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the wood fascination will never cease to amaze me...and this being a hardcore baseball web site (I mean that as a compliment boys) 90% of the responses are going to be how great wood is.
I can only say after playing with wood exclusively for the summer and fall my son is thrilled that school will go back to normal.
What is really weird is many college guys prefer to see kids swinging wood, one of the oddest things I have ever seen since you have a better chance of seeing God then the NCAA going to wood.
We have been using wood for 21 years. In that time we have found that the best hitters with wood are the best with any type of bat. Wood requires more accuracy in the swing. It takes more exactness to square up the baseball. It is much easier to grade hitters when they use wood. College coaches flock to wood bat events.
It's not to save baseballs, we use more baseballs than anyone other than professional baseball. I'm sure Rawlings would confirm that. In fact, we have at least two dozen designated for every game. We don't even have anyone chase down foul balls.
Over the years we have seen young hitters improve tremendously with wood. Many are getting to the Big Leagues quicker and having success. It sure hasn't hurt the college hitters either.
When we started there were about three woodbat manufacturers, now there are dozens of them with new ones starting up every year. It has even caused the metal bats to be strictly regulated. It's all good in my book.
PGStaff posted:We have been using wood for 21 years. In that time we have found that the best hitters with wood are the best with any type of bat. Wood requires more accuracy in the swing. It takes more exactness to square up the baseball. It is much easier to grade hitters when they use wood. College coaches flock to wood bat events.
It's not to save baseballs, we use more baseballs than anyone other than professional baseball. I'm sure Rawlings would confirm that. In fact, we have at least two dozen designated for every game. We don't even have anyone chase down foul balls.
Over the years we have seen young hitters improve tremendously with wood. Many are getting to the Big Leagues quicker and having success. It sure hasn't hurt the college hitters either.
When we started there were about three woodbat manufacturers, now there are dozens of them with new ones starting up every year. It has even caused the metal bats to be strictly regulated. It's all good in my book.
no doubt brother, I would have bet every single dime I have on it and slept quite well wait the for the response!!
I actually think you are pretty much accurate in all your comments - it doesn't change anything anyway!
I can't understand why college players don't use wood. I do agree with pg. But as long as wood isn't mandatory my son will continue to use alum otherwise I think not doing so may put him at a disadvantage with the rest of the crowd.
Funny and so true. Thanks bishop.
Enjoyed the article... BLD, you are a trouble maker 
Ha! That's funny. Thanks Bishop!
In 1987, when I started the Area Code games at Zupo field in Lodi, California all the pro scouts respected our required use of wood bats. Players never complained.
Prior to the 1st games our Chicago Cubs AC team [which included 12 future MLB players] toured on a 22 game schedule. We played teams who use metal bats. The Cubs team won every game.
When I watch a college game, the scout sitting next to me evaluates hitter with metal bat by deducting
40' on a HR which translate to "warning track" power. When we travel to Australia we all use wood bats.
Why not?
Question: can you teach the 6th tool?
Bob
What a funny article, and yet, he makes some valid points. If they had actually gone outside I wonder how many outfielders would have lost the ball in the sun while their awesome looking sun glasses sat on top of their hat?
I'm all for wood if someone else is buying. More than a couple of games played this year that between the two teams $400-600 worth of broken bats.
How can you tell that a kid can't play. He's the one all geared/swagged up. $199 sunglasses on the hat. $110 of Evoshield plastic. Neoprene arm sleeve thingy. Gold necklace with jersey number pendant. crisp clean jersey from school or league - tucked in. $60 batting gloves in pockets. $500 bat that looks brand new. "Mom. Dad. If you buy me this. I will play so much better."
Teaching Elder posted:How can you tell that a kid can't play. He's the one all geared/swagged up. $199 sunglasses on the hat. $110 of Evoshield plastic. Neoprene arm sleeve thingy. Gold necklace with jersey number pendant. crisp clean jersey from school or league - tucked in. $60 batting gloves in pockets. $500 bat that looks brand new. "Mom. Dad. If you buy me this. I will play so much better."
Conversely, keep your eye on the kid who has the not so white pants with a hole in the knee, swinging the 3 year old bat. He's probably got something to show.
BLD - I really enjoyed that. Especially the beard one.
That one is so hard for the adolescent male looking to play college ball, but also trying exude a mature, masculine persona (can we still do that?).
Sure you can. Even in a Target women's room; if you'd care.
Consultant posted:In 1987, when I started the Area Code games at Zupo field in Lodi, California all the pro scouts respected our required use of wood bats. Players never complained.
Prior to the 1st games our Chicago Cubs AC team [which included 12 future MLB players] toured on a 22 game schedule. We played teams who use metal bats. The Cubs team won every game.
When I watch a college game, the scout sitting next to me evaluates hitter with metal bat by deducting
40' on a HR which translate to "warning track" power. When we travel to Australia we all use wood bats.
Why not?
Question: can you teach the 6th tool?
Bob
this would be reasonable except for the fact that 6 or so years ago they created BBCOR, we are talking about comments from a prep baseball report site that says "50 college coaches in the building and not a pro scout in sight" - pro scouts effect about 2% of the baseball world give or take (probably less)... it is kind of different.
I don't ever recall saying a word about players complaining. my guess is about 80% prefer composite or higher, and about another 90% of the remain 20 would agree with that - if they didn't know they would be mocked for saying so by purists. My son would never address this in public because - well - it just isn't worth the energy. The industry peer pressure for everyone to agree wood is awesome is staggering, silly and comical but maybe more surprising is that so many people just lineup to drink the kool-aid because some scout says it is great...
Really a team of teenagers that included 12 future MLB players won 22 in row...shocking.
Would you care to expand on the 6th tool teaching? The question is asked in about half of your posts. Knowledge spoken about without sharing is not worth much...and gets tiresome.
SomeBaseballDad posted:I'm all for wood if someone else is buying. More than a couple of games played this year that between the two teams $400-600 worth of broken bats.
At the Arizona Senior Fall Classic last weekend, a kid my son was pitching to broke three bats in four swings in the same ab. I just imagined his father cringing on the sidelines. Although, most likely, the first bat (and maybe the second) were his own and after that, he was borrowing bats from teammates. I was sort of surprised anyone on the bench would lend him that fourth bat.
it comes and goes, I recall one day my older son broke 2 in a morning doubleheader, so I went out and got a 6 pack deal...he didn't break one or the rest season 40 or so games...my 16 year old is now using them!
Teaching Elder posted:How can you tell that a kid can't play. He's the one all geared/swagged up. $199 sunglasses on the hat. $110 of Evoshield plastic. Neoprene arm sleeve thingy. Gold necklace with jersey number pendant. crisp clean jersey from school or league - tucked in. $60 batting gloves in pockets. $500 bat that looks brand new. "Mom. Dad. If you buy me this. I will play so much better."
This sounds like our local machine-pitch league. Was going to say t-ball, but they generally don't have any of the Evoshield at that point.
old_school posted:Consultant posted:In 1987, when I started the Area Code games at Zupo field in Lodi, California all the pro scouts respected our required use of wood bats. Players never complained.
Prior to the 1st games our Chicago Cubs AC team [which included 12 future MLB players] toured on a 22 game schedule. We played teams who use metal bats. The Cubs team won every game.
When I watch a college game, the scout sitting next to me evaluates hitter with metal bat by deducting
40' on a HR which translate to "warning track" power. When we travel to Australia we all use wood bats.
Why not?
Question: can you teach the 6th tool?
Bob
this would be reasonable except for the fact that 6 or so years ago they created BBCOR, we are talking about comments from a prep baseball report site that says "50 college coaches in the building and not a pro scout in sight" - pro scouts effect about 2% of the baseball world give or take (probably less)... it is kind of different.
I don't ever recall saying a word about players complaining. my guess is about 80% prefer composite or higher, and about another 90% of the remain 20 would agree with that - if they didn't know they would be mocked for saying so by purists. My son would never address this in public because - well - it just isn't worth the energy. The industry peer pressure for everyone to agree wood is awesome is staggering, silly and comical but maybe more surprising is that so many people just lineup to drink the kool-aid because some scout says it is great...
Really a team of teenagers that included 12 future MLB players won 22 in row...shocking.
Would you care to expand on the 6th tool teaching? The question is asked in about half of your posts. Knowledge spoken about without sharing is not worth much...and gets tiresome.
He's expanded on what the 6th tool is a few times..
Some kids can play baseball with proper technique, but some kids are just leaders on and off the field, and I don't think you can teach it. Have you ever ran across someone that made you just stop to hear what they were saying. It wasn't really the tone of their voice, or what they were saying it was just the whole package that made you WANT to listen to this guy, WANT to follow this guy, WANT to be near this guy...because your brain tells you that good things happen when this guy is around. Teams gel better, plays go better, life is just better.
That's my take away on what the 6th tool is.
Last night Javier Baez exhibited the 6th tool. At what point did Javier start moving forward from right field?
Was it when Adrian's hands moved on his bat or his feet change? Maybe both.
This is a tool that scouts and college coaches have difficulty in evaluating, but when it occurs they all recognize this tool.
Jeter made a play years ago when when he "backed up" the 1b cut off.
"Observation" and "instinct".
Bob
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roothog66 posted:SomeBaseballDad posted:I'm all for wood if someone else is buying. More than a couple of games played this year that between the two teams $400-600 worth of broken bats.
At the Arizona Senior Fall Classic last weekend, a kid my son was pitching to broke three bats in four swings in the same ab. I just imagined his father cringing on the sidelines. Although, most likely, the first bat (and maybe the second) were his own and after that, he was borrowing bats from teammates. I was sort of surprised anyone on the bench would lend him that fourth bat.
Who was the pitcher that was sawing off the bats. Thats what I want to know!