At what age should you start using wood in BP? I play 13u right now and have heard some teammates and others online saying swinging wood too early can mess with mechanics. I use a 30 inch wood bat for BP and I don't think it has messed with my mechanics at all. I'm interested to hear what people think.
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Ask them how swinging with wood messes up your swing. They won’t be able to explain. The only possibility is if they’re swing -5:metal and -3 wood.
Where my son grew up middle school required -3. I made all my 13u players swing -3. It’s only two years to high school ball.
You are just fine using wood. I have had all of my hitting students use wood, including all who play fastpitch softball. My daughter started using wood at ten years old. What happens when you use wood? First, the sweet spot on wood is not like that of other bats your teammates are using. Secondly, there is a concept in hitting called "connection." There are two definitions. One is how the mechanics of the swing are linked from the front heel plant to the finish of the swing. The second definition is more widely recognized. It is the relationship of the hands to the area of the shoulders and armpit. The best hitters bring their hands into connection for a brief period of time, and then they leave. Why should you care? If you are efficient, the barrelhead of the bat won't drop down and cause drag. There is a difference between "lag" and "drag." Drag is bad.
To finish, if you use wood and get used to the weight difference while developing an efficient swing. It should increase your chances of hitting upper level pitching.
IMO, using -3 or heavier wood bats at 12u up to HS is beneficial mostly because it makes you stronger very fast. There is no better way to develop bat speed than to swing 100 + times a day with a heavy wood bat. We have had great success with wood. Good for conditioning too. Do 4-6 rounds of front toss in a half hour and it is a good workout. You can end the session with your gamer.
BB;
Maybe the NY Yankees can send you the new bats. Check the "knob"!
A "taper" at the knob is necessary for "choking" the bat for a quicker swing.
You then can use a longer bat with a large barrell.
Bob
Here comes one of those when I was a kid we walked to school in a foot of snow, uphill, both ways comments …
We played a lot of pickup baseball. We used whatever wood bat was available. Metal didn’t exist. If you’re twelve and a fourteen year old brought the bat chances are it’s going to be heavy. If the bat was too heavy we choked up. We played whiffle ball. It’s a light plastic bat. I don’t know of any kids who screwed up their swings.
Now I cringe when I hear someone mention a couple of ounces is going to screw up a swing. I realize times change. But either a kid has the talent to play the game or he doesn’t. A change in bat weight isn’t going to kill the journey.
