Baseball Fantasy Camps: the opportunity for anyone, even with little baseball talent, to take the field with the pros they admired from the stands. And they’re not just for the guys! The Yankees, for example, have weeklong fantasy camps, a women’s minicamp and even a father & son classic. If you follow a big league team (or even in a lot of cases, a team in the Minors), there is likely an opportunity to participate. They are definitely not a cheap date, but for most, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Just like the pros, most require the use of a wood bat. So, when you step to the plate, you probably have 3 objectives:
- Hit the darn ball!
- Don’t break your bat
- If you aren’t successful with objectives 1 or 2, at least look good doing it.
How to Select a Bat
As most baseball fantasy camp attendees tend to be past their prime playing days, to give you the most success at the plate, select a wood bat that takes in to account your new skill level. Frank Thomas called it “diminishing skills” when he decided to retire from the White Sox. So, if you were a power hitter back in the day, go with more of a balanced wooden bat, designed for extra-base hitters. A properly weighted wood bat of this classification should come in at a drop weight of -2.5 (length - drop weight = weight in ounces).
If the “back in the day” is more like “way back in the day” go with a wooden bat that would be considered a contact hitter wood bat. Such bats allow for the fastest swing in an adult size bat, coming in at a drop weight of -3. These bats are also a great choice for anyone who was a singles hitter in high school and beyond.
As to how many bats to take, at least two bats tend to be the norm. It’s a good idea to start swinging a wood bat before heading to camp. While you’re not going to see modern day pitch speeds from your childhood favorite or camp staff, it’s still nice to be ready for faster pitching (or any pitching!) than you have seen in a while. Also, be sure to get stretching in.
Bat Suggestions
If ordering a wood bat for your baseball fantasy camp from Phoenix Bats, consider the following bats as great starting points. In as little as 2 days, you can have a wooden bat on its way to you that is fully customized in your colors, in your model and, for big league looks, with your name on it… just like we do for the pro players we work with.
Contact Hitters and those wanting the lighter adult-size wood baseball bat:
The lightest of our full-size bats features a slightly flared knob and an averagely sized handle. Modeled after a 271 model (if familiar with bats), it is our most popular singles/contact hitters wood bat.
Fully customized, you choose all specifications, including colors and 2 lines of engraving. Like all standard models, they ship out in as little as 2-business days, based upon rush production desired.
The BB71 (and other bats) is also available as a Fast Ship
Fast Ship bats are on their way to you the same or next business day without any rush fees. Beyond giving up full customization (ex. 1 line of engraving versus 2 and only with 2 barrel color choices), they are the exact same bat as the customizable version
Thicker Handle with Nice Balance:
If you desire a thicker handle, which adds durability to any bat, and nice balance, look at the F110
Classified as a contact hitter to gap hitter’s bat, it still allows for good swing speed, with a bit more pop than the BB71. It does add ½ of weight versus the BB71.
Like the BB71, it is available in a Fast Ship version as well:
Feel like you can still handle a little more bat?
There are plenty of options up to and including power hitter bats, like the very popular V243. But, let’s look at two more balanced bats that are considered extra-base hitter bats, without being too barrel heavy, which can slow down your swing.
The most balanced bat to hit the gaps, it has an average diameter handle, average diameter barrel size, but with a longer barrel, for more hitting area, than the BB71. It comes in at a -2.5 drop weight
Great for the power hitter who wants more bat speed and for the extra-base hitter who wants a little more barrel diameter and length to do more damage at the plate.
For extra value, a 3-pack fast ship package is available as well as a 3-pack fast ship combo pack. The combo packs include an extra durable HD model, suited to your hitting style. HD models, available individually, are made from the densest pieces of wood for extra strength and pop. While they do not come with personalized engraving or barrel color (but do have a choice of handle color), they offer the most bang for the buck. For a fantasy camp attendee looking for 2 bats, we recommend 1 HD model and 1 fully customizable standard model. That way you get a bat that is just like big leaguers and another single piece wood bat that gives you some extra durability while you get back in the “swing” of things.
For more options check out our selection of baseball bats or give us a call at 877.598.2287