Just Do It (until you decide not to)

September 19th, 2011

What’s going on with Nike bats? College baseball teams contracted to use Nike bats can now choose to use other bats if they wish. Is this due to performance problems?

We can’t speak from first-hand experience: we haven’t used Nike bats yet, though we’ve been meaning to try them out. Have you used Nike bats? Get on the forum and tell us what you think.

Knockout!

September 9th, 2011

It’s only fitting that Louisville’s own Muhammad Ali be honored with a commemorative bat made by Louisville Slugger.

Check out this tribute to the boxing great. A nice collectible!

Battle of the Bugs

August 30th, 2011

wasp

One thing may be standing in the way of the resurgence of wood baseball bats: a wood boring beetle that’s devouring ash forests in New York state.

But the USDA has a plan to combat this ash-eating invader - they are fighting bugs with bugs.

Unless we get this beetle under control, maybe we’ll all be switching to aluminum bats!

Fire and Ice

August 17th, 2011

Here’s an interesting take on making bats stronger and more durable: put them in a deep freeze.

This innovative approach has yielded bats that are about 26% stronger than untreated bats, according to proponents.

Seems like one way of getting a hot bat is to give it the big chill. What do you think?

Game Changer

August 2nd, 2011

bats

We’ve been hearing the drum beats of change these past few years as the game of baseball has gone back to basics with its embrace of wood bats.

In the name of safety or fairness or the purity of the game, the result is the same: here’s an interesting article on some of the ways that wood bats are changing the way we play the game.

We’d love to hear what you think about what the trend towards wood bats means for the players and the game.

Less Ping, More Crack

July 26th, 2011

wood bat and ball

In a continuing movement across the country, we’re hearing less “ping” and more “crack” around our local baseball fields.

Wood continues to supplant aluminum as more leagues switch from space-age composites to good old-fashioned wood bats. Scores may be down, but the spirit of baseball is on the rise.

There’s a lot of talk about wood bats on our forum.

Check it out!

Against the Grain

July 19th, 2011

breaking bats

You know that sound. The awful, wrong crack that rips through the air.

The sound of a broken bat. It can break your heart (and your wallet, if you’re paying for these things).

All of which makes it hard to read about this guy doing what he does.

We maintain that the only good broken bat is one that breaks in the service of a hit - or a home run!

More Wood

July 5th, 2011

American Legion baseball in Rhode Island is going to all wood bats;  here’s a good article about the change and what it means to all involved.

What do you think about the move to wood bats? Please visit our forum and share your opinions.

The Virtues of Wood

June 28th, 2011

wood bat

Interesting first-person piece extolling the virtues of wood bats.

The writer does a pretty good breakdown of the shift to wood bats in leagues across the country and takes a look ahead to what’s on the horizon in the evolution of bats.

Up and Comers

May 25th, 2011

Here’s a great article about a small, up and coming bat maker. People like this are in the bat making industry because they love the game.

We want to try some of the bats made by Back-Yard Bat Company. Have you tried them? We’d like to hear your thoughts.