Choose Your Weapon
A serviceable weapon makes for a serviceable soldier. For baseball players, once they are in that batter’s box, they are on their battle ground and they rely on their weapon to complete the mission: get a hit. For any player, it is about comfort, strength, ability, and bat speed. Jermaine Curtis and Brandon Allen are the ultimate professionals and understand that having the perfect weapon makes your life as a hitter much simpler. Both guys agree, your skill level is important, but having the right bat, the right wood type, and the right weight will help make the difference between a hitting double and a home run.
Now, neither guy has a bat close to the 39 oz. bat that Hall of Famer Ty Cobb would lug around because they simply don’t feel comfortable with that weight. “It’s all about feel”, Allen said. “I like the bat to be balanced, but it’s really just a personal preference.” Curtis had very similar remarks when discussing how he pinpointed what felt right. “I just messed around with other people’s bat” to find what was the perfect fit. The comment sounds inappropriate in nature, but the results coming from these actions are worth it once you are on your way to the big leagues.
Many times, there are little things players do to make themselves better that the common eye would not pin point, one of which is that players often times use two different bat sizes. Curtis uses a 34 inch/32 oz. bat and a 34 inch/31.5 oz. bat, while Allen, who uses the largest bat on the team, a 35 inch/32 oz. bat and a 34 inch/31oz. bat. The reason for the different sized bats really is not all that complicated. Allen says he uses his lighter bat to combat fatigue. He said, “it all depends on if your body is a little tired or your arms are a little heavy”. Curtis had very similar things to say, but also mentioned that there is a little strategy involved saying, “if the guy is throwing hard, I will use the heavier bat because all I need to do is make solid contact and the ball is going to go and if a guy is throwing slower, I will use a lighter bat to generate more bat speed.”
Their bat sizes have evolved, however, along with their game, throughout their journey through the minor leagues. “When I first started in pro-ball, I was swinging a very light bat. I would literally barrel balls and the bat would break”, Curtis exclaimed. After continuously having this issue, fellow UCLA alumni Troy Glaus sat down with Curtis and told him to use a bigger bat. Glaus informed Curtis that using that bigger bat will help the ball travel further and keep the bat from breaking. Allen also came up using a smaller bat. “I got a different barrel and different handle. As you come up through the minor leagues you use pro-stock… Once you make the big leagues or get 40-man status, you get free bats. I’ve been with Old Hickory for a while”, Allen said of his journey with his bats throughout professional baseball.
The art of picking your bat is pretty simple: it is trial and error. It is all about trying different bats, finding what feels right, and delivering at the plate. Allen and Curtis have been in the business a while and have had great success. Choosing the right bat is less of an art or craft, more of luck and repetition.
