Slowpitch Softball Bat Reviews

Softball has been around since a man named George Hancock first invented the game in 1887 in Chicago. It took over 100 years, but women’s fast pitch softball became an Olympic event in 1996.

Fast pitch is different from the looping, relaxed pitch often used in recreational softball leagues. Fast pitch players must hit a ball traveling at about 70mph. This is slower than baseball, but certainly much faster than the meandering slow pitch game. However, since the pitcher’s mound and the home plate are much closer than in baseball, (40 feet versus 60 feet) the player must react to the pitch just as quickly.

The first softball, a spur of the moment creation in that long-ago first game, was a boxing glove tied into the shape of a ball. Today’s softball is 12″ in diameter, significantly bigger than the standard base ball at 9″, and all white. Softball is actually a misnomer, as the ball used in the game is no softer than a baseball, just larger.

The playing diamond is much smaller than baseball’s, with only 60 feet between bases. Baseball diamonds have 90 feet between each base. This makes for a faster, more active game than baseball, a fact that many softball enthusiasts cite as one of the reasons they enjoy the game so much.

Softball games are also two innings shorter than baseball games. However, like baseball, softball seems to inspire devoted fans and players. Many truly love their softball and pursue the game with an almost fanatic passion.

In 1996, women’s fast pitch softball made its first appearance at the Atlanta Olympic Games. The United States team took the first gold medal in the sport, beating China in the gold medal game 3-1. An orthopedic surgeon from Florida, Dot Richardson, hit the first Olympic softball home run ever to win the game for the United States, an achievement she calls her most memorable.

After being an Olympic sport for the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic games, softball was recently dropped from the 2012 London Olympics by a tied vote of 52-52 with one member abstaining. Only a simple majority of 53 votes were needed to keep softball in the Olympics, and softball supporters are trying to get the vote reconsidered.

Unfortunately, the Olympic committee doesn’t seem very interested in recasting this important ballot. Although the softball federation will certainly have something to say about this, the situation doesn’t look hopeful for girls fostering an Olympic fast pitch softball dream.

Perhaps confusion on the part of the Olympic committee caused them to drop women’s fast-pitch softball from the London games. There has been speculation that the committee members thought that women’s softball was just a female version of baseball, and not popular enough to matter. Whatever their motivations, we hope that the committee will reconsider and reinstate women’s fast pitch softball.

Miken Ultra II Slowpitch Softball Bat

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Discount baseball bats are abundantly obtainable online. In many cases, online stores can offer reduce baseball bats at great prices because there is less overhead than at a sporting goods store and, in many cases, there is no sales tax or shipping charged. When you shop for baseball bats online you have access to a endless and easily available selection user product reviews to help you get a feel for which bats are best for you, and also can save a great deal of time.

Make sure you’re buying the best when you buy mark down bats. Of course you can get the same quality and top-notch selection when you buy your bats from a discount vendor online or wholesale that you could get from an expensive sporting goods store or specialty store. The key for you, the consumer, is to be able to pick out the quality from among the pack of other so-so, average, and below par bats out there.

This process is also very personal. Select a baseball bat as you would golf clubs. It ought to be perfect for your specific arm length, height, grip, and swing feel. You wouldn’t take just any driver off the shelf and stride over to the tee. You would make sure that your driver has the right sweet spot for you. Then you’ll qualified to drive 300 yards. It’s the same with baseball bats. You want the bat that will help you to propel the center field fence.

First, contemplate the barrel size of the discount bats you’re shopping for. The barrel size involves the top part of the bat. It measures both the barrel length and barrel diameter. When it comes to a sweet spot on a baseball bat, you want a longer barrel. The everyday wisdom is that longer barrels, generally speaking, have larger sweet spots.

This goes against customary practice, though. Most players tend toward smaller barrels and a lighter bat for faster swing speed. Your standard baseball bat will have a diameter of about 2.5 inches. Your standard fast pitch softball barrel will be slightly bigger at 2.75 inches.

Your second measurement of consequence for your discount bats is the bat taper, which is the diameter of the bat at its handle. Your normal baseball bat has a taper of 31/32 of an inch. This size varies, nonetheless, depending on the weight of your bat. There are players who claim that a narrower taper on a lighter bat allows them to turn their wrists faster, while there are others who say the bigger taper helps lessen the discomfort when you don’t catch a ball with the sweet spot.

Many baseball bat dealers offer blemished baseball bats at severely slashed prices due to a cosmetic imperfection such as chipped paint.

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09 DEMARINI F4 SC4 ALLOY/COMP SOFTBALL BAT ASA 34/26

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• Maximum allowable performance
• Ultra Soft Feel, Super Sweetspot, Hot Out Of The Wrapper
• Blended Fiber Technology, Variable Stiffness Technology
• Triple Wall Construction, Balanced for Finesse Players or Fully Loaded for Power Players
• Meets 1.20 BPF Standard

Product Description
Combat just can’t keep this bat on the shelves! With its 13.5″ barrel, the Johnny McCraw Virus Plague is pushing the boundries of performance. It is hot out of the wrapper and with an Ultra Soft Feel and a triple wall construction, the durability and performance is unbelieveable! Approved for USSSA, ISA, and NSA…. More >>

Combat Virus Plague Slowpitch Softball Bat, 34/26 Balanced

• Size: 34 inch / 26 ounce
• 7050 advanced aluminum alloy
• Approved by ASA, USSSA, NSA, ISA, ISF and all other associations
• Exterior shell technology
• Shell technology advantage: 31% thinner than single wall for more trampoline

Product Description
Worth softball bat has the following features:
* Size: 34 inch / 26 ounce.
* 7050 advanced aluminum alloy.
* Approved by ASA, USSSA, NSA, ISA, ISF and all other associations.
* Exterior shell technology.
* Extra performance from a thin trampoline shell.
* Shell technology advantage: 31% thinner than single wall for more trampoline.
* Whiplash frame: up to 30% thinner walls which gives more flex and higher bat speed…. More >>

Worth Revolver EST Sbest Softball Bat 34/26 NEW 1422

• Approved by all Governing Bodies Including ASA, USSSA, ISF, ISA and NSA
• Maxload Swing Weight for Greater Distance
• Full Twelve (12) Month Manufacturers Warranty
• 14.5 Inch Barrel Length
• Extended Sweetspot Design (ESD)

Product Description
The Miken Recoil Softball Bat features the Ballistic Crosslinked System that provides 300% higher elongation for increased resilience at impact and unmatched barrel rebound. Dynamic Flex Ratio 250 provides greater stability for the power hitter, maximizing consistency and distance. Extended Sweetspot Design: and extra long barrel construction provides the ultimate power source for serious ballplayers. Premium synthetic leather grip. Player preferred thin handle. X-T… More >>

Miken Recoil 250 ASA Maxload Slowpitch Softball Bat

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Whether you want a traditional wood baseball bat or a new, high-tech metal bat, there is a wide selection of discount baseball bats available. A baseball bat is a vital piece of equipment and its quality can greatly impact a player’s performance, so it is no surprise that many people are willing to pay a premium. Luckily, you can get a high-tech, top quality bat at discount prices. Discount baseball bats are available at most sporting equipment outlets, and especially at online stores.

Brand new aluminum baseball bats cost usually start at $200 and go up from there. Prices increase as technology introduces stronger and lighter materials. By crafting baseball bat barrels with cutting-edge metal alloys, manufacturers like Easton and Demarini arm batters with power while maintaining a quick, lightweight feel.

Discount baseball bats are abundantly available online. In many cases, online stores can offer discount baseball bats at great prices because there is less overhead than at a sporting goods store and, in many cases, there is no sales tax or shipping charged. When you shop for baseball bats online you have access to a vast and easily accessible selection user product reviews to help you get a feel for which bats are best for you, and also can save a great deal of time.

Don’t forget to check out blemished baseball bats. This little secret can save you 30 to 70 percent. Many baseball bat dealers offer blemished baseball bats at severely slashed prices due to a cosmetic imperfection such as chipped paint. Lucky for you, the baseball bat’s performance is untouched, but the price is hacked down significantly. Blemished baseball bats are available at many outlets and online. With a little looking, it is not that difficult to find a bat that offers premium performance at a reasonable price.

So, How Can I Choose The Right Baseball Bat?

This years’ baseball season is here and parents I understand how you feel. It almost as if you’re buying a new baseball bat every year, especially if you have younger kids playing that are literally growing right out of their equipment right before your eyes. When it comes to purchasing a new baseball bat though, it can really wear on you when it comes time to pull out your wallet. It’s understandable; these aluminum baseball bats nowadays are very pricey. It then becomes that much more important to choose the right baseball bat.

The quality is there if you consider the amount of use you can get out of an aluminum baseball bat. Most aluminum baseball bats will last through a rigorous season of many practices and games, but some are a better bang for your buck than others. The big question is which bat to get? There are so many makes and models to choose from that it is not always an easy decision. Of course you will be looking for a bat that suits every need. It has to be a bat that is a controllable size and feels comfortable. The bat should be very responsive and most importantly it should last.

How do you know you have covered all of these points? By doing some research and perhaps a little ‘trial and error,’ you will find the best bat to buy. See if your child can ask a teammate to swing their bat a few times to see what an appropriate size is. If they can somehow actually hit with it a few times, that’s even better.

Try and notice how much ‘pop’ some of your top choices are when others are using them. Obviously if a particular bat works for one person, it doesn’t guarantee the same results for the next person. It is just another way of getting an idea. You can certainly ask around or look for sources offering baseball bat reviews that will discuss the components of the bats and give reviews about the durability and expected performance. Most websites with reviews will have Louisville Slugger, Demarini, Rawlings, and Easton baseball bat reviews because they are the more common bat makers.