This just arrived. Anything new?

[Jim Porter]

I've always enjoyed working wooden bat leagues more than metal bat leagues by a factor of about one hundred. It's more like baseball.

With metal bats now costing in the $300-$400 range, and maple wooden bats bought in bulk for $30-$40 each, the economic advantage of metal has become far slighter than it used to be. So the argument that wooden bats are more expensive over the course of a season has less merit. For those of you who weren't around when metal first came to baseball, that was the initial reason they gained in popularity -- metal was far cheaper in the long run.

So why is metal still being used? Obviously, because they're easier to hit with and the ball responds better off of them. They have a much larger sweet spot. Hitters can still smack the ball pretty good off the handle. They make hitting considerably easier.

Lousy reason, in my opinion, to keep them around.

Wood makes for a better baseball game on the average. How do I know? I have many years of experience working both and, to my perception, there is no competition. Wood rules.

[waltjp]

I took a quick look at internet site that sells bats. Here's the description of one of the bats. Most that I looked at make similar claims. I didn't see it noted anywhere that any of these bats act just like wood.

The addition of CNT, make possible by Zyvex NanoSolve materials, strengthens composite structures to allow for bigger sweet spots and maximum performance along the entire length of the barrel. The Easton Stealth Comp CNT bats also offer maximum bat head speed with the patented 2-piece ConneXion. Acting like a hinge, the ConneXion provides the most efficient energy transfer from handle to barrel, resulting in maximum bat head whip for a quicker bat and more power through the hitting zone.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by waltjp

I took a quick look at internet site that sells bats. Here's the description of one of the bats. Most that I looked at make similar claims. I didn't see it noted anywhere that any of these bats act just like wood.

The addition of CNT, make possible by Zyvex NanoSolve materials, strengthens composite structures to allow for bigger sweet spots and maximum performance along the entire length of the barrel. The Easton Stealth Comp CNT bats also offer maximum bat head speed with the patented 2-piece ConneXion. Acting like a hinge, the ConneXion provides the most efficient energy transfer from handle to barrel, resulting in maximum bat head whip for a quicker bat and more power through the hitting zone.

he he he.... that's priceless! Someone should post that info on www.dtmba.com

[Eastshire]

If you want to do away with metal bats because the perform better, more power to you. But that is not the reason being given. The reason being given is that metal is more dangerous than wood and there is no statistical proof. In fact, metal bats are designed to be as safe as wood bats.

Further, the government should not be involved in deciding what kind of equipment is used to play a game. The decision should be made by the sport's own governing body.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

If you want to do away with metal bats because the perform better, more power to you. But that is not the reason being given. The reason being given is that metal is more dangerous than wood and there is no statistical proof. In fact, metal bats are designed to be as safe as wood bats.

Further, the government should not be involved in deciding what kind of equipment is used to play a game. The decision should be made by the sport's own governing body.

What causes a batter to hit with greater power? The bat speed through the hitting zone... metal bats designed to increase this factor are generating greater power. I assume that "power" is actually the energy the ball would transfer on impact (force) which is mass x velocity. Since the mass is static, it stands to reason that the velocity of the batted ball is greater. If the velocity is greater, Fx has less time to react to the batted ball and stands at greater risk of being hit.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by ctblu40

What causes a batter to hit with greater power? The bat speed through the hitting zone... metal bats designed to increase this factor are generating greater power. I assume that "power" is actually the energy the ball would transfer on impact (force) which is mass x velocity. Since the mass is static, it stands to reason that the velocity of the batted ball is greater. If the velocity is greater, Fx has less time to react to the batted ball and stands at greater risk of being hit.

They're not hitting for more power; they're hitting for power more. If they could hit the sweet spot on wood as often as they do on metal they'd hit it out just as often. Don't confuse the HR stats dropping for a change in power; it's a change in how well hit the ball is.

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

They're not hitting for more power; they're hitting for power more. If they could hit the sweet spot on wood as often as they do on metal they'd hit it out just as often. Don't confuse the HR stats dropping for a change in power; it's a change in how well hit the ball is.

So if a ball comes off a bat at (just to use a number) 150mph 12 times a game using metal bats or 2 times using wood bats, which bat will put F1 at more risk?