Weighted batting sleeve

An apparatus, comprising:

• an elastic ring that is manually stretchable to be received about a barrel portion of a bat and to impart an elastic force against the barrel portion of the bat;
• a fabric casing enclosing the elastic ring;
• and
• a tubular fabric sleeve coupled to the fabric casing and extending over an outer circumferential surface of the elastic ring, wherein the tubular fabric sleeve includes a first sleeve portion forming a distal open end of the tubular fabric sleeve and extending over the outer circumferential surface of the elastic ring and a second sleeve portion forming a proximal open end of the tubular fabric sleeve and extending from the first sleeve portion for covering a hitting area of the bat, wherein the second sleeve portion has an axial length to extend over a hitting area of the bat and into a taper portion of the bat with the first sleeve portion positioned within about one inch of an end portion of the bat, wherein the second sleeve portion is made with a stretchable fabric and has circumferential dimensions that enable the second sleeve portion to stretch over a surface of the bat and fit snug against the surface of the bat, and wherein the second sleeve portion does not include an elastic ring.