Choosing a Baseball/Softball Bat

When choosing a baseball bat, there are a number of factors that must be taken into consideration, including level of play, size of the batter, cost and comfort.

Lighter bats are generally preferable to heavier bats as they allow the hitter to generate enough speed to put some "oomph" into it (although there are restrictions about bat weights at most levels). 

The comfort of the baseball bat to the hitter is the most important factor in choosing a bat. As with any piece of sports equipment, be it your baseball glove or hockey skates - the more comfortable you are the better. Take a few swings with the bat and try to picture yourself in a game. Better yet, borrow a bat from one of your teammates and see how it feels - a swing in the store doesn't always feel like a swing at the plate! When choosing a bat for younger players, make sure they can swing the bat without struggling - we've all seen the young players struggling to swing bats that are far too big for them.

Size of the Bat (Length and Weight)

Another important factor in choosing the right sized baseball bat is the height of the batter. In general, tall batters should use longer bats. Below are two tables with general guidelines for choosing baseball bat length.

Bat Length Guidelines:

Worth Sports conducted a study with the University of Arizona, in which they determined the best bat weights for hitters, based on their height. The table below summarizes their findings. Note: Add one ounce for fastpitch softball bats.

Bat Weight Guidelines:

 Softball Bat Weight Guidelines:

Level of Play & Regulations

The level of play should always be a consideration in choosing a baseball bat, as every level from little league through major league has different regulations regarding what bat sizes and materials are allowed.

Baseball bats are measured using their length to weight ratio, a negative number that represents how many ounces a bat weighs compared to it's length in inches. For example, a 32 inch bat that weighs 28 ounces is a - 4. The largest ratio is in the range of -12 (for little league bats), while college and high school bats are restricted to a - 3. These restrictions are for safety reasons - a college or high school player swinging a very light bat (- 4 +) would simply have too much power and could pose a danger to other players on the field. Make sure to check the regulations of your league before buying a baseball bat!

The “Ins and Outs” of Baseball Gloves

When buying a glove, there are a few basic terms that have to be defined first. The most common term when buying a glove is what “type of throw” the glove is; a righty or a lefty for common terms. This is asking what hand the player uses to throw the ball with, not what hand the glove goes on. A right hand thrower (RHT) throws with his or her right hand and the glove is on his or her left hand. A left hand thrower (LHT) throws with his or her left hand and the glove is on his or her right hand. Other important parts of the glove are as follows:

How to Measure the Size of a Glove

When trying to find out how long a glove is, it is normally written on the thumb or pinky finger. The sizes range from 8 to 15 inches, and to 35 inches for catcher gloves. To measure a glove that does not have a size, take a fabric tape measure and measure from the top of the index finger, down along the glove, to the center of the heel of the glove.

How to Choose the Right Size Glove for Your Position

The most important thing when it comes to buying a glove, is buying the right size, which depends on the age and position of the player. The size of a glove is important for a specific position because it is designed to maximize the performance of the player. The charts below show an estimate of the size range of the glove for a specific player for both baseball and softball.

Youth vs. Adult gloves

A youth glove is designed for younger players with smaller hands. They are typically cheaper than the adult gloves and are much easier to close. The youth gloves are not made of the same high quality leather, but the materials they are made of make them easier to close. Youth gloves have smaller, narrower fingers and should be used for a player under 10 years old. They can be used for a player up to 12 years old, but after then, they should be using adult gloves. To fit an adult glove onto a younger player’s hand, the back of the wrist can be tightened. This is done on softball gloves with a Velcro strap, but on baseball gloves, the glove needs a minor re-lacing.

Catcher’s Gloves

A catcher’s glove is more commonly referred to as catcher’s mitt because it does not have separately cut fingers like other positions. A catcher glove is designed to give the player the ability to catch fastballs all game long without hurting their hand or wearing down the glove quickly. For this reason, catcher’s mitts tend to be very stiff right off the shelf and take a while to break in. Many catchers buy their replacement glove a few months before they think their old glove will wear out so the new glove has time to break in. Catcher gloves tend to have a closed pocket because they can be attached with the most lacing and take the most abuse without breaking. There is a difference between baseball and softball gloves, the softball catcher’s glove has a deeper pocket and thinner side walls to accommodate for the bigger wall. Catcher gloves are also measured differently, instead of the standard measuring; they are measured around the circumference of the glove to display the catching area of the glove. The standard size range is from 30.5 to 34.5 inches for baseball and from 31.5 to 35 inches for softball.

First Baseman’s Gloves

A first basemen’s glove is very similar to a catcher glove, except it is longer and has less padding on the fingers. It is designed to have the same catching area as a catcher’s glove, but is flexible for making scoops out of the dirt. The first basemen’s glove is stronger than a standard glove so that to fingers do not flop back like how a regular fielder’s glove would. They also have open web designs to allow the pocket to be a little deeper and lighter than a closed pocket. First basemen’s gloves normally start being worn at age 10 or higher, because it can be difficult for younger kids to close the big glove. The typical size range is from 11 to 13 inches for baseball and from 12 to 13 inches for softball.

Pitcher’s Gloves

A pitcher does not need to be as worried about the performance of their glove as much as other players, and instead have to worry about comfort. The comfort is important since they are constantly catching with it. Pitchers in higher levels of play want to worry about having a glove that is big enough to hide their hand movement and band to avoid giving away the pitch to a batter. It is also important to make sure the glove isn’t too heavy. Many manufacturers make light versions of the high end gloves with special materials that are significantly lighter than standard gloves.

Infield Gloves

Infield gloves are designed for the quick plays that infielders have to make. They are shorter and have a shallower pocket than other gloves. Infielders typically want an open pocket that makes it easy to get the ball out quickly. This is typically an I-web, post web, H-web, or modified trapeze pocket. The only position that sometimes wants a closed pocket is third base. This is because third base gets harder hits that a closed pocket can handle better than an open one. The standard size for a baseball infield glove is 11.25 to 12 inches, and 11.5 to 12.5 inches for softball.

Outfield Gloves

Outfield gloves are designed to catch high fly balls and making diving catches. This means that the gloves are longer and deeper with extra support in the fingers. The pocket designs are typically open with the main options being a trapeze and an H-web. These pockets are the best for long extension plays that need to keep the ball in the glove, such as diving plays and snow cones. For Softball, the pockets can be closed webs, because they need to be extra deep to account for the size of the softball. The typical size of an outfielder’s glove is 12-13 inches for baseball and 12-14 inches for softball.