Getting the the right bat can be a little confusing to parents out shopping for the first time with their child. A lot has changed since we were kids, but we’ll help you get a handle on what to look for.
1. First of all, make sure you understand your league rules for bats. They vary greatly so it’s important to know what your children are and are not allowed to use. Possible restrictions include materials, bat length, barrel size and length to weight ratio. Find out before you head to the store. but don’t worry I have small tip when you go to the store just asking the sellers you are looking for the usssa bats little league then they understand and pick the right bats for you. Because this type bat meet all rules of the leagues for kid.
2. Materials. For kids between six and 12-years old, nearly every bat you’ll find is either made out of aluminum or is a composite of different metals. Composite bats will typically cost more, but they also have more “pop.” They are also typically lighter which makes it easier for kids to control their swing and it increases bat speed.
3. Bat length. Here are some general guidelines to help you.
Age range Bat length range
5-7 24″-26″
8-9 26″-28″
10-11 28″-30″
11-12 30″-32″4.
4. Barrel size. In general, the larger the barrel size, the more forgiving the bat will be to young hitters who may not hit the ball directly in the center every time. Many bat sellers will refer to “big barrel” bats as those with a barrel diameter of 2 5/8″ or greater. Again, make sure you check with your league for any restrictions.
5. Weight drop. This may be a new measure for many of you. The weight drop is an indicator of the ratio of the bat length to it’s weight. As you can imagine, if you could choose between two bats of the same length, the lighter bat is advantageous. A weight drop is calculated by subtracting the weight of the bat (in ounces) from length of the bat (in inches). So, if you have a 28-inch bat that weighs 18 ounces, it is said to have a -10 weight drop. Once again, make sure you understand your league rules because there may be restrictions on weight drop.
The quality brands that you’ll see most often include Easton, Louisville Slugger, DeMarini, Rawlings and Worth.
Understanding Baseball Statistics: Hitting
It used to be simple, didn’t it? The only thing we ever cared about was batting average for hitters, and ERA for pitchers. Now you can’t turn on the TV or radio without hearing someone yammering on about WHIP, OPS and other exotic statistics. Not to worry, we’re here to help you understand the common baseball statistics. Part One will cover hitting stats. Part Two will cover pitching statistics.
Common Hitting Statistics
Plate Appearance (PA) – A Plate Appearance is credited any time a player completes a turn batting, no matter what the outcome. Compare this to an At Bat.
At Bats (AB) – Your hitter is scored an official At Bat when he reaches first base (or more) on a hit, reaches base on an error, there is a fielder’s choice, or is called out for any reason other than as part of a sacrifice. The most common reason an At Bat is NOT counted is a walk (base on balls).
Batting Average (BA or AVG) – Number of hits (of any kind) divided by the number of At Bats. Make sure to take the rules for counting At Bats into account for your calculation.
Runs Batted In (RBI) – An RBI is credited to a hitter when the outcome of the at-bat results in a run being scored. There are a few exceptions, such as being walked, hit-by-pitch, or catcher’s interference with the bases loaded (and thereby driving a run home), or an error on a play that should have resulted in an inning-ending double play.
Fielder’s Choice (FC) – A fielder’s choice is marked when a hitter reaches a base due to the defense’s attempt to put out another baserunner.
On Base Percentage (OBP) – On base percentage is meant to help a manager understand what percentage of the time a batter reaches base. Here’s the formula.
(Hits + Walks + Hit-By-Pitch) divided by (At Bats + Walks + Hit-By-Pitch + Sacrifices)
Slugging percentage (SLG or SA) – An indicator of a batter’s power since batting average doesn’t take extra base hits into account. Here’s the formula
(Singles + [2 x Doubles] + [ 3 x Triples] + [4 x Home Runs]) divided by At Bats
On Base + Slugging (OBPS or OPS) – OBPS is a measure of a player’s hitting ability, power and ability to reach first base. It can be calculated by simply adding a player’s OBP to SLG. When reported, the decimal point is sometimes dropped.