Debate over metal baseball bats continues...

I don't think this discussion is going away ... and do think one day we will see pitchers wearing helmets, maybe the corners too . Thoughts ?


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2010-07-28-metal-bat-debate_N.htm

 

The reality is there is too much money in the metal/aluminum/composite bat industry for them to be done away with probably but....

For the last two weeks I watched 2013 kids play with wood at a high level. Plenty of runs were scored. There was also attention given to the sacrifice, moving runners and in general just to the finer points of the game. I also saw plenty of runs scored by kids who by definition are not as strong as they will be in a couple of years. I saw Hr's hit by kids that are not abnormally big for their age.

From a totally personal perspective I watched my son be able to pitch inside with good effect and play 3rd and not have to wince everytime a pitch is thrown and he is playing just inside the grass.

The game is better with wood. I see no reason to keep hi tech bats other than the $$$ that stand to be made by the bat companies and perhaps because the casual fan enjoys watching more offense... and speaking of offense I for one am sick and tired of everything right or wrong being justified in our society because someone can make a buck on it. Do what is right for the game and the kids safety and go back to wood!

 

HULK LIKE WOOD!!!

You are all over it!!!

Exhibit #1

Exhibit #2

Exhibit #3

Exhibit #4

Last Rant!!!

OK, One more

Just imagine if MLB players used metal bats...? Wood bats would add integrity back into the game. Why are our kids using metal bats in the development leagues and then asked to use wood at the highest level? It's for the love of $$$$!!!

 

I hear Lou doesn't like metal either.

 

I know Tiger WOODS (get it) doesn't like metal, especially in his wife's hands or wrapped around his head!!!

 

I'm in favor of wood, as well; but, at the Division I collegiate level, there's really no debate. As long as many issues of publications like "Baseball America" feature a full page ad of some smiling, successful college coach brandishing the latest and greatest bat from his sponsoring company, metal bats will be used in Division I. Athletic departments are too needy for revenue sources like their sponsorship dollars that they're not going to turn their backs on the bat companies.

Since professional bats are made of wood and youth bats are metal, the successful colleges are the best representatives the bat companies have to promote their metal bats. Not only that, but many college coaches and the TV networks that carry their games prefer the higher offensive production that metal bats produce. Purists may disdain high-scoring games, but many of the casual fans want to see runs scored.

So what would it take? Hard for me to see anything short of a ban of metal bats altogether; and, as much as I'd like to see it, it's hard for me to imagine that happening. In the midst of the continuing contention that metal bats are less expensive over time and concern over adequate volumes of acceptable wood, perhaps the best that can be done is to continue to engineer the exit velocity down to a level that approximates wood.

 

Back in the 70's when I played Little League, metal bats were cost effective, they lasted for years. They were heavy and most kids prefered using wood bats. Now the situation is totally opposite, can you imagine a kid strolling to the plate with a wood bat?

If you think about it, wood breaks or cracks eventually and a kid may need 2 or 3 a season. (He would need at least 2 in his batbag.) Looking at wood bat prices, thats $70 to $120 for the two.

As far as the college game... wood all the way! College Pitchers make it to the "bigs" before hitters, because of the bat. I say, metal bats are ok for 9 and below (because of broken bats). Then either all wood or a composite wood for all leagues.

It's coming sooner or later, let's just hope it doesn't take a serious injury or God forbid a fatality to make the change.