I heard somewhere that if you train with a wooden bat and then use a metal bat in games that you will hit better because the sweet spot on a wood bat is smaller. Is there any truth to this?
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1stbase,
IMO - if you have a bad swing - it wont make much of a difference with either. You will most likely fare better with aluminum - but it doesnt matter much.
The big difference is the margin of error.
Like the monster heads on Drivers in Golf.
You can take a guy with a decent swing - and an aluminum bat - and get a .325 average.
Put wood in his hand - and he hits .125.
You need to work on the swing - not the choice of hitting instrument. IMO.
IMO - if you have a bad swing - it wont make much of a difference with either. You will most likely fare better with aluminum - but it doesnt matter much.
The big difference is the margin of error.
Like the monster heads on Drivers in Golf.
You can take a guy with a decent swing - and an aluminum bat - and get a .325 average.
Put wood in his hand - and he hits .125.
You need to work on the swing - not the choice of hitting instrument. IMO.
i have a solid swing, i heard that if you have a good swing and practice with wooden bats and then use metal you will add distance to your hits, probaly should have included the part about the distance in the original post
wood bats are great to train with because they reinforce good mechanics. You have to do most everything right to hit a ball hard with a wood bat. I personally have had great success training with them.
Respectfully disagree with itsinthegame.
Use wood in practice. You will benefit when turning back to metal.
The .325/.125 comparison may be a bit overstated but to me it makes the point...wood will improve your performance.
Use wood in practice. You will benefit when turning back to metal.
The .325/.125 comparison may be a bit overstated but to me it makes the point...wood will improve your performance.
My oppinion from experience, is that wood helps only because of the smaller sweet spot.
I use 33/30 in games, and whenever I'm in the cages or just taking swings, i use a 34 length wooden bat. It's longer and heavier, so the result is a short quick swing with aluminum.
I also agree that if you have a bad swing, then nothing will help but fixing mechanics. And whenever that's the case, I myself would just use my game bat.
I use 33/30 in games, and whenever I'm in the cages or just taking swings, i use a 34 length wooden bat. It's longer and heavier, so the result is a short quick swing with aluminum.
I also agree that if you have a bad swing, then nothing will help but fixing mechanics. And whenever that's the case, I myself would just use my game bat.
My son hits with a wood bat in BP. No scientific evidence to support the idea, but seems logical to me that hitting with a smaller sweet spot makes sense when taking rips in BP.
Plus, a big side benefit is the sound. There is something, I don't know, there is just something right about the sound of a wood bat hitting a ball. Metal just aint the same.
Plus, a big side benefit is the sound. There is something, I don't know, there is just something right about the sound of a wood bat hitting a ball. Metal just aint the same.
IMHO,
Hitting with wood especially for tee work and in the cage can help you tremendously. BUT, if you are not strong enough OR if you do not have proper hitting mechanics and you are going back to tin, it will do you more harm than good.
What usually happens if you are not strong enough or have bad mechanics, is a player will start to drag the bat to get it through the hitting zone. If you have a weak top-hand you will flaten-out with the bat to early in your swing.
Hitting with wood is great but just be aware that if you re-enforce bad habits with wood in the cage, they end up following you out between the white lines.
O42
Hitting with wood especially for tee work and in the cage can help you tremendously. BUT, if you are not strong enough OR if you do not have proper hitting mechanics and you are going back to tin, it will do you more harm than good.
What usually happens if you are not strong enough or have bad mechanics, is a player will start to drag the bat to get it through the hitting zone. If you have a weak top-hand you will flaten-out with the bat to early in your swing.
Hitting with wood is great but just be aware that if you re-enforce bad habits with wood in the cage, they end up following you out between the white lines.
O42
We train with wood. We use composite bats and routinely go through 3 or 4 composites each year. We like it for several reasons but one not mentioned here is that some scouts and colleges often have asked us in the past if our players ever use wood. Our players are used to doing so. We hit with aluminum before the game and their last hitting series the day before a game.
Son's college will not allow them to use metal until the first game of the NCAA season. I'll let you know how it works out.
I havn't read through all 91 posts yet...but am eager to put my opinion out there bc I am a rookie to the site.
One thing that seems not to have been stated is:
The Single Best Benefit to Wood Bat Training is the "Instant Feedback"
A wood bat is a coach in itself, you know immediately, by the jarring, vibration, sound, etc.. of the bat, whether or not you have made good or bad contact.
There will be almost no feel with a solid hit. Conversely, pulling off the ball, hitting too far out front, not making contact in your power zone, will all "not feel good" on the hands.
My 15u Travel Team trains year-round with wood bats...they simply have good instant feedback, and the heavier weight builds "used" muscles that lifting weights cannot. Much better than a 15 yr old in the weight room with Varsity Seniors. Thoughts?
One thing that seems not to have been stated is:
The Single Best Benefit to Wood Bat Training is the "Instant Feedback"
A wood bat is a coach in itself, you know immediately, by the jarring, vibration, sound, etc.. of the bat, whether or not you have made good or bad contact.
There will be almost no feel with a solid hit. Conversely, pulling off the ball, hitting too far out front, not making contact in your power zone, will all "not feel good" on the hands.
My 15u Travel Team trains year-round with wood bats...they simply have good instant feedback, and the heavier weight builds "used" muscles that lifting weights cannot. Much better than a 15 yr old in the weight room with Varsity Seniors. Thoughts?
oops....obviously I misunderstood the "91" posts listed under CanesFan5.
Told you I was a rookie LOL
Told you I was a rookie LOL
www.PlayBaseballLikeaPro.com
Baum bat is by far the best composite out there. I have used Baum for 5 years and have tried the Demarini but Baum Bats pop and durability out does the Demarini. I used my first Baum Bat for 2 years and it never lost pop or broke. I ended up selling it in order to get a new bigger one. They are perfectly weighted and not barrel heavy and DO NOT BREAK!!! They can be used up to AAA and even though they are more expensive then your average wood bat they are worth it since they do not break, have amazing pop, and can be used in batting practice and games.
Baum bat is by far the best composite out there. I have used Baum for 5 years and have tried the Demarini but Baum Bats pop and durability out does the Demarini. I used my first Baum Bat for 2 years and it never lost pop or broke. I ended up selling it in order to get a new bigger one. They are perfectly weighted and not barrel heavy and DO NOT BREAK!!! They can be used up to AAA and even though they are more expensive then your average wood bat they are worth it since they do not break, have amazing pop, and can be used in batting practice and games.
My son has been training with a wood bat for 2-3 yrs now (first 5-10 swings with wood every BP). I can tell you his exp with the wood has been outstanding. Although the one thing I will say, is that there is a danger in the wood becoming too heavy in BP. After about 20-30 swings in a row with the wood kids can get tired.
quote:Originally posted by DiamondDawg22:
oops....obviously I misunderstood the "91" posts listed under CanesFan5.
Told you I was a rookie LOL
Good thing you didn't read all 3501 of CoachB25's posts! You'd never get to the end!!!