BATS !

Okay - Candystick is getting more serious about softball. She is showing great improvement over her first season. This winter - we worked with with the hitting stick. Her hitting was much stronger in the couple of practices we've had so far this season. Her fielding is also much improved.

So, talking with a coworker - about bats. His son is 7 and in his third year of baseball. Within the last six months, he has purchased his 7 year old 2 bats: 1 @ $150.00 and 1 @ $200.00.

Wow - I thought I was serious about giving Candystick every possible edge. Luckily for me (and my wallet), most softball bats don't get that expensive until you get up around the 30in length bats. Candysticks' idea length is a mere 27 inches. I have researched Mizuno, Easton, Worth, Louisville Slugger and others online. The prices range from $20 up to $100 for her size and weight.

With knowledge in hand, we went shopping. Softball seems to get a second billing to baseball and other sports in our local sporting goods stores. The local sporting goods stores all seem to place softball bats in the back corner of the store with maybe 1 rack of bats. The sales people seem to be less knowledgeable of their products than the sign they have out-front. Luckily, I researched beforehand online at home. So, I could shop without their help and soon found myself saying "thanks but no thanks for your help." I haven't yet convinced myself to order a good bat off the internet. With continued excitement and a willingness to learn from Candystick, next year I will order off the internet.

Along the same lines as second fiddle, local sporting stores also don't carry the higher end bats. They stick to the cheap to the middle of the road bats. Thus resulting in even fewer choices. I would quickly discard cheap bats and be left with usually 2 product lines to choose from. The two product lines were the same in all the stores. Mizuno and Easton. Neither top of the line ($200) nor $18 starter bats.

The Mizuno had a cool black and pink style with a price tag of $80. The Easton - mostly pink and a price tag of $40.

I picked out the correct length of both and handed to Candystick to choose between. The differences were paint scheme and grip. She said she made her choice based on the feel of the grip.

She chose the Easton Youth Synergy bat.



Let's hope it makes for a home run season.

Cute side note: When telling her the story of the coworker spending $200 on a bat, she replied "I wouldn't let you spend $200 on a bat for me". Ahhhh my daughter taking care of the bottom line.

See you on the playing field.