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How to Choose Your Baseball Bat: Few decisions impact your game as much as choosing the perfect bat. You want a bat
that has the right size, right weight and right length for you, and within your budget. Improvements in technology have given
today ball players more options than ever, so you’re sure to find a bat that feels like it was custom made for you. You just have to do your homework to find it. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making your selection: Weight: As a general rule, bigger, stronger players usually prefer a heavier bat for maximum power. Smaller players usually benefit from a lighter bat that allows greater bat speed. To determine the weight
that's right for you, swing a variety of bats and see how much weight you're comfortable with. Length: Length and weight combine for peak performance. A longer bat gives you greater reach, allowing you to hit balls on the other side of the plate. But remember that a longer bat may be heavier, and the extra weight could slow you down. Like checking the weight, you need to swing bats of different lengths to decide what length best suits you. League requirements: All Adult Baseball Bats are required to meet the
BESR Certification, which makes the
bat approved for high school and college level play. Feel: This may be the most important factor. Make sure the bat feels right to you, like an extension of your arm and hand. After all,
you're going to be spending quite a bit of time together. So you've chosen your bat. Now what? You want to be comfortable and confident with your bat before you swing it in a win-or-lose situation, so take it to the practice field and get in a few hits. Take a look at our Baseball
Bat Care section to get tips on how to make your bat last as long as possible. Confidence can only come from one thing: batting practice. Whatever bat you choose, put in plenty of practice time, so
you'll be ready when the pressures on at the plate. How to select the right size and length? Below is a chart that will give you helpful information regarding a ballpark average for your child. Please remember that the chart only gives averages and does not take into account a players personal preferences. Some players may like a longer bat while others prefer a short bat, and some may like a heavier bat or some may prefer a lighter bat. But what this chart does give you is a starting position to begin your search for a new bat.
| Height (in inches) |
Weight (in pounds) |
|
61-64 |
65-68 | 69-72 |
73+ |
121-130 |
32" | 33" |
33" |
33" |
131-140 |
32" | 33" |
33" |
33" |
141-150 |
32" | 33" |
33" |
33" |
151-160 |
32" | 33" |
33" |
33" |
161-170 |
32" | 33" |
33" |
34" |
171-180 |
33" | 33" |
34" |
34" |
180+ | 33" |
33" |
34" | 34" |
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What is
the BESR Certification?
According to the National
Federation of State High School
Associations (www.nfhs.org) the
BESR Certification can be
explained in the following:
In Rule 1-3-5, the Baseball
Rules Committee addressed the
altering of bats and
incorporated the Ball Exit Speed
Ratio (BESR) performance
standard language into the body
of the rule.
The requirement of the BESR
certification mark on all
non-wood bats, which originally
was approved by the committee in
2001, took effect in high school
baseball January 1, 2003. The
BESR mark denotes that non-wood
bats have a maximum exit speed
of 97 miles per hour (under a
set of laboratory conditions)
and they have met
moment-of-inertia requirements,
as well as a maximum diameter of
the bat and a minus-3
differential between the length
and weight of the bat. The rule
now states that bats may either
be wood or non-wood, rather than
listing various compositions of
non-wood bats.
Although the rule requires
non-wood bats to be labeled with
a silk screen or other permanent
certification mark, in some
cases manufacturers have used a
label, sticker or decal to
denote BESR certification.
However, effective January 1,
2006, no BESR label, sticker or
decal will be permitted on any
non-wood bat.
How does a bat become BESR
Certified?
Each bat must pass testing in
the Baseball Research Center at
the University of Massachusetts
– Lowell (http://m-5.uml.edu/umlbrc/).
“The Baseball Research Center
serves as the official
certification center for all
baseball bats used for NCAA and
NHFS.”
What are the specific rules for
Adult Baseball bats?
According to the 2007 NFHS
Baseball Rules Book the
following rules pertain to the
use of bats for high school and
college play.
Rule 1-3-2
The bat which may be wood or
non-wood product shall be a
smooth cylinder implement with a
knob that is permanently and
securely fastened. All non-wood
bat shall meet the Ball Exit
Speed Ratio (BESR) performance
standard, and such bats be
labeled with a silk screen or
other permanent certification
mark. No BESR label, sticker or
decal will be accepted on any
non-wood bats. There shall be no
devices, attachments or
wrappings that cause the handle
to become flush with the knob.
Molded grips are illegal.
Rule 1-3-4
A wood bat may be roughened or
wound with tape not more than 18
inches from the handle end of
the bat. No foreign substance
may be added to the surface of
the bay beyond 18 inches for the
end of the handle.
Each bat shall be:
In diameter at thickest part:
(wood) 2 3/4 inches or less
In diameter at thickest part:
(non-wood) 2 5/8 inches or less
In length: 36 inches or less
In weight: A bat shall not
weight, numerically, more than
three ounces less than the
weight of the bat (e.g., a
33-inch-long bat cannot be less
than 30 ounces).
How does BESR Certification
differ from Major League
Baseball?
According to Major League
Baseball and the Official Rules.
The following explains the rules
required for a Major League
Baseball bat.
Under 1.00 Objectives of the
Game, Rule 1.10:
a) The bat shall be a smooth,
round stick not more than 2 3/4
inches in diameter at the
thickest part and not more than
42 inches in length. The bat
shall be one piece of solid
wood.
NOTE: No laminated or
experimental bats shall be used
in a professional game (either
championship season or
exhibition games) until the
manufacture has secured approval
from the Rules Committee of his
design and methods of
manufacture.
b) Cupped Bats. An indentation
in the end of the bat up to one
inch in depth is permitted and
may be no wider than two inches
and no less than one inch in
diameter. The indentation must
be curved with no foreign
substances added.
c) The bat handle, for not more
than 18 inches from its end, may
be covered or treated with any
material or substance to improve
the grip. Any such material or
substance, which extends past
the 18 inch limitation, shall
cause the bat to be removed from
the game
NOTE: If the umpire discovers
that the bat does not conform to
c) above until a time during or
after which the bat has been
used in play, it shall not be
grounds for declaring the batter
out, or ejected from the game.
d) No colored bat may be used in
a professional game unless
approved by the Rules Committee.
How was the University of
Massachusetts – Lowell selected
for the Baseball Research
Center?
The program was found in 1998 by
MLB and Rawlings. “The purpose
was to establish an independent
lab for completing science and
engineering research as it
applies to MLB.” Then in
September 1999 the NCAA took
notice of the work being done
and begins to work with the lab
in cooperation. The NCAA was
looking to establish bat
performance standards. Currently
the Baseball Research Center
does all the testing for the
BESR Certification for all
manufacturers.
Read more information regarding
the History of the Baseball
Research Center.
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