Time to Silence the Ping

[SFL]

Re: my thoughts

The sound of baseball is the CRACK of a wood bat.

How about the CRACK of a composite bat?

This is for you Physics buffs:

http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/bats-new/compalum.html

[ShockBand]

Its pretty easy to tell which players use the composite fiber bats. I like that sound over "ping", but I still love the crack of a wood bat and always will.

[fastbow]

I once read an article about shattering wood bats. If I could find it, I'd link it. The gist of the article was that wood bats might be shattering more now because of a change in the kind of wood and the differences between Ash and Maple.

[7hottamales]

Re: my thoughts

I can tell you right now... Affordability is not the issue at all. The same deals they have with Easton or TPX could be made with the same exact companies for wood bats instead of metal. Teams go through TONS of metal bats in a season, more than you guys can even imagine. Bats get dented, caps fall off, grips fall off, bats crack or shatter. Cold weather affects metal bats a lot worse than anything and for the Shockers that is pretty important seeing as the first 10 games of the season are FREEZING! Longevity I do not think is the issue either because composite bats today last just as long as metal in my experience and I was the one throwing inside trying to break those bats. Composites just dont break and if they do, they stay in 2 pieces... not with shattering effects. I know for a fact that from AA up you cannot use composite bats so that could be a good solution.

I can tell you right now that wood bats would be better for college baseball because college baseball is basically one step down from trying to make it to professional baseball. If you think hitting homeruns with a metal bat impresses the scouts, think again. Those scouts make sure they see how the guy can hit with wood as well because some guys really cant touch a ball with wood the way they did in their college years. And it also goes the other way around... some guys hit a LOT better with wood. Wood bats would help players apsiring to go to the next level transition over to the wood bats they use in the minors and pros. It would be interesting to see them atleast try it for a year or two. People still would go to the game in packs and droves and there would still be tons of runs scored and homeruns everywhere. But I would like to see it atleast tried out other than in I think 2 college conferences, Not even NCAA.

The sound of baseball is the CRACK of a wood bat.

I just don't see what the motivation would be for companies to provide wood bats at a loss (or free) to the college baseball world.

[doomfarer]

and whats the advantage of giving them over one hundred $300 bats for free? To get their name out there. Free advertising... how many high schoolers and little kids see teams using the bats and go out and buy them. Thats how. The same companies that make the metal... make the wood. TPX = Louisville Slugger, the most popular wood bat around. Easton wood is pretty efficient and I think DiMarini composite bats are some of the best around.

[7hottamales]

and whats the advantage of giving them over one hundred $300 bats for free? To get their name out there. Free advertising... how many high schoolers and little kids see teams using the bats and go out and buy them. Thats how. The same companies that make the metal... make the wood. TPX = Louisville Slugger, the most popular wood bat around. Easton wood is pretty efficient and I think DiMarini composite bats are some of the best around.

As long as the rest of amateur baseball is using aluminum, the marketing value is pretty much confined to aluminum.

Regardless I strongly suspect that the free bats are not flowing at levels of college baseball below the elite level. Are the Friends, Newmans, or even Bradleys of the world blessed with the same sweet deals as the Name programs?

Just because a solution is manageable for WSU doesn't mean it is for college baseball.

Look I think aluminum is ridiculous. It artificially rewards bad swings, slow hands, and not consistently centering the ball as well as teaches bad habits to pitchers. The bottomline is that wood isn't feasible. That's the reason why it's never been seriously considered even though most see the value of it in legitimizing the skill level required.

Perhaps there is some potential with composite that acts like wood, but is cost effective. Hope so, but we'll see as the technology develops.

[t7017s]

I once read an article about shattering wood bats. If I could find it, I'd link it. The gist of the article was that wood bats might be shattering more now because of a change in the kind of wood and the differences between Ash and Maple.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-06-02-maple-bats_N.htm

[rrshock]

In my experience with trimming trees, Maple is much softer than ash. I have seen the break vs shatter with limbs and can't believe they are allowed to use Maple in the first place.

[doomfarer]

cost effective?

That's what im trying to say... for any college team... composite woods are a good 200 dollars cheaper than a new metal bat. If teams are actually paying for their bats and not in partnership then it is pretty cost effective.

[CharlieHog]

Re: cost effective?

That's what im trying to say... for any college team... composite woods are a good 200 dollars cheaper than a new metal bat. If teams are actually paying for their bats and not in partnership then it is pretty cost effective.

How long does a wood bat last, and how long does a metal bat last? I see wood bats shattering all the time.