Bring on the wood bats. Skill vs skill. Yes, "pardon me" hits do occur with wood bats, but not at the rate produced by metal.
quote:I think the highschool game will be worse for the change.
Iluv... you made the above statement about the new bat standard making the HS game "worse".. I guess I ask you why? To me... there is nothing like a close one-run game that is determined by playing strategic baseball (hit-run, small ball, stealing bases, pitching duel). a game that is 16-10 is not as appealing as a close one run game...
I haven't picked up one of these new bats and taken any cuts yet, but here's one perspective...which I'm sure everyone has thought of, but just not mentioned.
I wonder how these bats will compare to the aluminum bats of the '80s/'90s? I played HS ball here locally in the early, mid'80s and at a small college from '86-'90. Everyone remember those Easton Black Magic bats?
We all got along just fine back then, didn't we?
As many have said... if you can hit, you can hit. The kids it will hurt are the ones who routinely hit 340-360' flyballs and have geared their swings accordingly. I think the rest of them (even the smaller kids who didn't hit HRs to begin with) will be fine.
I wonder how these bats will compare to the aluminum bats of the '80s/'90s? I played HS ball here locally in the early, mid'80s and at a small college from '86-'90. Everyone remember those Easton Black Magic bats?
We all got along just fine back then, didn't we?
As many have said... if you can hit, you can hit. The kids it will hurt are the ones who routinely hit 340-360' flyballs and have geared their swings accordingly. I think the rest of them (even the smaller kids who didn't hit HRs to begin with) will be fine.
Tx-Ump74
I am just a fan of some offense and think that many highschool hitters will really struggle with the change. Many kids will hit 100 points less in my opinion unless the bats improve between now and then.
Now if we can get the Umps to tighten up the strike zone a little that may help too!
I am just a fan of some offense and think that many highschool hitters will really struggle with the change. Many kids will hit 100 points less in my opinion unless the bats improve between now and then.
Now if we can get the Umps to tighten up the strike zone a little that may help too!
http://digital.olivesoftware.c...geno=1&view=document
This link will answer all questions on the new bat rules, which leagues are effected, BBCOR bats and college coaches reaction to the changes.
This link will answer all questions on the new bat rules, which leagues are effected, BBCOR bats and college coaches reaction to the changes.
IMHO, the restrictions on the bats will only make college baseball that much better.
It will bring back all facets of the game. For teams to be successful, they'll have to be very well rounded.
A summer wooden bat league down the Shenandoah Valley, the Rockingham County Baseball League that has been around since 1924 went back to “wooden bats” sometime around Y2K timeframe ?? that resulted in higher attendance and a higher quality of baseball being played.
This league is an OPEN league that features many college kids that connect to the Shenandoah Valley. The Clover Hill Bucks who play at Buck Bowman Park will draw 300-400 on a regular season weekend night and the championship series saw attendance figures 500-1000 in most recent years.
www.rcblonline.com
From everyone that I have spoken to, they have all said going back to “wooden bat” was the best thing that the RCBL has ever done.
I know that these bats are NOT wooden that the college guys are now using, but end result will be very similar if wooden bats were used.
No doubt in my mind that college baseball will more marketable than ever, it will be the closest thing to real baseball but using the new restrictive metal bats.
Yes, I played in the mid-80's and remember the Black Magics. My favorite bat was the silver GREEN lettered Eastons which was just before Black Magics came out. Those silver Green eastons were tuff, you could beat on a metal pole and not ding those things. I recently purchased one from my local sports shop who had some down in his basement. We probably had around a dozen HR's on my summer legion team.
It will bring back all facets of the game. For teams to be successful, they'll have to be very well rounded.
A summer wooden bat league down the Shenandoah Valley, the Rockingham County Baseball League that has been around since 1924 went back to “wooden bats” sometime around Y2K timeframe ?? that resulted in higher attendance and a higher quality of baseball being played.
This league is an OPEN league that features many college kids that connect to the Shenandoah Valley. The Clover Hill Bucks who play at Buck Bowman Park will draw 300-400 on a regular season weekend night and the championship series saw attendance figures 500-1000 in most recent years.
www.rcblonline.com
From everyone that I have spoken to, they have all said going back to “wooden bat” was the best thing that the RCBL has ever done.
I know that these bats are NOT wooden that the college guys are now using, but end result will be very similar if wooden bats were used.
No doubt in my mind that college baseball will more marketable than ever, it will be the closest thing to real baseball but using the new restrictive metal bats.
quote:Originally posted by Allen Wranglers:
I haven't picked up one of these new bats and taken any cuts yet, but here's one perspective...which I'm sure everyone has thought of, but just not mentioned.
I wonder how these bats will compare to the aluminum bats of the '80s/'90s? I played HS ball here locally in the early, mid'80s and at a small college from '86-'90. Everyone remember those Easton Black Magic bats?
Yes, I played in the mid-80's and remember the Black Magics. My favorite bat was the silver GREEN lettered Eastons which was just before Black Magics came out. Those silver Green eastons were tuff, you could beat on a metal pole and not ding those things. I recently purchased one from my local sports shop who had some down in his basement. We probably had around a dozen HR's on my summer legion team.
Coach Milburn,
That silver, green bat was my favorite, too. I bought one my senior yr in HS ('86) and used it the first 2 years of college. Then I bought a Black Magic. Still have those bats up in my attic (not sure why), and yes... they were very tough.
The technology in these new bats is amazing, and it has changed the game significantly over the years.
But as an educated guess, I cannot imagine the BBCOR bats being as bad as the ones we used just 20yrs ago, and there was plenty of hitting going on then.
I understand, here for the first year or two, there will be some disappointment from players (I would be!)...but it will just reinforce the importance of squaring up balls, and will bring back some of the finer points of the game.
That silver, green bat was my favorite, too. I bought one my senior yr in HS ('86) and used it the first 2 years of college. Then I bought a Black Magic. Still have those bats up in my attic (not sure why), and yes... they were very tough.
The technology in these new bats is amazing, and it has changed the game significantly over the years.
But as an educated guess, I cannot imagine the BBCOR bats being as bad as the ones we used just 20yrs ago, and there was plenty of hitting going on then.
I understand, here for the first year or two, there will be some disappointment from players (I would be!)...but it will just reinforce the importance of squaring up balls, and will bring back some of the finer points of the game.
quote:Usually we hit about 40-50 balls out of the park during a normal round of team batting practice with the old bats. With the new bats we hit 3-5 out!!! When the wind is blowing out we might approach 10!!! So we've recruited all these 6'4 kids to hit home runs and now they can't!
FD,
My son has been given an opportunity to play at a college that is directly related to this rule change. The college coach told me the exact same thing you described with big home run hitters hitting routine fly balls this fall. He is focused on improving team speed and defense. My son is 5’8” or 5’9”, has good speed and can run down fly balls. I am sure that because of his size he would not have received this offer without the bat changes. (I’m not saying this applies to every school or every kid below 5’10”, but does for this school and this kid)
Lion Pop, that is great to hear. When I told my team in Sherman about these changes, the eyes of my little guys lit up!
I think this will improve the game. More strategy in game...I'm all for that.
I think this will improve the game. More strategy in game...I'm all for that.
My son had an interesting point as they are using the new bats this fall. He plays infield and outfield and said that he noticed since the ball comes off a little slower that speed plays more of a roll on defense in grounders and tracking down fly balls.