| Banjo hitters are always on the look out for hot | | | | can be a complete dud should they travel to |
| bats to get them out of the cellar. What they do | | | | western Washington as the coastal air is heavy |
| not realize is that getting on base at a higher | | | | and generally cooler. This combination reduces ball |
| frequency outweighs the over the wall thrill of | | | | flight via friction and weight in the ball while in |
| crushing the baseball. At the amateur level the | | | | tandem reducing the sweet spot on the |
| playing field was leveled by having bats certified. | | | | composite and metal bats. Manufactures look for |
| The figures and ratios for these different levels | | | | ways to improve performance while attaining the |
| of certification were designed to protect | | | | BESR ratings. Backroom machinist have developed |
| defensive players. Once the batter puts the ball | | | | ways to "juice" or "roll" metal and composite bats |
| into play, the defender only has their glove, skill | | | | to gain several feet of ball travel. All in the name |
| and ability to keep them out of harms way. Yet | | | | of gaining a mechanical advantage over the |
| even with these protections there are fatal | | | | opposition. The scary part of shade tree bat |
| results. Most notably was a promising college | | | | modifiers is they may be creating something that |
| pitcher that for what ever the reason was not | | | | is so un-safe it verges on dangerous. Not being a |
| able to protect himself from the ball being struck. | | | | metallurgists and changing the way a baseball bat |
| Sadly, a line drive to the forehead resulted in a | | | | is shaped or designed to respond to high velocity |
| fatal injury. Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) is | | | | impacts can lead to serious injury. Everyone in the |
| required to be listed with all non-wood bats used | | | | vicinity of the impact is now at risk. Batter, |
| in the NCAA which is the limit of the liveliness. | | | | Catcher and Umpire are all relatively close to |
| Certification process is performed by the | | | | where a 9 ounce ball traveling upwards of 75 |
| University of Massachusetts at Lowell Baseball | | | | miles per hour collideswith a 28 ounce bat rotating |
| Research Center. UMLBRC is the official | | | | at 70 miles per hour. That is a whole lot of |
| certification center for non wood baseball bats | | | | energy being redirected in an instant. Worse yet |
| used in NCAA and NHFS leagues. Manufacturers | | | | would be the change in ownership of the bat. If |
| previously were allowed to certify their own bats | | | | an individual wants to modify their bat and place |
| but his was eliminated in 2006. BESR is a | | | | themselves at risk is one thing, but to sell it off at |
| mathematical prediction based the physics by | | | | a garage sale to an unsuspecting baseball player is |
| applying the law of conversion of angular | | | | ludicrous. No conscientious person would hand |
| momentum to the ball-bat interaction. Which is | | | | someone a live grenade minus the pin. Not |
| completely a mouthful but if you want all the nitty | | | | knowing when, how or to what extent a bat will |
| gritty equations, you can find them at the Baseball | | | | fail is not different. Player bat selection needs to |
| Research Center web site which is hosted by the | | | | be made on the basis of feel, comfort and |
| University of Massachusetts - Lowell. All the | | | | confidence. These three things must be present |
| technical information about how the BESR gets its | | | | at the approach to the plate, waiting at the plate, |
| name and what procedures are taken to certify | | | | through the entire swing until the bat is released |
| bats are in the White Paper there. Every year the | | | | from the hands as the player make progress to |
| marketing experts will tell you that theirs is the | | | | fist base. Lighter is generally better and the player |
| best bat for the buck. It is their job to convey to | | | | can develop greater rotational velocity. Changes in |
| the public why theirs is the best and why you | | | | mass do affect the response of the ball. Do not |
| should have no issues with spending upwards of | | | | sacrifice sure footedness and balance for weight. |
| $400 to improve your game. Marketing folks tend | | | | Players may have short term or inconsistent |
| to pass over the fact that all non-wood bats | | | | gains with heavier bats. Trading for higher batting |
| require proper break in and temperatures to | | | | averages will always outweigh the occasional |
| perform to the levels established in the lab. Add | | | | home run. So, what makes for a hot bat? Hot |
| to this that batting cages are great for swing | | | | bats are those that each player individually selects |
| development they do little if noting to facilitate bat | | | | which provides for the best possible batting |
| break in. Batters must simply hit real leather | | | | average at their skill level. Be it wood, metal or |
| covered baseballs to break in new baseball bats. | | | | composite, if the player can consistently make |
| Most baseball bat owners do not need to worry | | | | contact with the ball from various pitchers, you |
| about varying weather as it is the select few that | | | | indeed have a hot bat. |
| travel outside their dominate weather region. The | | | | Mr. Dowdy is an Official Distributor for NW Kelley |
| accepted rule of thumb is never use composites | | | | USA Baseball Visit Hirsch Group LLC for more |
| under 65 degrees. So, for those in the northern | | | | news/tips/articles on the subjects of baseball, |
| states, wood and metal a better as they can | | | | construction, building codes or check out the |
| handle the temperature ranges. Also, what may | | | | Hirsch Group Official Blog for what is going on |
| be a killer bat for a player that uses it in Arizona | | | | now. |