doubt this effects league play, but USSSA tourn directors have told team mgrs not to show up with them.

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My son just finished up his 2nd year of Tball and will be moving to an 8U league next year

my son is in a similar age range

he's become a good hitter because he loves going to the batting cage, and can now hit solidly off the 40mph machine, he uses a 28 inch, 19 oz model - would tell you the manufacturer except there's a bunch of dents where the logo used to be

in his machine pitch games, he's developed a liking for a 27 inch, 16 ounce bat I bought at Dick's Sporting Goods for $29 a year ago, I asked him why he liked to use this particular bat, and not one provided by the team, and he told me it was because it was blue