Broken Bats

by Doctor Wu on Aug 2, 2007 6:20 AM PDT

Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be a higher amount of broken bats this season? Not only that, but the broken parts of the bats seem to be launching into the field of play more than I remember. I could see if there was only one bat manufacturer that some sort of slight change in production would cause this, but there are several bat makers. Have they all changed something at once to cause all of this? I throw this out to our esteemed panel for discussion.

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Comments

They started just injecting

the bats with roids, hoping the MLB wont test them.

by Pwn on Aug 2, 2007 6:21 AM PDT reply actions

This is pure speculation

But if basbeall bats are anything like cricket bats, then softer 'springier' wood is better. Cricket bats are made of willow, and I believe basbeall bats are made from ash and some other variety mainly, but I imagine the same theory applies. So there's a trade off between durability and springiness, but seeing as Major Leaguers probably get their bats free they won't care about durability, much in the same way pro cricketers don't, so they probably get the springiest bats with more 'pop' in the sweet spot, but which are more likely to break. GMJ hit a HR when his bat broke on Tuesday, and I've definately seen this happen at least once more this year.

Or I could be spouting rubbish!

by Matt UK on Aug 2, 2007 7:52 AM PDT reply actions

More people are using maple instead of Ashe

Maple is harder but it's also somewhat more brittle.

by melvintoast on Aug 2, 2007 7:58 AM PDT reply actions

They need to start keeping stats on this

VORB:
Value Over Replacement Bat

by Rev Halofan on Aug 2, 2007 8:39 AM PDT reply actions

Toothpicks

Bats have been breaking like crazy for years (hence the high cost of playing with them), of course it may be a little more each year.

2 reasons, one the harder wood with less give, and two because the handles are so frickin' skinny.

If they made a rule that handles had to be 50% thicker than they are now then broken bats would go way down.

by elricsi on Aug 2, 2007 8:50 AM PDT reply actions

There was a news article on this

a year or two ago. Bats are shattering more often these days than in past years because:

A) as Melvintoast points out, they are using maple more often instead of ash. Maple is a little lighter and hitters believe that weight savings translates to significantly greater bat speed. But, yeah, maple is more brittle than ash.

C) there is a trend among modern hitters for thinner handles. Grip + weight savings. And, certainly, thinner material results in less torsion strength.

by Stirrups on Aug 2, 2007 9:08 AM PDT reply actions

Yes

Everything you said, plus this chart per Louisville Slugger:

Ash

It is the strongest wood available.
It is more flexible than most wood, which allows it to bend where other woods might break and gives it a larger sweet spot.
It is lighter than maple, which allows players to choose from a wider range of bat models and maintain the same bat weight.
When it breaks, it tends to crack and splinter.

Maple

It is denser and has a harder surface than ash, which might or might not help send the ball farther, depending on what players or physicists have to say.
It is a ''closed-grain'' wood, which makes it similar to a laminated product. The result is less flaking than ash and more durability but a smaller sweet spot.
It is heavier than ash, which forces many players to use smaller bats.
When it breaks, it tends to break in half.

by Bilko 420 on Aug 2, 2007 9:17 AM PDT up reply actions

Well that's patently false.

The strongest wood available would be something like Birch or Walnut, but they're heavier than Ash. Maple (and to a greater extent Birch and Walnut) is more resistant to crushing force than Ash is, which means it will retain elasticity under higher speed impacts than Ash will. Basically, Maple bats have a higher maximum effective bat speed.

And again, Birch or Walnut bats would have an even higher maximum effective bat speed, but because they're heavier woods it would be harder for them to reach that bat speed.

by Llewdor on Aug 2, 2007 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Or Oak. I can't believe I forgot about Oak.

Oak is roughly 50% heavier than Ash (and thus way too heavy to make bats out of), but it's also vastly stronger.

Hickory would be an excellent choice, as well, if you're looking for stronger wood.

And then if you want to get obscure, Black Locust wood has an excellent strength to weight ratio, and it isn't much heavier than ash. But it's quite expensive in America.

by Llewdor on Aug 2, 2007 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions

Best strength to weight ratio is balsa.

I made a bat out of oak in woodshop in junior high. It sucked.

Get yer Lady Sovereign ringtones, here!

by Higz on Aug 2, 2007 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions

Pine

My friend once made a bat out of pine in woodshop for the sole purpose of taking it to the batting cage and breaking it.

by LA Seitz on Aug 2, 2007 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Pine bat

He probably could have done a Bo Jackson over his leg with that thing too. I tried that with a regular bat and failed miserably.

I was reading somewhere that David Eckstein once tried to break a bat over his knee after striking out and couldn't do it but gave himself a nasty bruise in the process. I don't remember it, but it sounds hilarious.

Get yer Lady Sovereign ringtones, here!

by Higz on Aug 2, 2007 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions

I think we're talking about

the wood used in MLB? I can't imagine anyone other than Teddy Roosevelt swinging an oak or hickory log. Although, I thought some lower league guys are now using birch.

Again, I am not a bat expert. Basically, the information I provided came directly from Louisville Slugger.

FWIW, Koa or Red Cedar would make a lovely bat.

by Bilko 420 on Aug 2, 2007 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions

What happened to B)?

by Bilko 420 on Aug 2, 2007 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions

'B' has access permissions on it.

it only displays for those readers logged on with the special privileges. need to know only.

But I can give a hint for anybody unable to see 'B': think 'woodshop'.

by Stirrups on Aug 2, 2007 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Could you please resend my password?

Thanks.

Scott <info@borascorp.com>

by Bilko 420 on Aug 2, 2007 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions

You wouldn't need the password

if you were still amped up by POWER BALANCE!

by Stirrups on Aug 2, 2007 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Yep density

Physicists have proven that the more dense the bat, the further the ball will travel.

In other words, when Sammy Sosa says he corked his bat to "show off" in batting practice, apparently he meant he was showing that he could still hit home runs with an inferior bat or he is just retarded.

by Wytelitning on Aug 2, 2007 9:43 AM PDT reply actions

Not quite inferior

Corking a bat is supposed to make for a larger "sweet spot" so that way you don't have to make great contact.
And yes, he is just retarded.

(Grammer Police leave me alone on this one)

by Seik1177 on Aug 2, 2007 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions

lacquer

They are also using a lot more lacquer on bats

I'm giving Figgins a big F U. Seattle isn't winning 90. I am not worried.

by hauldog on Aug 2, 2007 2:19 PM PDT reply actions

Just listen to Hud during the game

he usually goes on at least 2 ramblings about the difference in wood, maple vs ash, why they seem to be breaking a lot, why hitting the ball on a certain part of the bat makes it more vulnerable

....ad nauseum

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. earl wilson

by ladybug on Aug 2, 2007 7:01 PM PDT reply actions