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Bats and a multitude of changes for 2012. By: Me. A quick history of bats. Wood Early players used to make their own 1884 saw Louisville Slugger make a wood bat Metal First patent for a metal bat was 1924 First metal bat was made by Worth in 1970. A quick history of bats. Titanium
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A quick history of bats • Wood • Early players used to make their own • 1884 saw Louisville Slugger make a wood bat • Metal • First patent for a metal bat was 1924 • First metal bat was made by Worth in 1970
A quick history of bats • Titanium • 1993: Easton and Worth introduce them • This increased the sweet spot • Z core bats • Composite • Made of carbon fiber composite materials • Further increased the sweet spot
The “Sweet Spot” • Its all about energy and bat vibration: • The further away from the sweet spot you hit the ball, the more vibration (sting) you have and less power • If you hit the ball perfectly on the sweet spot, you will feel ZERO vibration • This is true for ALL BATS • All of the energy is directed from the bat to the ball
The “Sweet Spot” • Wood Bat • About 3” • Metal / Composite Bats • 6” or more • BBCOR • Apparently is around 4” • Some claim it is 3”
Super Bat “Trampoline Effect” • This only exists on a metal or composite bat • High end bats are made of double walled construction • The outer wall of the bat compresses as the ball hits it, and then trampoline’s the ball back • 5 to 7 mph is gained in ball exit speed • For every 1 mph of exit speed off the bat, the ball travels about 4 or 5 feet
What was the old bat regulations? • Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) • June 2001 • National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) • All bats must have a BESR stamp on them to be legal for use in high school starting in 2003
BESR • The maximum BESR limit was .728 • They used a 70 mph pitch, hit it with a wood bat, 6” from the end of the bat, and came up with the number • Huh? • Ratio of the speed at which the ball exits the collision point with the bat, divided by the combined speed of the bat and ball before collision = BESR • Bats also have to be -3 (i.e. 33” 30 oz.)
So why change from BESR to BBCOR? • NCAA: • Average home runs per game were close to one per game
The fix: BBCOR • Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR): • How its determined: If the ball and bat are moving towards each other at a relative speed of 160 mph (80 mph pitch / 80 mph bat speed), it has to come off the bat after collision at 80 mph MAXIMUM (0.5) • This is the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution All bats for 2012 have to have this stamp
BBCOR • Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) • All non-wood bats have to meet BBCOR standard • They used to only have to meet the BESR standard • Reasoning: • “Minimize risk, improve play and increase teaching opportunities” • Basically, the “Gorilla Ball” era is OVER
BBCOR v. BESR • Example of BESR v. BBCOR bats: • Jump up and down on a concrete floor (BBCOR) • Jump up and down on a trampoline (BESR) • Difference in height of the jumps is basically the difference in the design of the bats • “Trampoline Effect”
Independent Tee Test • Batted ball speed off of a tee: • Wood = 75 mph average • BBCOR = 84 mph average • BESR = 92 mph average • 1 mph = 4 – 5 feet, or so, of distance
Why are Composite bats banned? • Here is the problem: • Even though they are designed to work like wood and metal bats, they do not • Accelerated Break In (ABI) for these bats actually makes them “hotter” than anything on the market • IF a composite bat can pass the BBCOR test, it could (key word) be subjected to debate for legal for use
Have the BBCOR bats changed the game? • NCAA Division I Baseball 2010 and 2011: • Home runs per game = .94 to .47 (exactly ½) • Batting Average = .301 to .279 • ERA = 5.83 to 4.62
Offensive Explosion 2011 • Team Statistics • Average: .314 • Hits: 212 • 2B: 41 • 3B: 5 • HR: 24 (3rd Place for single season) • 5 of 9 starters hit over .300