Legislate HS to use wood bats?

As someone closely associated with a current high school pitcher, I would love to see wood bats in high school.....only if colleges switched also.

 

Where to start, where to end?

First off, we don't need governmental involvement, they have a hard enough time with things they know a little something about, like running the country.

I have no problem with either material, however I think the whole marketing and price issue has gotten way out of hand. The bat companies have become marketing geniuses. They can change a model name, color, etc. each year, or even mid-year now, and sell more bats. You know "Junior" just has to have that new bat, "It hits better". Of course technology has allowed production of bats with more pop, and the cost keeps going up, that is simple "supply and demand". But that is not limited to aluminum alloys and composites, the production and treatment process of high end wood bats has evolved as well. Any idea what kind of price today's major league player pays for bats? The point here is the bat companies are going to make big money no matter what, and we are going to pay the price whatever it is, because we want "Junior" to have the best.

It would be senseless to have high school use wood, and college not. If it were going to change then college would need to switch first, then high school. But where would you stop with the transition? There are hurdles growing players have to overcome from little league up. Little league using small barrells with -10 to -12, youth travel ball using big barrells with -7 to -8, middle school using -5, high school -3. Each step can be a tough transition. I've seen alot of players struggle with the -5 to -3 transition, so going from -5 to a wood bat would be even tougher. Should wood be made mandatory in all of baseball, from little league and up, and designate the aluminum and composites for softball only?

If the issue is about safety or costs, then simply have the bat companies to design a bat that they can manufacture, market, and sell for $100. Then take those bats and do performance tests on them to come up with a new certification (example: for high school). Then regulate the certification of those bats, and the price of $100. This probably won't happen, it is just to make a point of where to start and where to end...

To improve safety and reduce the long ball game, the simplest and cheapest thing to do would be soften the core of the baseball. They get used up every game anyway.

Just some 2 cent thoughts from a source that loves the game no matter what we play it with!

 

Is there such a thing as a hybrid bat?That is a bat with a metal handle and a wooden barrel. Most bats break at the handle so the metal handle would solve that problem.The contact part of the bat would be wood so it would seem that you would have the best of both worlds.Just wondering if this was feasible.

 

canofcorn
there is such a bat. its called metal wood. i think its made by muhl but not positive. a little expensive but it was as you describe aluminum or metal handle up to the neck, then a wooden barrel.

 

There are many sound baseball reasons to switch to wood, but as several have stated, the cost would definitely be a factor for many high school players. Sounds like some posters are mistaking serious showcase players with ordinary high school players. Believe it or not, not every single high school player buys a new $200 bat every year. Some can't or won't afford it. So buying several wood bats every year is also not an option for them.

If the switch is ever going to be made, it would have to happen in college first. And like TBA said, if we are going to get big brother involved for the sake of safety, let's legislate the specs of aluminum bats to align with safety concerns.

 

Louisville Slugger makes a composite bat that is basically just a regular wooden bat that is covered with a thin layer of fiberglass. My son as well as other players on his hs team has used this bat for two years in the batting cage. Still using it. I think this bat is much tougher than an aluminum bat. I beleive the cost is about $70.

 

I would not reccomend switching to wooden bats. Too many bats would crack and shatter because high schoolers cant hit it on the right part of the bat most of the time like professional players can. It would also reduce home runs and hard hit balls taking out the excitement of high school baseball. There are some positives, but not enough to switch to wooden bats.

 

0...they get paid to use a manufacture's bat

True, but college coaches aren't going to give up their other source of incomes

Although that is a good idea, it goes back to the topic. Who is going to force them to do that?

Interesting suggestion, but I bet the baseball purists would shoot that down

TBA- don't get me wrong. You make a lot of good points and I appreciate your thoughtful posts. It's a good discussion

 

I dunno Seminole. I love HS baseball for many reasons, but not because of the HR's or the power of hard hit balls. I admire the one's that can do that, but if that was the reason, they could come up with a "super ball" that would quench that thirst.

I would agree that there is an adjustment to hitting with wooden bats, but it really doesn't take long for that adjustment...usually one broken bat does the trick. You will find that players using wood bats will stop crowding and leaning over the plate. You will also find that players using wood bats become better hitters. Yes...those .500-.600 BA's go away, but for those that move on to the next level...they will become even better.

PS- and I'm not insinuating that this only applies to the studs.

I've heard the arguments that wood bats would be cost prohibited at the HS level, but in the current time, when a coach can raise $100,000 for lights, another 10-15,000 for other field related expenses, parents pay $300 for a glove, $300 for a bat, $125 for shoes and enroll johnnie at a baseball academy for $3500...well, for a guy that had worn "hand me down" shoes, borrowed bats, and a glove that I had to, at times, tape up....I don't believe wood bats could not be purchased by the program or their supporters.

 

I understand the arguments about the cost of bat replacement,fewer hard hit balls, fewer home runs,and players today not knowing how to properly hold a wooden bat.However, Im still convinced that the decision about what type bat to use should be based on the safety and welfare of that young man standing 60 ft 6in away from another young man swinging a metal bat.My guess is that seminoles son is an everyday player and not a pitcher.