It is a rather commonly known fact that maple is stronger than ash, and should last longer. But, it is known by very few that a brand new ash bat is stronger than a brand new maple bat. The more you use maple in batting practice, the stronger it will be. I suggest taking 30-40 swings with a maple bat off of a tee before you even use it for B.P. As far as ash goes, if you are planning on using it during a game, don't bother taking B.P. with it. Hit with it during a game when it's brand new. If you are using Ash bats for B.P., w/ no intentions of using it during a game, then a good tape job will do the trick. But, I suggest switching to maple.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions.
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