Do Good Hitters Obsess Over Bats?

chrometip78

chrometip78

The Hungarian Barbarian
Guys that can just flat out hit hard whether it's over the fence, guided missile to a gap, or rocketed through the infield without a chance of being gloved. Do they put a lot of thought and attention into what the hottest bat out is every year? Or do they just find something that works for them and view it as a basic tool to do their job?

On the flip side, do you notice a lot of guys that struggle hitting are always chasing the hottest bats and geeking out over the one that's made of unobtainium?

Or is there no correlation at all and guys are all over the board?
 
trip

trip

stfu
we got a guy that pops up to second base no matter what he uses. 26oz cyclone to a 30oz worth.

i grab whatever doesn't have a giant ****ing taper on the handle and do just fine
 
MarlSrSoftball

MarlSrSoftball

Into Semi-Retirement Still activebut not League
A good power hitter hits with anything. A singles hitter doesn't turn into a power hitter because of the bat.

Like mentioned above it is the basically the hitter with a little a little assist from a bat when you find one that you are comfortable with.
 
Dirt27

Dirt27

Cage Bomb Hero
Yeah, US good hitters can swing whatever and we usually do not obsess over it much. Lol.

If you can hit, you can hit and it doesn't matter which bat you use.
 
jbo911

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
Every good hitter that's been playing long enough to remember the Ultras is aware of how much difference the bat can make, but I think obsess is too strong a word for that.

I have been, and have seen guys struggle constantly trying new bats.

I am a firm believer that anyone that takes a new bat, and hits it until it's broken in, will be completely adjusted and comfortable swinging that bat by the time it reaches it's full potential. In most cases the bat starts heating up at the same time the person starts getting really comfortable with it and the bat gets much much better seemingly at once.
 
jhsfive

jhsfive

Outstanding Mutha****er
ninerempire25 said:
It's about the Indian......Not the Bow & Arrow
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This is true... to an extent. There's no coincidence that the best hitters around me all swing J3as and such.


That being said, I am a tweener that has been guilty of chasing the hottest stick out there.... I'm commenting on this because I pretty recently have came to this realization.

Now I'm back to my basics and will stick to them.

I have a bunch of bats and they all feel the same for the most part.

AM, SY98(up an oz cause its so balanced), '14 triad, etc.
 
TRaj2327

TRaj2327

Well-Known Member
It doesn't really matter what I swing. As long as it's a DeMarini it goes 400' every time.

On a serious note, as long as it is a 26 oz endload or 27 balanced, I can pretty much pick it up and make good contact. Of course there is some wiggle room in there.
 
H

Hambo

Starting Player
So when I first started playing our team had 2 bats... a Demarini Bruiser and an Easton Hammer. We learned pretty quick by watching what other people were swinging that there were better bats to be had out there. I think when you consider the extremes... comparing an entry level $50 bat versus a $300 pro player model that there is absolutely a difference in performance.

That being said, the best hitter I've ever played with swung the same Worth Resmondo Titan (the Brian Rainwater sig one) and absolutely crushed with it despite new bats coming out every year. I think that there's a lot to be said about just finding a bat, sticking with it, and being comfortable with it. I mean, they always talk about pro players obsessing over the specs their bats are made to. I've heard stories of baseball pros getting an order of bats and instantly being able to tell minute differences between them (all this in spite of the fact that they are made on million dollar computer controlled lathes that supposedly measure down to the micron).

I always chuckle a little at the guys who will swing 4 different bats within one game...
 
Z

zuke 37

Star Player
i pick a bat for feel. nothing i ever used felt better then the easton titanium. the micon ultra 1 was to hit better but i never liked the feel. the umps had the ultras outlawed because they ran up the scores and they got paid for only one game no matter what the score was. the titaniums were baned buy the bat companies because once you buy one you will never have to ever buy another bat in your life. now they got us for about $300 a year.

i had a grover platinium a few years back, i don't ever remembering making an out with the thing, hut i disguarded it after a few games because i didn't like the feel.
 
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superfonzie

superfonzie

MILE HI HEEL'Billy
i always get a chuckle outa guys asking me to try their bat as if it will make me a better hitter, " try this … its freekin hot man" .. i AGREE w Hambo, pick one, use it, BP it til its game ready and stick with it, i do however think there is no shame in trying a new bat or bat technology, i buy and try between 5-10 new bats every year, utrip and asa, like the new ASA bats, swung Easton most of my playing days and now i have to say that the ASA DeMarinis are probably some of the best ASA bats made, IMHO ...tried alot of others, and i will continue to try new bats, have a MONSTA on its way for ASA, and i like Easton and Dermarini … looking forward to trying some new bats when the become avail and see if i like them better… DO THE WORK !!!!

Super
 
chrometip78

chrometip78

The Hungarian Barbarian
Not inferring good hitters don't use good bats but they stick to something that works without chasing the latest or swinging 4 different bats a game.
 
F

Fuzz

Extra Hitter
I obsess over my mechanics, but not the bat so much (stronger, faster, consistent).

I do try out every bat that I can get my hands on especially the hyped ones. However I usually keep one bat that I absolutely love the feel of then I try to find one that feels close as possible or if I’m lucky better.
 
M

markf

Addicted to Softballfans
Fuzz said:
I obsess over my mechanics, but not the bat so much (stronger, faster, consistent).

I do try out every bat that I can get my hands on especially the hyped ones. However I usually keep one bat that I absolutely love the feel of then I try to find one that feels close as possible or if I’m lucky better.
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Bingo!! Most good hitters I know have a personal bat they like (because they've spent time swinging it) and limit the variables of the swing for consistency.

I personally have spent a lot of time on demarinis and have had a lot of success hitting them. Feel wise I think if you can swing one, you can swing em all cause they're all fairly similar. And sure I'm up to date with the latest bats but I don't pay super close attention till my trusty stand by breaks.
 
stork

stork

Rocky Mountain Oyster aka DirtDog
I suck less with Eastons, so I generally gravitate towards them. I am much less committed to greatness as I once was though, so the few swings I take are best with the same kind of bat. And I don't always do whats best in trying other sticks.
 
rhound50

rhound50

Rec Coed Superstar
I keep reading on SBF that some new bat is ultralike, I keep buying them expecting to hit 400 foot bombs with one hand off the taper so far i haven't found it but some day I will find that magical bat, til then I keep reading SBF looking for my unicorn.
 
stork

stork

Rocky Mountain Oyster aka DirtDog
rhound50 said:
I keep reading on SBF that some new bat is ultralike, I keep buying them expecting to hit 400 foot bombs with one hand off the taper so far i haven't found it but some day I will find that magical bat, til then I keep reading SBF looking for my unicorn.
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Something something knife gun fight something something.
 
stork

stork

Rocky Mountain Oyster aka DirtDog
Good enough for D-league. Maybe you just aren't committed enough to this.
 
longball32

longball32

Underhand HR hitter
I somewhat agree with the "indian not the arrow" saying.. but if that was a 100% true then all the tournament guys would be swinging Wallmart bats to save money... Top players are still going to swing Top end bats, they may not buy 10 bats a year and keep trying to find the newest hottest thing out there.. But there is a reason why 80% of the asa teams out there last year had a J3a on it, At nationals i dont think i saw a team there that didnt have one.

personally i try to find a bat i like and then buy 3-4 of the same bat (might go a ounce heavier with one of them) The reason for 3-4 and most tournament guys can agree, the new bats out today after a couple hundred swings they no longer pass compression (at least for demarini) so i need a new one for the main tournaments around here that do testing (state, nationals, among a few others)
 
F

Flyman

GEAUX TIGERS!!
015reddog said:
The best hitters on my team don't obsess. They swing one bat for the most part.
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I'm not one of these "best hitters". Heck, I'm not even a good hitter, but I stick to one bat. I've been swinging the orange DBA for the last two seasons, and that is my go-to stick. The first one I swung got an internal crack this season (as it was explained to me) and went from firestick to dud in an instant. My other two are just as hot. Moral to the story, even us sucky hitters can settle on one stick that we really like rather than obsessing over which one will get us over our suckness. I've just come to the reality that I will never be a good hitter, so I just use the bat that feels the best and gives me the best performance I can find.
 
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