Ash Bats

Maple is supposedly more durable. Ash has a tendency to "flake" at the barrel. The grains can begin to separate instead of staying fused tightly together. The bat is not broken when this happens and can continue to be used, but as you can imagine, pop is diminished

Ash needs to be "boned" to tighten the grains. Major League wood [ash] is seasoned longer before cutting and therefore top quality. You cannot buy MLB wood.

Bob

When comparing apples and apples (quality level), ash has a softer feel.  It's a preference thing.  Ash use to be used by the majority @ MLB and that shifted to Maple several years ago. Maple is more dangerous when it breaks - usually results in sharp shards flying around.

Mental.

Why?

Bob

I think you could kind of compare it to your stiffer vs, flexible aluminum bats. ash is softer and will have more flex in the swing, thus a little more whip, maybe for the smaller guys.  When you watch some MLB slow-mo swings you can tell the difference in the ash vs the maples and hickory bats.   But, in the long run, it all comes down to personal preference, my son prefers the ash bats

  There are smaller bat companies that sell bats that are MLB certified wood...from the same mills as the big boys use. It takes several years and proven quality before they will commit MlB wood to these manufactures. Also, you WILL NOT see any MLB or minor league players using hickory, although they should. Much better wood than either ash, maple, or birch. Easily outperforms any of the other wood bats out there today.

I don't share the belief that there are differences in performance between ash, maple, birch, etc. 

Differences in durability, yes.

Performance, no.

Have you swung a lot of wood?   Do you think there is a difference between bats that are aluminum?  composite?  aluminum vs composite?

It is, IMO, irrelevant to this discussion whether I swing a lot of wood, since it would still just be me sharing my PERCEPTION of performance.

I trust the top bat experts (physicists) who state that there are no performance differences between SOLID bats made out of ash, maple, etc.

I do agree with virtually everyone that there can be significant differences in performance between different kinds of HOLLOW bats (metal, composites).  Not only have I perceived these differences by observation, but also they are confirmed by testing in the physicists labs.

I will agree that your use of wood bats is irrelevant, it was meant to be rhetorical. 

I will argue that there will be a performance difference by individual.  The weight, density etc... will effect each person in a different manner thereby causing a performance difference.   While I do not claim to be any kind of physicist, some things just can't be measured in a lab

One thing that can be proven in a lab is wood density. The denser the wood, the better it would perform in a bat. That's why there is a range of difference between maples. Some are better than others. If you would compare a pine bat with a hickory (which is the most dense wood used) which one would be better? Freddy, if you don't believe there is any difference between wood bats, why would MLB players go to such great lengths to select their bats and bat companies. Your idea that there is no difference in wood used for bats, is really just ludicrous and shows how uninformed you are in trying to influence players into believing your opinions that have no basis in fact.

Freddy, I think what you're referring to are studies that suggest there is very little difference in BBCOR amongst maple, ash, birch and hickory.  That's only one measure of bat performance.  Choosing between maple and ash usually comes down to weight and stiffness.  Generally, with two bats cut in the same profile, the maple will be heavier (it's more dense).  If you can achieve maximum bat speed with a heavier bat, the batted ball will go farther... that's physics.  If you're more interested in bat control than power, you want something lighter like ash.  Then there's the profile;  more or less end-weighted, etc.

Don't forget that wood is a natural material.  There is tremendous variation from one tree to the next.  The billets used for professional bats have been selected for the best characteristics (like tight and straight grain pattern). I think it's safe to say that Chris Davis wouldn't have 51 HRs using the $30 bats on the sale rack at Dick's.