Rolling bats???

I read about it in the thread discussing the NCAA ruling on composite bats. Also, I notice the banners on this page advertising it. But isn't it illegal? Can some one explain the process to me and how it makes a ball go 40-50' longer?

...and if it is illegal, how can anybody advertise it so blatantly? I know I'm naiive about it, but please explain this...and tell me if you have experienced the actual usage.

Is it similar to corking a wood bat? Can I advertise that?..because I was pretty good doing that.

I'm confused!!!!

 

K...long story short... composite bats require break in. Few who purchased knew/realized this when they were introduced. Many guys would head straight to BP with new comp bats, take a dozen swings and be disappointed. Some liked the feel (power guys did anyway, because their bat speed and power over came the initial "dulling" feel of the bat). About 6 buckets of tee work, rotating the barrel would begin to "break" the bat. The more you hit, the better.

In our day and age of fast food, instant everything, "rolling" recently (?)became a popular offer as a way to expedite the process (instead of good ol BP and tee work). "Rolling" refers to the process, where by the barrel is compressed and rotated under pressure to "break" it in and achieve maximum effect of the composite feature. (A few "ingenius" individuals thought driving over the barrel with their truck tire would expedite the process as well - to mixed results. The same guys will be leading the free market economy soon!).

I have read on this topic as well, as it intrigues me. Kinda like golf clubs always coming out promising 10 more yards off the tee or eliminating the slice. You still have to square it up on the club head. You still have to hit the round ball with the round bat. No doubt it helped to turn some college guys into power guys. And no doubt it helped turn some college power guys into monsters. But, so did metal. I can understand where the NCAA is coming from and their argument. I also know metal will never leave NCAA as it is a scoring game to them, which keeps fannies in the seats.

Composite or metal, a guy that can hit with power is still gonna hit with power. If the fence is 400 and he hits it 401 or 455, it's still a HR and doesn't get extra runs for the extra yardage. I guess the argument is, if he hits it 380 with metal, would it have gone 405 with composite. We'll just never know. I think we all know it's not the arrow, it's the Indian. But, you give that Indian an arrow he has confidence in, he's gonna drop more and bigger buffalo!

If you want to tone down some bats, tone down those tight wound LL bats. Those tight little barrels have lots of guys flying 235 feet on check swings. LOL

I think it's really neither here nor there in HS. But, they will follow suit with the NCAA, I feel, if only to protect themselves and stay in line with the highest level of amatuer ball. When I hear "the integrity of the game" argument, I immediately think wood. I guess they are sitting at a big conference room table right now recalculating Ball Exit Speed (off the bat)?

 

As always, a great response. Thanks Deez!

By the way, we missed you in chat tonight. It was like the old days....

 

I don't know if I am right, but sure sounds good...

 

there is now a moratorium on composites by the NCAA... in other words, no composites can be used. We'll see if HS follows suit.

 

Check the mens softball circuit.

Rolling is almost normal for some in this circuit. Didn't know it was normal in College or even HS. No wonder there are some in HS hitting outrageous bombs.

Take a new bat and bang it against a lite pole about 20 times. Hard! Then it will start to come around. Send it off to a buddy that "rolls" bats and it will come back broken in.

How much does it cost? To roll a bat? Don't know. But all you got to do is google it to find out.

Illegal? Dont know.

Back to the argument for wood bats.

Check this web site out

http://compositebatrolling.com/

 

We played a team that I am CONVINCED had rolled bats. Even the smaller kids we banging the ball around the park. My OF can run pretty well and couldn't get to them. When a 2 strike FB 4" off the plate was hit into the LF gap for a triple by a 5'7" RH slap hitter, it raised my eyebrows.

The funny thing is that they all sounded "dead" when they were hit.

 

Agree