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.
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!
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!
American Legion baseball in Rhode Island is going to all wood bats; Â 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.
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.
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.
The new rules for HS baseball bats meant to slow the speed of the batted ball may have had another effect: more doctored bats.
Here’s an interesting article about two ways unscrupulous players/parents/coaches may break the rules: rolling and shaving.
Some people will do anything to get an edge. What do you think about doctored bats? Is it a problem in your league?
Students at the South Bronx High School got a thrill when New York Yankee CF Curtis Granderson stopped by the school to speak to students.
Granderson’s Grand Kids Foundation is donating 300 Louisville Slugger bats to the school’s athletics program. Baseball and softball players will be benefit from Granderson’s generosity, and the whole school benefits from his effort to reach out to students.
He’s one of the good guys!
A North Dakota high school league that had decided to use wood bats exclusively a few years ago has reversed direction and has unanimously voted to allow aluminum bats in Class B competition for the 2011-12 season.
The initial decision to ban aluminum bats in 2007 was driven by safety concerns – concerns that have been allayed by the power-reduction inherent in BBCOR-rated aluminum bats.
This move conforms to standards adopted by the National Federation of High School Associations and the NCAA.
As expected, the new NCAA specifications for bats that took effect this season have resulted in less power at the plate in college baseball.
This article talks about what’s going on – and takes a look ahead to next year, when these guidelines are extended to high school baseball.
Opinions are mixed, but we think less power is a fair trade-off for increased safety. And it may even make for more interesting, nuanced baseball games.
What do you think?
