Have you been wondering about the difference between baseball bats and softball bats? Look no further. We have provided a quick overview of the key difference between the two below.
In general, the two types of bats may look quite similar. After all, both are used to hit balls and have similar designs. Not only that, both are made from the same types of materials such as wood, aluminum and composite. However, there are major distinctions between the two and it is always useful to know these differences before you decide you purchase your own bat.
Here is a quick rundown of the major differences between the two. To keep things simple, we will compare adult baseball bats with softball bats.
Length and weight
Bat length and weight are the key features of any baseball or softball bat. And this is where the two types can be clearly distinguished and identified. Adult baseball bats are typically between 31” and 34” long. In contrast, the baseball bats are between 32” and 34” long. So while you may find an adult baseball bat that is 31” long, you won’t get a softball bat featuring a similar length.
In terms of weight as well, the two types of bat differ considerably. In general, baseball bats are meant to hit the heavier baseball while softball bats are used to strike the more light-weight softball. So baseball bats are heavier in comparison. More specifically, adult baseball bats weigh in the range of 28 ounces to 31 ounces. In contrast, the adult slow-pitch bat weighs between 26 and 30 ounces while the fast-pitch softball bats weighs between 23 ounces and 28 ounces.
Barrel Size
The barrel size of a bat is another important factor. In general, the thicker the barrel, the more hitting prowess it packs although there may be exceptions to this rule.
The adult baseball bat typically packs a barrel with a diameter of 2 5/8 inches. In contrast, the adult softball bats come with a barrel diameter of 2 ¼ inches. So baseball bats usually feature a thicker barrel and may look fatter when placed next to a softball barrel.
Barrel Stiffness
Barrel stiffness is an important feature when it comes to softball and baseball bats. Barrel stiffness usually determines the elasticity of a bat barrel. In other words, the stiffer a barrel is, the less trampoline effect it will produce, and vice versa.
Trampoline effect is the bounce of the bat when it comes in contact with the baseball or softball. The more elastic the barrel, the more bounce it will produce upon impact. Bounce also determines the hitting prowess of the bat. A bat with more bounce will typically hit farther with less effort because apart from the player’s hitting power and momentum, the bounce of the barrel also plays a role.
In general, baseball bats offer less bounce than softball bats. However, this is a very generic rule. Calculating bounce of baseball bats in comparison to softball bats is quite tricky. This is because baseball and softball games use different types of balls. So if you calculate the trampoline effect of a baseball bat when hitting a baseball, it may not be an adequate comparison to the trampoline effect of a softball bat when hitting a softball.
Still, it is safe to say that softball bats offer more bounce and trampoline effect. In contrast, baseball bats tend to be stiffer and come with comparatively less trampoline effect.
Bat Handle
Another notable difference between baseball bats and softball bats is in terms of the diameter and shape of the bat handle. More specifically, the thickness and length of the bat handle is important.
The length of the bat handle determines how quickly or gradually the handle transitions to the barrel. If the transition is quick, this enables the hitter to channel more momentum into the barrel and achieve greater speeds. If the transition from the handle to the barrel is gradual, this results in comparatively less hitting speed.
Softball bats tend to have handles which have a more gradual transition. In contrast, baseball bats feature handles with a quicker transition. This is primarily because baseball hitters need to achieve greater speeds to hit the fast baseball whereas softball hitters can make do with slightly less speed because the incoming softball is slower in comparison.
In terms of handle thickness, wooden softball bats tend to come with thicker handles when compared to wooden baseball bats. Again, this has to do with the differences in the need for speed in the two types of sports. The upside for the softball bats with thicker handles is that they are more durable and do not break easily. In contrast, wooden baseball bats with thinner handles are more likely to break.
Conclusions
So, I have analyzed about basic differences between baseball and softball bats in this article. I hope this article is useful for you and don’t forget to check out hittersbats.com to find the best baseball bat and softball bats in the new season is coming. Beside if you are looking for the best bbcor bats for your kid you also find them in there. Thanks for reading.