Choosing the Right Slow Pitch Softball Bat

Ask anyone I play with and they'll tell you I'm no power hitter. In fact, you're more likely to be regaled with my Ichiro-esque swinging bunt follies. Be that as it may, I have come to learn a bit about slow pitch softball bats over the past few months, and I'm happy to share my learnings with you here. I also aim to save you from buying a bat you end up not using (like I did).

There are basically four types of slow-pitch softball bats available out there:

1. Single wall aluminum
2. Double wall aluminum
3. Composite
4. Wood

Besides the materials of construction, there is also the length and weight of the bat to consider. Essentially, there is one bat length in slow pitch softball: 34". As for weights, they range from 26 oz. to 30 oz. The length is what it is. The weight is something a bit more complicated. If you are really strong and can maintain a constant swing speed through the strike zone regardless of bat weight, you should use a heavier bat. If you are unable to do so, you should use a lighter bat. I find that most people need the increased bat speed from a lighter bat more than the increased momentum from a heavier bat. I'm by no means a physicist, but the articles I've read seem to back up this hypothesis. So basically if you're not a complete bruiser, you should go for a bat that is 34" and 26 oz. to 27 oz. or so. Look around for batting cages in your area and try a few of their bats out. They won't be the best bats, but you will be able to get a feel for different weights and how your body responds to the differences between them.

Before you even consider what type of bat to buy, check with the league in which you intend to play--some leagues dictate the bat types that must be used. Most leagues I'm familiar with allow any ASA-approved bat, but some allow only single wall bats (Berkeley, CA for instance). Still others have gone to a more pure form of the game by allowing only wood bats (I've heard this is quite fun due to the increased action in the infield). Finally, check with the league for a list of banned bats. Make sure you consult the list before purchasing a bat, as the umpires will check each bat prior to the game.

A lot of physics and materials science has gone into bat construction, and I think it's safe to say that the composite bats are the clear winner in terms of the state-of-the-art technology and pop off the bat. This is confirmed by Daniel A. Russell at Kettering University. If you want to get deep into the science of bat construction and the physics involved in hitting, check out his fantastic article here.

The bummer about composite bats is that they're expensive. I bought a Miken Freak 98 from softballbats.com for $189, and I think that's about as cheap as it's gonna get for a quality composite bat that's ASA-approved.



Of course there are even better bats for even more money like the DeMarini Juggernaut. At $299, this one is guaranteed to elicit strong feelings from your wife.



Singlewall aluminum slow pitch softball bats like the DeMarini Ultimate Weapon are good bats (and a *lot* cheaper at around $80) but their construction affords a smaller sweet spot than other bat types (excluding wood) and less of a trampoline effect off the barrel.I actually bought an Ultimate Weapon based on some online reviews, but I just couldn't generate the velocity I needed with that bat. I also didn't like the balance very much. with composite bats, the balance can be dialed in perfectly; not so in single wall aluminum bats.

To be perfectly honest, I haven't owned a double wall aluminum bat yet. From what I have seen in the league I play in, the best hitters use composite bats without fail, so why go for a double wall? That being said, if your league has banned all composite bats, double wall bats will be your next best alternative. According to the aforementioned article, the best double wall bats can generate a ball speed of 96-100 MPH, so there's certainly nothing wrong with them. In fact, like composite bats, double wall bats will get better over time as the metal becomes more elastic , providing a better trampoline effect off the sweet spot. From what I have read online, the DeMarini 375 bats are good, and the $200 price tag would suggest it has to be decent.

The last basic bat type out there is the wood bat. I have yet to have the pleasure of playing in a wood bat only league, but from what I have heard, it's a lot of fun. If you have a chance to play in such a league, you're in luck because your bat is going to cost you less than $30. Again, I have even less knowledge about the wood bat category than doublewall aluminum, but I would imagine there is not too much difference between maple and ash. Here is an example from Louisville Slugger:
If you do want/need to use a wood bat, the only other alternative I'm aware of is bamboo. A company called D-Bat has a bat that is alleged to be better than maple or ash. At $60, it better be good! I suppose this would be the choice of the sustainability softball set, as bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource :-)
In summary, there are a lot of great bats out there at a wide variety of price points. Go with what feels good, but spend whatever you can the first time to avoid costly mistakes. And remember, you don't need to own your own bat. I know plenty of good players who swing better than me with somebody else's bat week after week! Have fun, and also remember to clear that $300 Juggernaut purchase with the wife ;-)

Next time: batting gloves and softball clothing...

Choosing Softballs and Softball Cleats

Ok, so now that we've covered softball glove selection, let's move on to the next two "critical" items: softballs and cleats. You'd think softball selection would be simple enough, but here again, it's a bit of a minefield to the untrained eye. My eye was only recently trained, so I can bring a fresh novice perspective to the subject.

The league I play in is governed by the ASA or American Softball Association. Therefore, the balls we use must be certified and approved for use by the ASA. Great; what does that mean?

The ASA governs different levels of play across all ages and both genders, so there are a few different standards. The one we're concerned with here is the standard for slow-pitch adult softball. These balls' specifications are as follows and will be stamped as such:

• ASA Approved
• COR .44 / 375 lbs. max compression (if you're interested in what these mean, check out this great article on batfoo.com)
• 12"

Here is a photo of the type used in my league:

These Dudleys go for about $5/each; the more you buy, the better the deal. Sometimes there are 6-packs, but you'll find more 12-packs. This is another online vs. in-store decision you'll have to make for yourself, factoring in the cost of shipping against the cost of tax and price differential at the local store.

I advocate for the yellow ball--the older we get, the more help we need in seeing projectiles. On the other hand, the seams on the yellow balls tend to sit lower in the cover, so it can be a little harder to grip. My personal favorite ball for feel (especially when pitching) is the Worth Gold Dot. It's got a tacky cover that feels great in your hand.
Now a note on balls you should *not* buy. There are a number of inferior balls that are barely good enough for batting practice. These are most commonly made by Worth, which is weird, because they make some really great balls as well. Anyhow, stay away from the el cheapo balls--they are really light, and get mushy really rapidly. If you get used to using these balls, you'll be at a disadvantage when you switch to a game situation. You'll often find these balls at Wal-Mart and sporting goods stores right below the higher quality balls. The cheap ones will be in a bag of 12 or loose, while the good balls will be in boxes.

Another ball type to stay away from is the USSA ball. Here I'm talking about balls like the Worth Blue Dots. These balls are fun to hit because they're springy and go really far, but they're lighter than what you'll use in a game situation. I especially wouldn't buy a bunch of these for pitching practice (like I already did) :-/

Ok, that oughta cover softball selection adequately. Let's move on to cleats.

Finding a good pair of cleats is probably even more of a personal decision than buying a glove. I have a really hard time finding shoes that fit me well, so I'm speaking from experience here. I bought my softball cleats under a severe time crunch before my first game, so I didn't get a chance to do much research. Luckily, I found a pair of Adidas Triple Star 5 Low Men's Baseball Cleats that worked out pretty well. Even better, they were cheap. Here's a picture:

I got mine at Big 5 Sporting Goods. You may think cleats are a bit over the top, but I guarantee you they're not. 99% of the people at an average pickup game are wearing cleats.

Beond comfort, there's really only a couple of things to consider when buying cleats.

1. Do you want molded or removable spikes?
2. Do you want plastic or metal spikes?

The first one is going to be mostly cost-driven. If you buy cheap cleats like I did, they spikes are going to be molded. That's ok for me, because I only wear mine twice a week max, and when the rubber spikes wear down, I'll buy another pair. That being said, if you want a higher quality shoe, the spikes are likely to be removable. removable spikes are nice to have because you can change them out as they age, and you can put in longer or shorter spikes depending on playing conditions.

On the plastic vs. metal issue, I would argue in favor of plastic because most recreational leagues do not allow metal spikes for safety reasons. Metals spikes are generally better, but in slow-pitch softball, you're more likely to see them at the weekend pick-up games.

Ok, that's it for cleats. Next up, the bank-breaker: the ever-changing world of slow-pitch softball bats!

Selecting the Right Softball Equipment (Glove Edition)

This is a real can of worms. I like gear. A lot. I'd buy more stuff if I could justify it at my level of play, but alas, I can't. Nevertheless, I have some good stuff. Point is, I started with bad stuff because I didn't know any better. Maybe if you read this in time, I can save you the trouble and expense of buying crummy stuff.

Here are the things you're eventually gonna need:

1. Softball glove
2. Ball(s)
   
3. Cleats
4. Bat
5. Batting glove(s)
6. Softball-specific clothing

At a bare minimum, you need a glove, so we'll start there. I would say you *need* cleats, too, because having a good grip on the ground can prevent injuries--especially on poorly maintained recreational fields.


If you haven't had a softball glove before, they may all seem huge (unless you were an outfielder in a previous life). In my opinion, you shouldn't consider a glove smaller than 13". I started out with a 13" glove, and have moved to a 14" glove. Considering you will move around a lot and play both infield and outfield as a softball player, you should choose a glove that you consider versatile. My 14" glove is a bit big for infield, but I make it work.

One great thing about modern gloves is that they're pretty flexible right off the rack. That being said, some are far more "field-ready" than others. Make sure you try on a bunch of gloves before deciding on one. Because they're made of leather, there is a fair amount of difference among gloves, even within the same model and size.

The first glove I had was a 13" Rawlings Longhorn. The current model is shown above. This glove is fine, but it doesn't have enough padding. I think I paid about $40 for it. As it turns out, you need to spend about twice that to get a good glove with enough padding--I learned this the hard way. I was playing first base one night on my men's team, and a lefty crushed a line drive directly at my head. I stuck my glove out and caught the ball for out number three. It was great except for the fact that my left ring finger was swelling up dramatically. I went shopping for a new glove the next day.

You can spend a lot of money on gloves -- up to $400 in some cases for an "elite player" glove--these are the ones the guys use int he big leagues. Fortunately, you don't have to spend that much to get a good glove. I found that about $70 gets you into the next class of glove. In my case, I went for the DeMarini Diablo.
This glove felt great right off the rack. It's got Sorbothane padding right in the glove, so the impact of the ball is greatly reduced. Like I said earlier, the 14" takes a bit of getting used to, but when you stick your glove hand out, you've got a great chance of stabbing the ball with this monster.

This glove didn't require much breaking in, but I did my standard break-in procedure:

1. Oil the glove with Rawlings glove oil
2. Place a softball in the pocket and tie it up with a belt. Leave it strapped up for 24 hours or so.
   
3. Run the heel of the glove over with the car a few times. I use a Toyota Camry ;-)
   
4. Play catch as much as possible and throw and throw a ball into the glove whenever you can. In a couple of weeks, the glove will be well-broken in.

A word of caution about online glove purchases: if you can't feel it, you're really taking a chance. I would recommend buying a glove in-store. Big sporting goods stores like Sports Authority have a pretty good selection. In the SF Bay Area, you are fortunate to have a great baseball/softball store in San Leandro called West Coast Sporting Goods. They have a great selction of gloves and everything else you could ever want from bats to hats, to sliding pads.

Ok, that's the glove info. Next time: softballs and cleats.

Finding a Softball Team

After three years of watching/coaching my son's little league teams, I got the itch to play ball again myself. I had stopped playing baseball in 7th grade in favor of year-round soccer. I tend to get deep into one thing at a time (you'll probably come to notice this personality trait) -- back then, it was playing goalie. I've always made poor position choices--my last baseball position was catcher, but I digress.

It's great if you want to play softball, but unless you can get 10+ guys together to form a team you're outa luck; or are you?

I checked with the local parks and rec folks and got the lowdown on forming my own team. I was stoked, but I asked around and couldn't get enough people to commit (the tough part about 30somethings: they don't have much free time).

Slightly dejected, I started looking for playing opportunities on the Internet. I quickly found that Craigslist was the place to be for this kind of thing. Specifically, the "Activity Partners" section. "Activity Partners" sounds a bit scary, but don't worry, it's not like "Situations Wanted" or anything ;-)

Here is a query string for my local Craigslist: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/act?query=softball

Remember, you can watch Craigslist for posts, but you can also advertise yourself. This is how I got my first start on a team. I had posted looking for a men's team to join, and a guy contacted me to fill in on a co-ed team--good times.

There are a few other sites that are trying to fill this void, but from what I can tell, Craigslist still has a lock on this stuff. Another avenue is to talk to the parks and rec folks. I spoke with the woman who manages the local softball sign-ups, and she said surprisingly that people don't use her as a resource to fill out teams in need of players. Her suggestion was to show up at the "managers' meeting" prior to the season starting and ask around.

Another place to play is at pick-up games. I'm lucky enough to have a weekly game in my neighborhood, but I wouldn't have known about it if not for word-of-mouth. That's the thing about pick-up games--they aren't always advertised. Some will appear on Craigslist, but others will not. If you're really curious, take a drive around on Saturday and Sunday morning/afternoon. Look for softball games underway and ask the folks if they're playing in a league or just having a pick-up game. In my experience, adult leagues don't play on the weekends so much, so it's likely a pick-up game. If so, ask them if they need any additional players. If they don't have any positions open, ask if you can DH, or if you can play next week, etc. Usually these things are pretty loose, and folks are happy to have another guy who's eager to play.

Finally, you can always just show up at league games and see what happens. It's amazing to me, but a lot of people flake on game nights without calling the team manager. They just go MIA. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but it still sucks. Softball uses four outfielders, so when a team finds itself with fewer than nine people, they usually forfeit. If you can be that ninth or tenth guy, you just got on a team for a night. You don't even have to be a great player, because both teams are just happy to be able to play.

Getting Started in Slow-Pitch Softball

With so many middle-aged men playing softball, you'd think there would be more information about it online. Yet, there's not.

As a 36 year-old guy playing softball for the first time, I searched high and low for information about getting started at softball, but I came up with very little useful information. So with this blog I hope to share my successes, failures, and general learnings about specific things like bat and glove selection, batting, fielding, pitching, hitting and finding teams to play on.