We all know maple bats are more likely to shatter than ash bats – we’ve seen enough first-hand evidence. But why is that?
Is it because maple is harder than ash?
We always thought so, but this article explains how maple is only 5% more dense than ash. And more importantly, it explains how bat manufacturers choose maple billets with lower-than-average density and how they design bats with thinner handles because batters favor lighter bats.
We’ve been talking about how dangerous broken bats can be for spectators in the stadium. You’ve got to be aware of what’s going on at all times. But how about if you’re a cameraman tasked with getting an isolated shot on the baserunner at third? This is what can happen. Wow!
The Rangers have won the ALCS and are waiting for the Phillies or Giants. We’re waiting for another million-to-one shot like this.
Bat safety is a hot topic in the news these days – now we’re hearing about a move by the California Interscholastic Federation to require the use of less-powerful metal bats for the 2011 season. The new BBCOR performance standards mean that metal bats can be no more powerful than wood bats.
The CIF is also encouraging its member schools to “voluntarily require” the use of protective headgear for infielders and pitchers, though some observers expect that this voluntary program will not be widely adopted, at least in the near term.
Just last week, we blogged about how dangerous broken bats can be – for players, coaches, officials and fans. So we weren’t too surprised to see this article in the news about a man who was hit in the face by a broken bat at a Mets game a few years ago who has filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for his injuries.
As much as we feel for the guy (he suffered serious injuries to his face and head), we were a little surprised at the numerous targets of his lawsuit: he is suing the Luis Castillo (the batter), Ramon Castro (Castillo’s then-teammate who loaned him the bat), the New York Mets, Major League Baseball and Rawlings, the bat manufacturer. No word yet on if he’s suing the hot dog vendor from that section of the stadium.
Seriously, though, if his contention is that maple bats are inherently more dangerous than other bats, is the batter really to blame? Or the player who owned the bat? Or the team?
Tell us what you think.
Broken wood bats can be dangerous. Razor-sharp shards of wood flying through the air, who knows where they may land? Players, coaches, officials and fans have all been injured by broken bats.
There’s been a lot of talk about the relative safety of wood bats recently, which makes us wonder about the different kinds of breaks and what causes them. There’s a really interesting site that explores the science of wood bats and explains the various causes of “bat failures.” Recommended reading.
In a widely anticipated move, the National Federation of State High School Associations enacted a rule banning the use of composite bats in high school baseball effective from the start of the 2010-11 school year.
They have, however, left some wiggle room, as the NFHS may consider waivers or modifications to this rule if composite bats can meet certain standards.
This has been a hot topic on the baseball-bats.net forum lately. What do you think about composite bats and this new ruling? Please discuss.
At high schools and colleges across the nation, the debate about aluminum bat safety continues. Play Ball USA and Ron Cacini offer helpful words in this video. Cacini doesn’t try to convince you of an answer to the alumnium vs. wood question. Instead, he explains that it’s proper technique, bat weight, and bat length, that will help boost safety for those whose leagues use aluminum bats. He gives a general explanation of bat exit speed ratio. Cacini doesn’t talk much about wood bats, so it does have an air of advocating for aluminum.
For a casual video shoot in a batting cage, the former Houston farmhand really has a decent swing.
Last year, Major League Baseball started its investigation into the abundance of broken bats in recent years. At the time, a three-week count of broken bats in Major-League games showed about one shattered bat per game. After this first week of the regular season, it doesn’t look like the rate is coming down. Sure, maybe it’s the cold weather, but it seems like bats are breaking everywhere again. We’ve pretty much accepted it as part of the game. But just because we’re used to it doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Recalling last year’s incidents of fans and professionals getting hit in the head (Pittsburgh Pirate coach Don Long, umpire Brian O’Nora, and Dodger fan Susan Rhodes, who recovered from severe injuries after she was hit by a broken bat off Todd Helton), Ward Dill found a solution: the Radial Bat. It takes twelve wedges of wood and an adhesive, and it’s not likely to be adopted by pro ball. But it’s a step toward safety, clamped under 36,000 pounds of pressure. At $100 to $150 each, Dill’s Radial Bat is still pricey. The good news is, that if smart inventors’ minds like Dill’s are on the job, baseball may get the solution it needs for the broken bat blues.
A New Jersey inventor says he has come up with a way to prevent the shattered bats that are becoming an increasing problem in MLB.
The bat is made from 12 wedges that are combined with adhesive and clamping pressure. The result is that the outside of each wedge has a tight grain surface, guaranteeing the best hitting surface at every spot on the bat.
MLB.com has an interesting article about the research into the continued issues related to maple bats shattering.
The committee said on Tuesday that nearly 1,700 shattered bats were collected from July 2 to this past Sunday for physical analysis….wo Wisconsin-based entities are reviewing wood-quality issues: The USDA Forest Service’s Products Laboratory — the federal government’s primary research facility for wood products — and Timberco, Inc., an independent accredited certification and testing agency for structural and nonstructural wood products.
