How To Buy A Baseball Bat

Whether you play Little League baseball or for a college team, buying a bat is a personal decision. New technology has delivered bats that not only enhance performance but also are tailored to an individual player's strengths. It is essential that you select a bat that fits your unique body configuration and skill level, height, weight, and hitting strength.

• Understanding Bat Materials
  • Aluminum
  • Graphite/Titanium lined
  • Wood
• Determine Which Bat Fits Your Body
  • Age
  • Height and weight
• Determining the Right Bat Weight
• Understanding Bat Technology
  • Barrel size
  • Taper
  • Grip
• Bat Performance Factor (BPF) and League Regulations
• Warranty Information

Understanding Bat Materials

The world of bats now offers a large variety of choices in materials. These can be broken into three primary categories: aluminum, graphite/titanium lined, and wood. Each provides its own unique characteristics and advantages for today's players.

Aluminum

• Aluminum is lighter in weight, which increases control and bat speed. Balls travel farther with aluminum over other metals.
• Despite generally higher costs than other materials, aluminum is durable and not prone to crack or break
• Aluminum bats come in a variety of alloys, each with a different weight
• Generally, lighter aluminum alloys are thinner and more durable. The one thing these have in common is that they are all different combinations of Zinc, Copper, Magnesium and Aluminum. The following is a list of the different alloys and their benefits.
  • 7046: This is the standard aluminum alloy used in most bats
  • CU31/7050: More durable than 7046, due to increased levels of zirconium, magnesium, and copper
  • C405/7055: Increased Zirconium content than 7050, giving higher strength
  • C555: 7% stronger than C405, has traces of scandium, which increases strength
• Lighter weight bats also increase the "sweet spot," the hitting zone on the bat's barrel that gives the maximum place to put metal to ball
• Aluminum bats, and those enhanced with other alloys, also come in single-layer or double-layer construction
• Double-layer bats offer more durability and power, since the ball rebounds off the bat with more authority
• Cryogenically treated aluminum--Alloy is frozen and reheated to provide greater durability, less vibration and 2-4% greater distance

Graphite/Titanium lined

• Technology has enabled bat makers to use lighter, stronger materials. Graphite and titanium are just two of these.
• Both are usually added to thinner-wall aluminum bats, enabling bats to be lighter and increasing a player's swing speed
• These materials also increase durability and the batter's sweet spot
• Graphite and titanium also help reduce vibration and the sting of ball shock, the tingling feeling sent to the hands usually when you miss hitting the ball in the bat's sweet spot

Wood

• Wood bats offer a classic feel and sound
• Look for a grain that is long and wide, which indicates a tree's age and density
• Wood bats offer more choices in shape and taper that can be customized to a player's swing
• Wood has three big disadvantages:
  • Bats crack and break
  • Reduced sweet spots on the barrel
  • Far less hitting power than metal bats

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Determine Which Bat Fits Your Body

There are some standard rules of thumb in selecting the appropriate bat length. The charts below offer some guidelines based on age and weight and height.

Age

• Using your age as a guide, use the chart below to determine the bat length that fits your body

Height and weight

• These are usually better ways to determine what bat length may work best for you

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How To Buy A Baseball Glove

Gloves, like the hands they fit, come in a variety of sizes. Baseball and softball gloves also are geared to fit both the position you play and the level of your game. Keep these factors in mind when you decide which style, size, features and materials best suit your game.

• Gloves by Fielding Position
  • Catcher
  • First base
  • Infield
  • Outfield
  • Softball
• Find the Features that Fit Your Game
  • Construction
  • Materials
• Fit the Glove to Your Hand
• Buying a Ball
  • The basic ball
  • Materials

Gloves by Fielding Position

Gloves are made to better help you field your position. A key element in determining the size mitt you buy is the position you play in the field.

Catcher

• A fingerless mitt (it does not have individual fingers)
• Has heavy padding to reduce the sting from the pitcher's throw
• Reinforced to withstand the heavy use throughout a game

First base

• Also resembles a mitten, but has less padding than the catcher's mitt
• It is longer to help the first baseman field throws from infielders
• A shallow pocket allows the first baseman to quickly retrieve the ball from the mitt

Infield

• A five-fingered glove with a shallow pocket
• A youth size is between 9 - 11 inches
• Adults 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 inch is the typical baseball size
• Softball infielder gloves have a deeper pocket to accept the bigger ball
• Second basemen need a smaller glove to help make those quick throws while still having control
• Shortstops use something in the middle for grounders and quick throws
• Third basemen need a larger glove

Outfield

• Usually sized at 12 to12 1/2-inches for adults, about 11 inches for children
• A deeper pocket to handle balls hit high in the air
• Longer length to give as much reach as possible
• If you plan to play several positions, find a glove that provides the most control for a variety of outfield positions

Softball gloves

• Generally larger both in the pocket and length to help players handle the larger ball
• If you play both baseball and softball, and you only want to buy one glove, select a softball glove

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Find the Features that Fit Your Game

Today's gloves have different features built-in to help your game and to suit your ability. Here are the key features constructed into gloves and what to consider in finding the glove that suits you.

Construction

• Pocket
  • The size of the pocket depends on your position
  • Shallow pockets really help middle infielders quickly grab the ball and throw
  • Deeper pockets help outfielders shag down fly balls
  • Softball players also need a bigger pocket to catch the bigger ball
• Webbing
  • Different styles of webbing are available to either help you better field your position or to fit your preference
  • A closed web is preferred for pitchers who want to hide the ball from the batter
  • Outfielders and third basemen like the extra support from a closed web
  • An open web helps middle infielders get the ball out of their gloves quicker to make throws
• Backs
  • There are two choices of backs, open or closed
  • The type of back is matter of personal preference, but some styles fit some positions better
    • The open back leaves a space open across the glove's back
    • Middle infielders prefer this for the flexibility
    • Outfielders prefer a closed back with a "finger hole" for extra support
• Wrist adjustment
  • Gloves come with an adjustment to keep it snug. Not all gloves have these "fit systems."
  • A D-ring fastener allows you to pull on the lacing and make the glove tighter or looser
  • A Velcro fastener although it may wear quicker, offers convenience of pulling and adjusting to fit your comfort level
  • A Lacing adjustment allows you to loosen or tighten the wrist fastener with leather laces.
  • A Buckle system adjusts the glove with a buckle similar to an adjustable hat
• Padding
  • The amount of padding in the pocket depends on the position played
  • The catcher's mitt has more padding to handle hard throws from a pitcher
  • Glove makers have been adding more padding for other positions as well to help players handle the sting of hard-hit balls
  • There also may be padding in the wrist area to make the glove more comfortable

Materials

Gloves come in a variety of materials, with the difference being in the feel and durability.

• Leather
  • Materials of choice for gloves
  • Leather offers the best comfort, control and feel
  • The better the leather, the better the glove
• Treated leather
  • Leather is treated and softened with chemicals for faster break-in and increased durability
  • Treated leather also reduces the care needed for the glove and helps the glove keep its shape
• Synthetic materials
  • A lighter, less-durable material
  • Less expensive, good for youngsters
  • Won't withstand the wear and tear of playing ball nearly as well as leather

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Fit the Glove to Your Hand

Although age is also a factor, the position you play is the most important consideration in choosing a baseball or softball glove.

Youngsters/Beginners

• Youth models are smaller to help kids maintain control
• Avoid the urge to buy a bigger glove that you'll grow into
• Kids under the age of 8 should stick with a glove from 9 to 11 inches
• Kids from 8 to early teens, consider an 11-inch glove
• Beginners also benefit from the added control that they get from smaller gloves

High School/ Adult

• Outfielders need 12 to 12 1/2 inch gloves with deeper pockets
• Infielders need smaller gloves (10 1/2 to 11 1/2 inch) with shallower pockets for better control and quicker ball transfer
• Pitchers can go with a slightly larger glove than infielders but still need a small enough glove for fielding and throwing quickly
• Softball players require gloves that are slightly longer in length and deeper in the pocket to help field the bigger ball