Wood Bats At American Legion State Tournament Stirs Debate
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Making A Comeback
Wood Bats At American Legion State Tournament Stirs Debate
By MATTHEW CONYERS
The Hartford Courant
July 23, 2009
BRISTOL — West Hartford coach Rick Sanford can't remember the last time he saw someone hit a home run in an American Legion game.
"I know we haven't had a home run or given up one this year or last year," Sanford said. "It might be three years."
Sanford isn't alone.
Jay Hickey, who coaches the combined Rocky Hill-Cromwell-Portland team known as RCP, recalls just one home run in the last year. Of course, it was an aluminum bat that did the damage in a state tournament game.
That won't happen this year. Although some teams have been using wood bats for several years, wood bats are being used in the state tournament for the first time since the 1970s. Once the decision to go to wood was made, seven of the eight zones in the state went to wood in the regular season. Zone 8 did not. Zone 4 was the first to go to wood, followed by Zones 3 and 7.
Connecticut is the only state that uses wood bats in its state tournament. Teams in the regionals and World Series will use aluminum bats. The decision to go to wood was made for various reasons.
"Safety is one; the so-called shorter game, cleaner game, purest form of baseball is another," said Paul LaFleur, Bristol general manager and member of the state board that made the decision. "We did allow each zone to make a choice, but we did mandate wood bats in state tournament."
The difference in wood and metal hasn't been difficult to notice.
"Pitch counts are way down," Hickey said.
"You usually always play for one [run] and try and break down the inning, Sanford said. Errors have become more magnified and even one can prove to be very costly. It's a different game now. It's like a National League game."
LaFleur says the team's overall batting average has dropped from about .300 at this point last season to .240. Berlin coach Rob Manzo said that his pitchers' overall ERA is down from 1.80 last season to 1.10.
"With a wood bat, it teaches players the art of hitting," Sanford said. "You have to have quicker hands and better reaction time. With an aluminum bat, you can be lazy. But with a wood bat, you can't have a last-minute flick of the wrist."
Simsbury coach Tom Vincent can attest to the lack of power. Although Simsbury finished second in Zone 1 to Bristol, Simsbury has hit 10 fewer home runs this regular season. Team batting average is down, too. Last season, Simsbury batted .319 but is .293 this season.
"I think wood is more like real baseball," RCP first baseman John Realejo said. "Pitchers are getting rewarded. But if you put a good swing on the ball and hit it well, you'll get hits."
Those in Zone 8 are quick to point out every game isn't a blowout with aluminum bats, either.
"I don't think the numbers show it," Windsor Locks coach Rusty Mattesen said. "We've had five losses by one run."
The Zone 8 coaches have voted against using wood bats since 2005.
"It's definitely not a safety thing because high school and college all use metal," Mattesen said. "You can't say they're negligent if they're using it. Why wouldn't it be the same?"
A problem with wood bats is that they splinter and break, driving up costs.
RCP, West Hartford, Plainville and Bristol buy bats from a small company that is owned and operated by Bristol Central High School coach Bunty Ray. Five years ago, Ray's brother Jay started making bats out of Monson, Mass., and Ray got hooked. He has since taken over the business from his brother and with two other partners, sells the "Rally Bat" out of his basement.
What began as a hobby has become a business that supplies bats to high school, college and minor league players.
"I didn't want players to have a bad experience with wood," Ray said. "I think using a wood bat is a reality check. You can't make mistakes. You have to stay inside the ball and you can't swing at bad pitches."
Ray has 250 bats in stock in his basement that range in price from $50 to $80. An aluminum bat that can last a player's career sells from $150 to $350. On most teams, it is the player's responsibility to provide his own bat.
This fall, the state committee will decide whether to go to wood completely during the 2010 regular season.
"The main argument [against] is we're the only state in the union that uses them," Mattesen said. "Why do the other 49 states use aluminum? You go right back to aluminum in college."
Said state chairman Craig Zimmerman: "We view this as a beginning, not an end. Someone has to be the first one. One important question we do have, though, is, 'Will enough of the kids stick with it until they master the act of hitting?' That's certainly a concern."
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
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