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This post will likely add nothing to this thread, but here goes:
I was watching the USC vs. UNC super regional this w/e on TV. In either game 2 or 3, there was an inning were USC F8 and F9 made back-to-back spectacular catches.
Anyways, the catch made by F9 is the one that still sticks out in my mind. During live action, when the ball was hit I said to myself, "good pitch, he got it on the hands." I even thought to myself, the very next second, "its a metal bat it'll probably be caught at straight-away depth instead of in shallow right field."
Next thing I know, F9 is make a spectacular catch leaping and crashing into the outfield wall.
Now that's what's crazy about metal bats. I watched the replay several times, and my initial reaction was correct: contact with the pitch was made no where near the part of the bat we normally consider the "sweet spot". Nevertheless, it resulted in a near home-run and/or extra-base hit. If using a wood bat, I'm convinced the B/R would have been "sawed off" and it would have been a pop up in shallow right field...and the bat would have likely been broken.
As an umpire...safety issues aside (which can be debated forever)...this is why I hate metal bats. They cause games to go on forever, and frankly F1's who make a good quality pitch often still give up a hit.
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