Metal Head – Why Some Players Prefer the Metal Baseball Bat over Wood?

Until a baseball player reaches the big leagues they have the option of choosing between aluminum and a wood bat. Most – if not all – players will elect to use an alloy because this type of bat will allow one to generate more power and speed when hitting a baseball. Thus, when more power and speed are generated, effectively one becomes a better statistical hitter and ultimately a better baseball player.

Nonetheless, if one goes about choosing a baseball bat, then they usually approach it just as he or she would approach purchasing anything else. Many factors such as price, durability and legality come into factor. On average a good wooden bat consisting of roughly 5 – 10 gross-grains will cost someone around $60; however, if one wants to purchase a top-of-the-line aluminum bat the will be looking to spend in the neighborhood of around $200 dollars. Nonetheless, an aluminum bats lifespan will far outweigh that of a wooden bat given the fact that a wooden bat will often have to be replaced, as they are apt to splintering. Thus, given this analysis one is easily justified in spending a gaudy amount of money when purchasing an alloy bat.

Another reason that one would want an aluminum bat over a wooden bat is that the fact that an alloy-base bat will allow a hitter to generate up to 30% more bat speed. This difference in bat speed is due to the weight differentials between alloy and wood materials. A most appropriate analogy of this weight difference would be analyzing the construction process of an airplane. If one were to choose an alloy composite when constructing the plane, then the plane would be light enough to take off from the runway; however, if one were to use a wood material the plane could not even leave the ground.

By generating more bat speed due to a lesser bat weight, one may become a more efficient hitter by having more control of the strike zone. This weight differential is referred to as a length-to-barrel ratio. For example an aluminum bat with the length of 32 inches may weigh as little as 25 ounces (*a 7 ounce ratio differential is the legal maximum which may be used in a game setting). Comparatively a wooden bat with a 32-inch length usually weighs approximately 30 ounces, thus, a wooden bat will have a 2-ounce ration. Nothing less than a 2 ounce ratio is possible to construct because when a wood bat is as such its’ lesser wood density will cause it to splinter upon striking a ball. Thus, if one wants to become a more effective hitter by generating bat speed, they should select an alloy bat.

Although Major League hitters don’t have the option to use an alloy bat during games, if one is lucky enough he or she can see a big leaguer use one during a pre-game batting practice. When a big leaguer – or even a collegiate player – uses an aluminum bat, the ball rockets off the barrel zooming around the park at speeds in the neighborhood of 150 miles per hour; however, when they use a wooden bat the ball will only travel at speeds of approximately 100 mph. Also when using an alloy bat a ball’s flight path will exponentially increase, as it will reach distances of approximately 300 feet and longer. Thus, given these two effects, the answer is explicitly clear as to why one would prefer a metal bat. Moreover, it becomes explicitly clear as to why Major League Baseball bans the usage of aluminum bats.

Herein lies perhaps the only reason one would want to select a wooden bat over an alloy bat. Major League Baseball has effectively outlawed metal bats due to the fact that their use can become a lethal threat when used by a professional hitter; furthermore, due this fatal potential even the college ranks are contemplating outlawing metal bats. Over the past ten years, as metal bats have undergone such vast technological improvements, many near-fatal injuries have ensued as many collegiate pitchers have been drilled in the head by come back line-drives because they have less than a second to react.

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