| My eight year old was playing baseball this fall on | | | | the hands to get the barrel of the bat on the ball. |
| a coached pitched team. It was the perfect | | | | With much practice, a player can become good at |
| situation for the fall with only one practice every | | | | making consistent contact on the sweet spot of |
| Sunday afternoon from 2:00-3:30. It was a great | | | | the bat. Using the hands correctly will strengthen |
| experience, one in which he learned a lot. He also | | | | the hands as they get older and allow them to |
| had a great time with the other kids on the team. | | | | progress in their mechanics as a hitter. Many |
| We were also playing flag football during the fall, | | | | players struggle with hitting on high school |
| so we didn't have a lot of time for extended fall | | | | freshman or JV teams because they drag the bat |
| ball, plus he is only 8 so I wasn't interested in | | | | head with the -3 bats that are required by the |
| having him involved with a team that was going | | | | National Federation Rules. They have been |
| to play games every week in the fall. I'm not a | | | | swinging the -8 and -5 bats with their arms and |
| big proponent of playing year round baseball, but | | | | the -3 is even heavier for them to swing. They |
| I'll save that for another article. | | | | haven't developed good strong hands from hitting |
| The coaches decided they would try to play a | | | | properly. |
| couple of games and put into action what they | | | | The problem with the big barrel bats is the |
| had been teaching during the Sunday practices. | | | | extended hitting zones. The player can have a |
| We traveled about 45 minutes away on a nice | | | | long swing (one that disconnects with the arms |
| Saturday during the mid fall to play a double | | | | getting away from the body) hitting the ball on |
| header with another eight year old team. It was a | | | | the area below the sweet spot near the |
| good experience but I was shocked when I | | | | trademark and still get a solid base hit into the |
| watched the other team hit. Yes, they beat us in | | | | outfield. This was what I witnessed that Saturday |
| both games 20-8 and 17-9, but that wasn't what | | | | this fall during the eight year old coached-pitched |
| shocked me, it was the bats they were using - | | | | game. Most of the hitters in the opposing team |
| Big Barrel Bats. | | | | line up used more arms than hands to hit, but |
| Let me back up a little bit first. My eight year old | | | | they still had solid shots into the outfield. In fact, |
| is our youngest. My oldest is 26 (I was 40 when | | | | the few times they did make solid contact, the |
| our youngest was born) and we have already | | | | ball was sent like a laser to the outfield fences. |
| went through Little League, Babe Ruth, Summer | | | | Several times our players got hit with the ball |
| Ball, etc...with our oldest. Also, as a high school | | | | (one in the head on a line drive to center field) |
| baseball coach I host youth camps every summer | | | | and the coach was also hit by a hot line drive |
| and thought I was in tune with what was | | | | back to the mound. It was a little scary and these |
| happening in youth baseball. But the bats I saw | | | | young players were not ready to be swinging |
| the other eight year old team using that day | | | | these bats. |
| caught me by complete surprise. Every player on | | | | During my research I also found hitting with big |
| the other team was using a big barrel (2-5/8 inch | | | | barrel bats was common practice for travel |
| diameter) bat, even though they were only eight | | | | league teams during the summer and fall. Most |
| years old. | | | | travel tournament sponsors do not have |
| The big barrel bat is designed for senior league | | | | regulations against using larger barrel bats for |
| play, which is typically 13-15 year olds. I did a little | | | | youth league ages. With the manufacture |
| investigation and found that all the manufacturers | | | | warnings clearly listed on these bats, this may be |
| (Easton, DeMarini, Louisville, etc...) specifically | | | | a serious spot for litigation. The travel tournament |
| advertised that these big barrel bats are not | | | | sponsors and teams that use these bats against |
| approved for younger youth league teams. This | | | | the manufacture warnings are exposing |
| was reinforced more when I found out that most | | | | themselves to potential lawsuits. |
| youth leagues (Cal Ripen, Little League, Pony, | | | | From a hitting stand point, players will never |
| etc.,.) do not allow players to use the larger barrel | | | | understand their hitting flaws. It's like the weekend |
| bats. However, I did find it odd that the | | | | golfer that uses a monster head driver, one that |
| manufacturers are making -10 to -13 drop bats | | | | corrects the flight of the ball if the swing is not |
| (the unit distinction between the length and the | | | | perfect. As long as you make contact anywhere |
| weight of the bat, such as 27 inches long and 17 | | | | on the face of the club, you're in good shape. (I |
| ounces in weight). It's obvious that the sale of | | | | got one in my golf bag) The same is true for the |
| these ultra-light, big- barrel bats are targeted at | | | | large barrel bats for youth leagues. See, hitting a |
| youth league players. | | | | baseball is difficult and one that comes with much |
| Youth league (ages 6-12) aluminum bats are | | | | failure. A good big league player that hits around |
| typically 2 ¼ inches in diameter at the | | | | .300 will fail 7 out of 10 times. With young hitters, |
| sweet spot and usually have a -8 in drop. The | | | | the failure is what makes them better. Missing the |
| idea is to work up as they get older and | | | | sweet spot on the bat reinforces the idea to use |
| eventually get to the -3 drop bat that is required | | | | your hands and get the barrel on the ball. |
| in high school. | | | | If you're serious about your young player being a |
| The problem with using big barrel bats at such a | | | | better hitter make him use the 2 ¼ inch |
| young age is it doesn't reinforce hitting mechanics. | | | | barrel in youth league. He can also work with a |
| When a young hitter swings and misses the | | | | wood bat in practices and scrimmage games. (or |
| sweet spot, this reinforces the fact they need to | | | | summer league play). Use bamboo when they are |
| use their hands to hit instead of their arms. The | | | | young (ages 6-9), moving to maple by the time |
| sweet spot is located 4-7 inches from the barrel | | | | they are 11 or 12 years old. Both of these bats |
| end of the bat, located between the bat's | | | | are extremely durable and hard to break. By the |
| trademark and the end of the bat. With aluminum | | | | time they are 15-16 years old they can graduate |
| (or composite bats) when the player misses the | | | | to a nice Ash bat. Most big leaguers use either |
| sweet spot, the bat jars in their hands. With a | | | | Ash or Maple. All of our high school players have a |
| wood bat (which I think all young players should | | | | wood bat in their bag and train with it regularly. |
| spend time learning to hit with) if the sweet spot | | | | Don't delay the development of your youth |
| is missed, the ball won't travel very far, maybe a | | | | league hitter by allowing them to use a big barrel |
| ground ball to second or short. Anyway, it | | | | bat. Rotate your hips and use your hands to hit |
| reinforces the need to rotate the hips and use | | | | the SWEET SPOT. |