http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6VlsxHEYM8&NR=1 This video is of the No. 1 draft pick of the upcoming baseball draft, but can anybody tell me why this team is using wooden bats? I watched several videos of this kid at Southern Neveda JUCO and noticed him using the wooden bat, but didn't think anything about it because I just figured he wanted to show the scouts his stats with a wooden bat.
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- Thread starter msu21
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Most aluminum bats run from $300-$400 for a single bat where wood can run from $30-100 a pop. Could very easily want to have 5-10 wooden bats compared a single aluminum bat that can very easily crack or break. I heard in an interview that he plays upwards of 130 games a calendar year. If 40 are for his JUCO team the other 90 would be for a summer/travel team that presumably use only wood. Might as well use a consistent size/weight bat the entire year especially when that is what he is going to be swinging for the rest of his career.
It's probably just a wooden bat league. I used to play in one. If that's his high school, I don't know what to tell you because that is a big competitive disadvantage. </p>
always want to see to how the ball comes off of wood, rather than aluminum. I remember Blake Dewitt (currently 2B for Dodgers) used to take BP after all of his high school games with a wood bat for scouts. He never used it in games, though... for obvious reasons.
The thing with Harper, is that he's so talented, wood/aluminum doesn't make much of a difference for him. He finished high school a year early and went to play JUCO ball to play some better competition. He's coming out of JUCO and going pro this year... and I would almost bet that he approached the JUCO coach prior to playing ball for them, that he'd come if he could swing wood for the year to prepare himself for the MLB. I know I wouldn't have turned him down.
Can't link it at work... but he's got an epic homerun in Tropicana Field in which he hit the roof above the seats in right field. Estimated at 500+ feet... he was 16 at the time (I think).
If you can find the article in the sports illustrated archives, I remember a story of when he was playing on a select team in a tournament in Alabama. He was one or two years under the age-level for that tournament (so he was 10 playing with 12 years olds... or 11 playing with 13 year olds... something like that). He returned home from the tournament and his mom (who didn't travel with him) asked how he did.... Bryce replied with "i did ok". Bryce's coach called home later that week and asked Bryce's mom if she'd heard how Bryce did. His mom simply stated that Bryce said it was fun and the he played ok. Turns out, he went 12 for 12 with 11 homeruns and a double... playing with kids two years older than him.
He's a phenomenal talent... but so was Josh Hamilton. I hope he pans out. If the Nats get him (Boras is his agent, I believe)... they'll have the two most highly sought after draft prospects ever. Strasbourg looks to be the real deal already.
The thing with Harper, is that he's so talented, wood/aluminum doesn't make much of a difference for him. He finished high school a year early and went to play JUCO ball to play some better competition. He's coming out of JUCO and going pro this year... and I would almost bet that he approached the JUCO coach prior to playing ball for them, that he'd come if he could swing wood for the year to prepare himself for the MLB. I know I wouldn't have turned him down.
Can't link it at work... but he's got an epic homerun in Tropicana Field in which he hit the roof above the seats in right field. Estimated at 500+ feet... he was 16 at the time (I think).
If you can find the article in the sports illustrated archives, I remember a story of when he was playing on a select team in a tournament in Alabama. He was one or two years under the age-level for that tournament (so he was 10 playing with 12 years olds... or 11 playing with 13 year olds... something like that). He returned home from the tournament and his mom (who didn't travel with him) asked how he did.... Bryce replied with "i did ok". Bryce's coach called home later that week and asked Bryce's mom if she'd heard how Bryce did. His mom simply stated that Bryce said it was fun and the he played ok. Turns out, he went 12 for 12 with 11 homeruns and a double... playing with kids two years older than him.
He's a phenomenal talent... but so was Josh Hamilton. I hope he pans out. If the Nats get him (Boras is his agent, I believe)... they'll have the two most highly sought after draft prospects ever. Strasbourg looks to be the real deal already.
that in Nevada they use wood in their JUCO baseball leagues. I believe I read that in an article about Bryce Harper, and I think that was one of his reasons for going tp JUCO. The biggest of course is money. MLB is about to make some changes to the draft, I believe- assuming that they are passed by the players association- that could limit how much money guys that are drafted make.
If Strasburg and Harper pan out, the Nats could be VERY strong in a few years.
If Strasburg and Harper pan out, the Nats could be VERY strong in a few years.
