Softball Bat?

[Bumstead]

Do any of you play softball? I play in an ASA sanctioned league. I just ordered a new bat: Miken Freak 98. Have any of you used this bat? Did you like it? How many hits did it take for you to get it 'opened up?'

Thanks for your input.

Bum

[guttle11]

I've always thought Freaks feel the best of any bat out of the wrapper, but after 80-100 hits they really start to open up.

[redsfanmia]

I prefer Bombats.

[Bumstead]

Mine arrived today. Game Wednesday. We will see what happens.

Thanks for the input.

Bum

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Here's a good thread discussing softball bats.

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showt...light=softball

[Bumstead]

Thanks for showing me that other post. I went to www.softballfans.com to get some advice. They recommended the Miken Freak 98 (which I got) or the Rip-It Reaper. Game tomorrow, we will see.

Bum

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Thanks for showing me that other post. I went to www.softballfans.com to get some advice. They recommended the Miken Freak 98 (which I got) or the Rip-It Reaper. Game tomorrow, we will see.

Bum

How much? What size? 34", 28 oz?

Keep us posted. I'm wondering how long it takes to break in.

[Bumstead]

It's a 34" 28 oz; it was $200 on www.softballfans.com. I got varying reports about how long it will take to break in. Tonight's game should be interesting. Hopefully we will have batting practice this weekend which will help.

Bum

[Tommyjohn25]

I have a Freak 98. I absolutely love it! I think it's one of the better bats made in the last 10 years. I have accidentally hit home runs with it, no joke. I'd say it took right about 100 hits to break it in. Have fun with it!

[Bumstead]

We had our first game with the Freak 98 last night (the whole team uses the same bat). It took till the 3rd inning before one of the guys put one out. We rarely hit HR's and almost never on the big fields (we were on the big field; 300' all around). I hit the ball hard 3 of the 4 times I came up; only got 1 hit (hit one right at the RCF and popped up); the last time I was up, the pitcher threw a strike on the first pitch which I took (I do that a lot); I stand way off the plate and hit middle to RF mostly; the next pitch he puts inside; I turned on it and hammered it dead over the LF's head....he sprinted back to the warning track, jumped as high as he could (and he was not like me, he could jump), reached back over his head, caught the ball at the peak of his jump, and landed bent over staring at the fence...pfft...it was an unbelievable catch. I have never hit a HR over the fence on these fields. I can't wait till we get this bat broken in!!!!! BP this weekend, hopefully that will open this bat up even more!

Bum

[TRF]

if you can find a "rolling" service local to you, it'll save a lot of time in the breaking in period.

[Jack Burton]

Heard the Miken Recoil ASA maxload is pretty good.

[Stephenk29]

I always use a Freak. Its pretty nice.

[Bumstead]

A couple of BP sessions and I'm really starting to hit some scorching line drives. I believe it is starting to open up.

As an aside, I am not aware of any 'rolling services' in my area...they probably exist...I used a rubber mallet a few different times. That seemed to do the trick.

Bum

[Bumstead]

For those that are interested. After a week of rainouts, we played doubleheader Wednesday. The team, including me , was killing the ball with the new bat. I would say it is pretty hot right now. Probably took 200 or so hits to get that way. So...the Miken Freak 98 is an awesome team bat IMHO, but make sure you use it at batting practice a few times to loosen it up. To be honest, our other bat was so worn out that the new bat was probably better out of the wrapper but now it is really shooting the ball out there.

Bum