| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
scrappers
23 Posts |
 Posted - 09/13/2012 : 09:13:18
|
I have seen many posts regarding using wood bats, best wood bats, etc. I am interested in finding out the following
1. What number of players on your kids team uses wood bat for bp/training
2. What do you look for when purchasing a wood bat, quality, price, looks, etc.
3. What type of wood bat does your kid use, ash, maple, bamboo, etc.
Thanks for the input. |
|
|
PeachFuzz
76 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 12:09:44
|
My son loves the Marucci AP5. He had two that he used all summer (1 for BP/1 for games), both were holding up great....then within an 8 day span, he broke both....given the number of wood bats he went through before I invested in the Marucci's..I still believe that they are worth it.
If you want a bat that seems indestructable...try the Demarini 110 (composite handle/wood barrel). Not a ton of pop, but the bat will last forever. He has had one for 2+ years...has hundreds of swings on it...he's just not a big fan because he hits the AP5 much better.
|
 |
|
|
klhmlh
42 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 13:10:31
|
| Something I have been thinking about. Why use wood bat at all? High School and College is BBCOR. Only time anyone would really use a wood bat is MLB. 99% will never see that level. |
|
|
|
in_the_know
985 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 13:28:14
|
1. Depends for which age group you're asking
12u-probably 2-3
13u-probably half or more
14 & older-most all
2. If it's going to be used for wood bat tourney, look for quality to value ratio. Something that has good pop and will hopefully not break too quickly, but if you get jammed, or catch one on the end, it's probably done.
3. Between my boys, they've used them all. The most important factor for all of them was grip, balance and feel, regardless of what the base ingredient was. We've had maple bats that have lasted 2 years and others 2 months. Had a couple of ash bats make a season and one or two only make it a couple of weeks. Never broken a bamboo bat. Never broken one of the wood composites. |
|
|
|
in_the_know
985 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 15:11:52
|
quote:
Originally posted by klhmlh
Something I have been thinking about. Why use wood bat at all? High School and College is BBCOR. Only time anyone would really use a wood bat is MLB. 99% will never see that level.
Using a wood bat, especially at younger ages, is a great training tool for several reasons. It tends to be heavier weighted than most kids are swinging as their gamer (if kids are using -5 to -10). Also, the sweet spot is smaller than most all bats, including BBCOR, so it reinforces good contact, rewarding for sweet spot hits and providing immediate feedback for a miss-hit ball.
Most BBCOR bats are upwards of $300 and up. There are cheaper ones, but a decent wood bat can be had for around $50 - $70. Many 12u or 13u players aren't going to be big enough to handle a 33/30 or 32/29, which is likely what they'll be using when they get to HS. So you can't necessarily buy a bat for kid at 12 and expect that it might be the same bat he uses in HS. Wood serves as a great and affordable answer to that and is an excellent training tool. |
|
|
|
bkball
173 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 15:28:17
|
quote:
Originally posted by klhmlh
Something I have been thinking about. Why use wood bat at all? High School and College is BBCOR. Only time anyone would really use a wood bat is MLB. 99% will never see that level.
Same reason they play baseball because it's fun and because the big leaguers use them. Most will play in a wood bat tournament at least 1 or 2 times a year. Wood makes you stronger, they are harder to swing than metal. Some times training that makes things harder is what you need to get better. Why hit off pitching machines most high schools don't. Why lift weights? Why do speed and agility, its all the same thing really. Why use a broom stick to hit small wiffle balls? Why play baseball at all? a lot will never play college some wont play high school baseball anyway. Why use -8 and -10 or bats that are not BBCOR? why play travel baseball? Why play sports.
because it's a change and it's fun. At least that's my take.
|
|
|
|
Card6
152 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 16:18:53
|
| We have 6 custom Bones bats made by Javy Lopez's company. We have out grown them before we broke them. We have ash,& maple. Go to his tourney every year just because he is a class act and we play like MLB for one day. We use them all fall/winter to protect our game bats. |
Edited by - Card6 on 09/13/2012 16:25:30 |
|
|
|
baserunner
115 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 16:39:42
|
| My boy has played in several wood bat tournaments over the years and he, or one of his teammates he loans it to, has broken more bats than I care to discuss. I've never spent more that $60 bucks for one so maybe I'm to blame too. Either way, I can't say he's had more fun playing with a wood bat vs. any other bat. He just likes to play baseball, period. Now that he's high school age with the new BBCOR bat regulations it seems like a waste of money to me. JMHO. |
|
|
|
klhmlh
42 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2012 : 19:13:53
|
quote:
Originally posted by baserunner
My boy has played in several wood bat tournaments over the years and he, or one of his teammates he loans it to, has broken more bats than I care to discuss. I've never spent more that $60 bucks for one so maybe I'm to blame too. Either way, I can't say he's had more fun playing with a wood bat vs. any other bat. He just likes to play baseball, period. Now that he's high school age with the new BBCOR bat regulations it seems like a waste of money to me. JMHO.
I agree. My son is now a JR in HS and he had rather hit with his BBCOR. He gets nothing out of training with a wood bat. Seems like every tournament he breaks one and over a year it can cost more for wood bats than BBCOR. I don't think there is a gain in using a wood bat. JMO |
|
|
|
gasbag
281 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2012 : 08:45:08
|
Just my opinion, but the smaller the sweet spot that you train with, the better it will make you as a hitter, especially when transitioning up to a larger sweet spot.....we train with three instruments...1 - what I call a "weenie stick", which is just a one sized piece of metal with a grip but if you can hit it flush with this, you can hit it flush with anything ! 2 - Wood bats - medium sweet spot but not perfectly balanced due to the nature of the materials.... 3 - BBCOR - Largest sweet spot of the three and usually the best designed balance.
Which does jumior prefer.....hands down wooden bat like the big boys. |
|
|
|
PeachFuzz
76 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2012 : 12:38:48
|
| I gotta agree with gasbag. Our Fall/Summer team almost exclusively swings wood (even though the majority of teams we play choose to swing metal). Last weekend, the coach told the boys that they could swing metal if they wanted. My son had been swinging wood since May (with some success..not a ton, but some). He went to the car, got his BBCOR and proceeded to park one over the left center fence. Ended the game 2-3...so needless to say, he prefers BBCOR. I do agree that swinging wood (with the tiny sweet spot) makes you a better hitter with BBCOR. |
|
|
|
Jack-of-Diamonds
152 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2012 : 12:53:14
|
There is something more pure about wood-bat tournaments. But then, we never imagined anything else when I was a kid.
Still, all the current players I know love 'em too. Maybe it's the challenge. Maybe it's the the prospect of turning plays on defense that might not be there with alloy. Maybe it's just the fun of feeling like Major Leaguers for that moment.
And, playing wood-bat tourneys is not just about the hitting. Pitchers benefit from the experience too B/C good location can be so much more effective. |
|
|
|
outlaweagle
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2012 : 16:12:55
|
Same reason many of us use TaylorMade drivers. 99% of us will never make it to the PGA.
quote:
Originally posted by klhmlh
Something I have been thinking about. Why use wood bat at all? High School and College is BBCOR. Only time anyone would really use a wood bat is MLB. 99% will never see that level.
|
Edited by - outlaweagle on 09/22/2012 17:14:04 |
|
|
|
bkball
173 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2012 : 09:45:40
|
quote:
Originally posted by klhmlh
[quote]Originally posted by baserunner
I agree. My son is now a JR in HS and he had rather hit with his BBCOR. He gets nothing out of training with a wood bat. Seems like every tournament he breaks one and over a year it can cost more for wood bats than BBCOR. I don't think there is a gain in using a wood bat. JMO
"He gets nothing out of training with a wood bat."
If you are breaking that many something is wrong. I believe he is getting something out of using them, feedback that he isn't hitting the ball on the sweat spot, but with BBCOR you can still get hits instead of broken or cracked bats. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Use of Wood bats
