RocketTech bat

[greymule]

Did two games yesterday with a high-level 14u travel team I see often. In both games, they played teams that should have been competitive. In the first inning of the first game, they hit one ball over 250 feet and several corkscrew liners that just about took infielders heads off. The first inning of the second game was a carbon copy. The rest of the day wasn't much different, with several high drives sailing far over the outfielders.

I've seen these girls play many times. They're very good, but I never saw them hit like that. And they really weren't swinging that hard.

The explanation is the Anderson RocketTech FP bat. From what I've seen, it should be banned. One of their coaches told me that he expects it to be banned at some point. Apparently they have a hot Miken, too, but they were all using the RocketTech.

Hot bats have greatly damaged slow pitch. I hope ASA does not allow them to ruin fast pitch too.

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by greymule
Did two games yesterday with a high-level 14u travel team I see often. In both games, they played teams that should have been competitive. In the first inning of the first game, they hit one ball over 250 feet and several corkscrew liners that just about took infielders heads off. The first inning of the second game was a carbon copy. The rest of the day wasn't much different, with several high drives sailing far over the outfielders.

I've seen these girls play many times. They're very good, but I never saw them hit like that. And they really weren't swinging that hard.

The explanation is the Anderson RocketTech FP bat. From what I've seen, it should be banned. One of their coaches told me that he expects it to be banned at some point. Apparently they have a hot Miken, too, but they were all using the RocketTech.

Hot bats have greatly damaged slow pitch. I hope ASA does not allow them to ruin fast pitch too.

From talking to coaches in this area, they really like the Anderson Bat Company bats. Supposedly, they are constructed so that the two walls do not collapse over time. One coach said that off tees his girls will hit the ball 10-15 feet further.

[Dukat]

It has been checked and passes the ASA standard. What else can you ask?

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by Dukat
It has been checked and passes the ASA standard. What else can you ask?

So long as it passes the bat standard, use it. I personally like the bat...feels good...good swing weight...nice bat. I've seen a lot of teams in this area going to those bats.

[greymule]

It has been checked and passes the ASA standard. What else can you ask?

A new standard.

A lot of SP bats meet the standard, too, and then heat up until they're dangerous. This bat is dangerous.

ASA may have approved the RocketTech, but I've seen it in action. There's no way it should be legal.

Ten to 15 feet farther off a tee? And 50 to 75 feet farther off a pitch.

Yesterday the shortstop playing against this bat was quite talented. Good range, good arm, threw people out from behind second and deep in the hole. But twice she could barely get her glove up for a line drive. I have never seen balls hit so hard by 14-and-under girls.

Perhaps ASA is hoping that girls' FP splits into divisions by home run limits.

I've seen a lot of teams in this area going to those bats.

No doubt.

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by greymule
It has been checked and passes the ASA standard. What else can you ask?

A new standard.

A lot of SP bats meet the standard, too, and then heat up until they're dangerous. This bat is dangerous.

ASA may have approved the RocketTech, but I've seen it in action. There's no way it should be legal.

Ten to 15 feet farther off a tee? And 50 to 75 feet farther off a pitch.

Yesterday the shortstop playing against this bat was quite talented. Good range, good arm, threw people out from behind second and deep in the hole. But twice she could barely get her glove up for a line drive. I have never seen balls hit so hard by 14-and-under girls.

Perhaps ASA is hoping that girls' FP splits into divisions by home run limits.

I've seen a lot of teams in this area going to those bats.

No doubt.

I like your thoughts, but we have a new bat standard. And every bat needs to conform to that bat standard to be used (at least here it does). So if the RocketTech conforms to the standard, what's the big deal? Sure, it probably pushes the envelope of the rule, but don't many other bats. (Coaches also say the Mikken's are more "live" than RocketTech--and RT doesn't make a HR champ out of a poor swing).

I saw a girl, about 5 feet tall and 100 pound soaking wet hit a ball about 250 feet this weekend. She's 16. So what bat was she using? The same Easton bat she's been using since she was 12. She just has a flawless swing and connects with the pitch well almost anytime. (I think she was something crazy like 15 for 16 this weekend--against good competition). The Easton isn't one of the "hot" bats. Her swing is so good, she could hit the fence with a garden hose.

Same team hit to shots up the middle, both drilling the pitchers...again, older bats, not hot, but great fundamentals on the swing.

My point: Any bat with a good swing is going to look great. We've come to the point where we have scientifically broken down the swing and can help anyone achieve that swing. Same is true of BB. So even average bats are going to look "hot" with great swings.

With pitchers dominating FP the way they do (just ask Bandit how many innings it took us for the final game this weekend), batters are looking for any edge possible. It may turn out that RT eventually becomes illegal, but until then, we must play with it. I personally like the bat.

[Bandit]

Too many innings !!!! At least the rain held off until after the game !!!!

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by Bandit
Too many innings !!!! At least the rain held off until after the game !!!!

I asked you if you wanted the dish, and you said you did. SO it's your fault...at six an inning, I'll take 18 CL's please!

[MichaelVA2000]

I umpired a PONY tournament this past weekend and only came across one team using the RocketTech FP bat. The difference in distance was very noticable. Just guessing, but I'd say the ball was landing twenty-five to fifty feet further depending on how much of the bat's sweet spot made contact with the ball.

Michael

[greymule]

Yesterday I did two more games in the same venue as last week. (Again, 14 and under.) It was clear both in my games and the games on other fields that the RocketTech was singularly effective, to say the least. I'd say 25 to 50 more feet is correct. I also saw popups higher than any I had ever seen in FP.

Interesting, though, that the team that last week was hitting long blasts won only 3-0. The opposing pitcher was very tough, and the game reverted to the usual bunt/slash/steal I'm accustomed to in high-level girls' FP. Apparently the RocketTech makes a bigger difference when batters can really get around on the ball, something that's not easy against powerful pitching.

There's another field whose deep left field adjoins the deep left field of the diamond I was using. I noticed two balls almost make it to our field (historically very rare). Sure enough, the bat was the telltale black, orange, and red.

A couple of years ago, I watched Princeton play Harvard in a doubleheader and talked to the umps afterward. For what it's worth, one ump told me that the ball they were using was "juiced" (his term) to get more long ball into the college game. (I looked at the ball and didn't recognize it.) Still, in the two games, there was only one ball an outfielder had to back up on, and that one was caught.

[Hughester]

I worry about pitcher safety with this bat. Lets move pitchers back another three feet, then the super bats would not be needed. when my girls see the RT up to bat they move back alittle and stand ready to field. it is a great bat, we bought one just to compete with the other teams using it. I just worry about the pitchers.....had one come back and hit my #1 in the knee, she didnt have time to get the glove down to protect....

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by Hughester
I worry about pitcher safety with this bat. Lets move pitchers back another three feet, then the super bats would not be needed. when my girls see the RT up to bat they move back alittle and stand ready to field. it is a great bat, we bought one just to compete with the other teams using it. I just worry about the pitchers.....had one come back and hit my #1 in the knee, she didnt have time to get the glove down to protect....

With girls having "flawless swings" now, pitchers throwing harder and harder, no one has time to get the glove down. IF the hit it with the glove, it's just good reaction time...and luck. Pitching in any level is dangerous.

I think moving the older girls back is an idea to consider...college throws from further back, so why not move HS back to 43 feet?

As for the bat, I love it. It has a great sound to it, and really makes solid contact. Saw a HS team last week with 6 of them, with three more on the way. Saw a Freshman team Monday that has 6 ordered (individual girls each with one). Seems to be the bat of the future...and present.

But more importantly, is #1 okay?

(Had two pitchers last weekend get drilled my non-Anderson bats...both okay though).

[Hughester]

She is still sore, it bruised under the knee cap....doc said she would just have to work thru it....shes tuf...what pitcher isn't. Thanks for the concern....I went to a tournament this past weekend and half the pitchers were wearing the game face mask. it was 14 under teams. no matter what though i think injury in fastpitch is less then other sports....seems more of my girls get hurt playing Basketball. maybe Anderson will design a shoe to enhance Basketball......LOL

[Edited by Hughester on May 6th, 2004 at 12:00 PM]

[MichaelVA2000]

Tactics that concern me are when the batter squares to bunt. I see F1, F5 and F3 all charging the plate, only to see the batter pull the bat back and either take a full swing or attempt a slap hit. Being this close reduces the reation time of these fielders. I have seen a first baseman loose several teeth and require stitches and a third baseman get knocked out on a line drive to the head.

When you combine these strategies with a bat like the Rocket Tech and other similair bats with high ball exit ratio speeds, these coaches and players are flirting with death.


Michael

[Dukat]

According to Nate at Anderson Bats the 2005 models with the 2004 stamp will not change from the models with the 2000 stamp and is rated at 98MPH exit speed which is the new ASA standard while bats by Miken and Easton are rated at 100 MPH and will have to be changed to conform with the new standard. Here is the exact quote from the Anderson Bats board:
"the 2005 RKT FP wont be released until July.

We've actually learned some news that is just as much news to me as it will be to you. The sales team isn't allowed access to the testing numbers for our bats. (Our engineering department doesn't want us using the numbers to sell bats...)

Because the RKT FP is SO hot, we always assumed it was at the threshold of performance (100MPH Ball Exit Speed)

We just found out yesterday that the FP has always tested UNDER the 98MPH limit that ASA established. What that means is that the 2005 RKT will be JUST AS HOT as the 2004 model. No decrease in performance between the 2 models.

Suprised?!?! We were too. It just goes to show you how inaccurate these tests that the associations come up with are. Every person we talk to says the RKT FP is the HOTTEST bat they have ever seen or swung. I guess the proof really IS at the plate!

Chalk it all up to our POWER ARCH TECHNOLOGY. This patented technology allows us to keep our ball exit speed under all the testing but still out perform every bat on the market.

GO DEEP!! "