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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Youth Baseball Bat (2-1/4in) Specs and Stamps
The 2010/2011 baseball season was a tumultuous one for youth baseball players and teams with respect to bat specifications and the baseball bat world seems to still be in a tizzy with few players and consumers (parents of players) knowing what is legal for the upcoming season. This confusion has definitely affected the bat market as consumers are not confident in the current rulings and are afraid of additional changes. If our phone lines are any indication, there is a constant stream of questions concerning all non-wood bats and their specifications.
We will attempt to clear up some of this confusion by offering the most up to date information as we know it.
2012 Youth Bats (2-1/4in Barrel)
It looks as though this was the least affected group of bats and we are seeing no indication of further reductions in bat performance standards. There are some standard factors to consider when making a choice between metal and composite models. Metal barrel bats, out of the box (new), are at their peak of performance and that performance will only degrade over the life of the bat. Fortunately, most players' bats never realize this life span as most age up and out prior to the metal barrel of the bat breaking down. Composite barrel bats, out of the box (new), are the exact opposite in that they have a break-in period of about 200 batted balls with performance peaking at 500 batted balls and degrading after about 1000 according to a study by the Physics dept at Kettering University.
Performance Standard - All youth bats conform to the same 1.15 BPF (Bat Performance Factor). This is simply the increase in the liveliness of a ball hitting a bat compared to throwing a ball against a solid wall (i.e., 15% faster rebound = a BPF of 1.15).
Stamps/Proof of Certification - Each national baseball association requires an identifying stamp for easy and quick recognition of approved bats in league and tournament play. All 1.15BPF youth bats carry stamps/logos or wording for AABC, Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, Little League, PONY Baseball and USSSA.
Click to view 2-1/4in Youth bats by manufacturer:
We will attempt to clear up some of this confusion by offering the most up to date information as we know it.
2012 Youth Bats (2-1/4in Barrel)
It looks as though this was the least affected group of bats and we are seeing no indication of further reductions in bat performance standards. There are some standard factors to consider when making a choice between metal and composite models. Metal barrel bats, out of the box (new), are at their peak of performance and that performance will only degrade over the life of the bat. Fortunately, most players' bats never realize this life span as most age up and out prior to the metal barrel of the bat breaking down. Composite barrel bats, out of the box (new), are the exact opposite in that they have a break-in period of about 200 batted balls with performance peaking at 500 batted balls and degrading after about 1000 according to a study by the Physics dept at Kettering University.
Performance Standard - All youth bats conform to the same 1.15 BPF (Bat Performance Factor). This is simply the increase in the liveliness of a ball hitting a bat compared to throwing a ball against a solid wall (i.e., 15% faster rebound = a BPF of 1.15).
Stamps/Proof of Certification - Each national baseball association requires an identifying stamp for easy and quick recognition of approved bats in league and tournament play. All 1.15BPF youth bats carry stamps/logos or wording for AABC, Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, Little League, PONY Baseball and USSSA.
Click to view 2-1/4in Youth bats by manufacturer:
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
SOFTBALL LEGEND SUE ENQUIST JOINS LOUISVILLE SLUGGER® TPS® FAMILY
LOUISVILLE,
KY (November 28, 2011) – Louisville Slugger® TPS® is making some serious noise in fastpitch
softball. It started with the “mean sounding” XENO bat, as players
affectionately describe the loud and unique noise when a XENO crushes the
ball. Now it’s with the major announcement that the sport’s winningest
coach has joined the Louisville Slugger family.
Sue Enquist, 11-time National Champion at
UCLA and member of multiple Halls of Fame, is joining Louisville Slugger TPSFastpitch Softball as a consultant.
Enquist, who is also a motivational speaker and clinician, will
collaborate with the Louisville Slugger TPS research and development staff on
innovation, design and testing of bats, gloves, batting gloves, protective equipment and accessories.
“Sue Enquist is one of the most
highly respected people in the game of softball,” said Louisville Slugger
president Bill Clark. “We’ve admired
Sue and had a desire to work with her for a long time. We’re thrilled to have access to the
knowledge and experience Sue brings to our Louisville Slugger TPS family.”
Enquist is equally excited to be part of the
historic family-owned brand.
“Louisville Slugger is an American icon and
has always been a great supporter of women and girls who play softball,”
Enquist said, “I am honored to have a role in this great, historic, innovative
and forward-thinking company.”
Caroline Howe, a former Division I player who
heads up the Louisville Slugger TPS fastpitch program, says it’s been easy to
see why Enquist was a successful coach.
“Sue is an amazing motivator. She’s passionate about our game and pushes
for excellence in everything she does,” Howe said. “Our TPS staff and I are
eager to continue our new collaboration with Sue as we grow Louisville Slugger
TPS fastpitch.”
Among Enquist’s many lifetime achievements,
she is the first person in NCAA history to win a national championship as a
player and a coach. She was UCLA’s first
All-American as a player where she had a .401 career batting average.
In her storied 27 years as a coach at UCLA,
Enquist had a career record of 887-175-1, for a remarkable .835 winning
percentage. She coached 65 All-Americans
and 12 Olympians. Enquist is a World
Champion and a USA National Team coach and player. As
a USA National Team coach, she helped prepare the Olympic Team for the
inaugural 1996 gold medal run in the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
She is a member of the UCLA Hall of Fame, Women’sSports Foundation International Hall of Fame and National Fastpitch CoachesAssociation Hall of Fame. She has been
named National Coach of the Year and Pac-10 Coach of the Year.
Enquist is also an author, maker of more than
25 leading instructional videos, and former professional surfer. She lives in California where she continues
to surf daily.
SUE
ENQUIST BIOGRAPHY
- UCLA’S first All-American player, career .401 batting average
- UCLA softball coach, 27 years (retired)
- 11-time National Champion player & coach at UCLA
- First person in NCAA history to win a National Championship as a player and a coach
- 887-175-1 record (.835 winning percentage), NCAA Division I career record
- Was winningest coach among active softball coaches during her career
- Coached 65 All-Americans and 12 Olympians
- USA National Team: USA World Champion & Pan-American Champion
- Member USA National Team Staff for’96 Gold Medal Olympic Team
- 17 of 21 years in the NCAA Championship Finals
- UCLA Hall of Fame
- Women’s Sports Foundation International Hall of Fame
- National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame
- 1,314 combined wins as a player and a coach
- Professional surfer
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Rules Change Requires New Bats for All High School Players in 2012!
The change in bats comes after the National Federation of
High Schools adopted the NCAA’s standard for bat legality, the Ball-Bat
Coefficient of Restitution, or BBCOR, starting in January 2012. The NFHS says the new standard ensures that
performances by non-wood bats (aluminum, composite and hybrid) are more
comparable to those of wood bats.
THE IMPACT OF BBCOR BATS ON COLLEGE BASEBALL AND WHAT’S EXPECTED FOR
H.S. BALL
Those who play, coach and follow high school baseball agree
that the BBCOR standard will change the way the high school game is
played. All the proof they need is to
look at how the new BBCOR bat regulations affected college baseball in 2011. The
NCAA reports that Division I batting average, scoring and home runs per game in
2011 resemble the wood-bat 1970s more than they do recent years. Division I
teams averaged 5.58 runs per game in 2011, well below the record 7.12 in 1998
and under 6 for the first time since 1977 (5.83), which was just the fourth
season of the aluminum bat in college baseball. There were fewer home runs in
college baseball in 2011 as well, with .52 per team per game compared with .94
last year and 1.06 in 1998 (the peak year for that category). Those numbers
resemble the wood-bat days (.42 in the last year of wood in 1973 and .49, .50
and .55 in the first three years of metal).
Batting average in 2011 was .282, the lowest since 1976. While hitting declined, pitching improved as
earned-run average was its best (4.70) since 1980 (4.59).
“Waiting for a three-run homer to win
the game in the eighth or ninth inning is mostly a thing of the past with the
new BBCOR bats,” said James Sass, who is the Louisville Slugger® TPX® Director of Product Development. “Now, the little things
matter most. The emphasis in high school baseball will be on line drives and
ground balls instead of long-ball offense. Hitters will need an edge, and the
right BBCOR bat is a big part of that edge.”
As holiday shoppers head to the stores or search online for
gifts in the coming weeks, here are some tips from Louisville Slugger, maker ofthe best bats in BBCOR, to help moms, dads and high school baseball players
pick the right bat:
Weight:
Generally, bigger, stronger players prefer heavier bats. Smaller players
benefit from lighter bats that allow faster bat speed. Some players prefer a bat that is balanced,
while others like one with more weight in the barrel.
Length: Longer
bats give greater reach, so players can hit balls on the opposite side of the
plate. But with longer bats may come heavier weight, and bat speed could be
impacted.
Barrel Diameter:
High school and college players are restricted to a maximum barrel diameter of
2-5/8.”
Bat Material:
·
Aluminum alloys of different types are used in
today’s bats, each with different characteristics. The
alloy is often a factor in the price difference among bats. (Louisville Slugger Omaha, Louisville Slugger Warrior, Louisville Slugger Armor)
·
Composite bats combine graphite, fiberglass and
resin. Composite bats have a unique sound that some players prefer. (Louisville Slugger Z-1000)
·
Hybrid bats combine aluminum alloy with
composite materials so that batters have the best of both worlds: an aluminum
barrel with a stiff composite handle. (Louisville Slugger ExoGrid 2)
Feel: This may be
the most important factor! The bat should feel comfortable to the hitter. And no two hitters are exactly alike. Every player has his own personal preferences
when it comes to “feel.”
Sweet Spot: Aluminum and composite materials can be
engineered to create large sweet spots on bats.
Most players want a sweet spot that is as large as it can be.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Batters Choice joins the World of Sports Blogs
Today is the day that we enter into the blogosphere! We are always contacted via the phone or email with questions about all sorts of baseball, fastpitch and slowpitch softball rules, products, training techniques and the likes of all those types of things. In that vein, we will begin to offer a bit of advice and tidbits of information about your favorite pastimes of baseball, fastpitch and slowpitch softball. The timing of the posts may be fairly erratic in the beginning, but we will target to post about once a week.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask or if you have any suggestions for articles on a particular subject, just let us know. We will do our best to give you the most complete and unbiased answer that we can. We offer most major brands of products such as DeMarini, Easton, Louisville Slugger, Mizuno, Phiten, Shock Doctor, Wilson, Worth and Xprotex. In forming these mutually beneficial relationships with our vendors and their products, we get to pick their brains on new products and the technology involved as well as make suggestions for products in the future. So, if you have anything at all that you want to discuss concerning baseball, fastpitch and slowpitch softball, let us hear from you!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask or if you have any suggestions for articles on a particular subject, just let us know. We will do our best to give you the most complete and unbiased answer that we can. We offer most major brands of products such as DeMarini, Easton, Louisville Slugger, Mizuno, Phiten, Shock Doctor, Wilson, Worth and Xprotex. In forming these mutually beneficial relationships with our vendors and their products, we get to pick their brains on new products and the technology involved as well as make suggestions for products in the future. So, if you have anything at all that you want to discuss concerning baseball, fastpitch and slowpitch softball, let us hear from you!
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