Will college baseball ever be forced to use the wooden bat?
- Thread starter GimpyDawg
- Start date
<font size="2">Rumors and comments abound that the college coaches will not approve any change to wood bats because many would lose lucrative endorsement deals for both themselves and their teams.</font></p>
<font size="2">I would hope that is not the real reason. However I am not naive enough to believe it could not be a possibility.</font></p>
<font size="2">Only the upper level programs and coaches are getting "bat deals." Most lower tier college baseball programs have bat purchase incentives available to them. These deals work like this: If a program buys X number of bats (usually 4 or 5) then they get one bat free. Many college baseball programs do not buy any bats at all. The players are expected to furnish their own.</font></p>
<font size="2">I have had several college baseball coaches tell me that it does not matter to them which bats are used</font></p>
<font size="2">One coach's comment was, "If everyone uses sawed-off broom sticks, so will we!"</font></p>
<font size="2">With the top (most expensive) metal bats now priced at almost $300 dollars a college player could buy 7 or 8 wood bats a season for the same money. Then factor in that most of the top line metal bats will not make it through a complete spring season, (dent, crack or lose their "pop") the cost in metal bats may reach $600 - $800 per player buying bats. How many wood bats would that be? I think you get my point.</font></p>
<font size="2">A quality "professional grade" white ash bat will typically cost $45.00 the latest trend is maple bats, made popular by Barry Bonds. Top line maple bats run about $60.00.</font></p>
<font size="2">What about Major League Baseball? Would they be interested in helping defray the costs of changing to wood bats, at least for the first couple of years?</font></p>
<font size="2">Imagine how much less of a gamble their scouting would become. How much easier it would be to project how a hitter will do at the professional level. How a pitcher will fare when facing wood bats versus today's "rocket launcher" metal bats. Seems like the money saved in player's drafted and never panning out, due to not being able to hit with wood could fund this program.</font></p>
<font size="2">Baseball is a game of traditions. Loud cries erupt from people at the slightest proposed change to the time proven rules of the game. How did the college and high school games get to this point?</font></p>
<font size="2">I have never met a baseball fan that does not love the sound of a ball being sharply hit with a wood bat. Why then are we willing to accept the "ping" of a metal bat at Rosenblatt Stadium each June?</font></p><font size="2">It is time for the college coaches to look into their baseball hearts and make the change back to wooden bats. The high school game will follow that lead. Leave the metal bats to the game of softball, where they originated.</font>
<font size="2">I would hope that is not the real reason. However I am not naive enough to believe it could not be a possibility.</font></p>
<font size="2">Only the upper level programs and coaches are getting "bat deals." Most lower tier college baseball programs have bat purchase incentives available to them. These deals work like this: If a program buys X number of bats (usually 4 or 5) then they get one bat free. Many college baseball programs do not buy any bats at all. The players are expected to furnish their own.</font></p>
<font size="2">I have had several college baseball coaches tell me that it does not matter to them which bats are used</font></p>
<font size="2">One coach's comment was, "If everyone uses sawed-off broom sticks, so will we!"</font></p>
<font size="2">With the top (most expensive) metal bats now priced at almost $300 dollars a college player could buy 7 or 8 wood bats a season for the same money. Then factor in that most of the top line metal bats will not make it through a complete spring season, (dent, crack or lose their "pop") the cost in metal bats may reach $600 - $800 per player buying bats. How many wood bats would that be? I think you get my point.</font></p>
<font size="2">A quality "professional grade" white ash bat will typically cost $45.00 the latest trend is maple bats, made popular by Barry Bonds. Top line maple bats run about $60.00.</font></p>
<font size="2">What about Major League Baseball? Would they be interested in helping defray the costs of changing to wood bats, at least for the first couple of years?</font></p>
<font size="2">Imagine how much less of a gamble their scouting would become. How much easier it would be to project how a hitter will do at the professional level. How a pitcher will fare when facing wood bats versus today's "rocket launcher" metal bats. Seems like the money saved in player's drafted and never panning out, due to not being able to hit with wood could fund this program.</font></p>
<font size="2">Baseball is a game of traditions. Loud cries erupt from people at the slightest proposed change to the time proven rules of the game. How did the college and high school games get to this point?</font></p>
<font size="2">I have never met a baseball fan that does not love the sound of a ball being sharply hit with a wood bat. Why then are we willing to accept the "ping" of a metal bat at Rosenblatt Stadium each June?</font></p><font size="2">It is time for the college coaches to look into their baseball hearts and make the change back to wooden bats. The high school game will follow that lead. Leave the metal bats to the game of softball, where they originated.</font>
I know it's the 'crack of the bat', blah blah blah, but when I hear the ping, I know it's college baseball. It's one of the things I identify college baseball with - the 'ping' of the bat. These are the bats kids grow up swinging so why change that when you get to college? They've dulled them down over the last few years so the ball doesn't really jump off it like it used to. I just say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I guess it just reminds me of being a kid and going to State games. Takes me back to my youth. To each his own I guess.
Indeed incentive deals are made, in fact, look right next to the Palmeiro center..where the new infield practice is
and say Thank You Easton. That was part of the newest bat deal, that they pay for that to be built.
every five years or so to discuss this very topic. I worked with a former State player that used to be on the panel. He told me that every 5 years the panel is asked to give a recommendation to the NCAA and for the last 15 years, their recommendation is that they should switch to wooden bats. In their recommendation they state that they believe that the aluminum bats are dangerous and will lead to significant injury.
Every time, The NCAA will review their recommendation and disregard it. The guy I work with on the panel says that there is way to much money tied to the aluminum bat companies and that homeruns make for better baseball. You really cannot argue the homerun deal, the homerun chase with McQuire and Sosa basically save professional baseball.
Every time, The NCAA will review their recommendation and disregard it. The guy I work with on the panel says that there is way to much money tied to the aluminum bat companies and that homeruns make for better baseball. You really cannot argue the homerun deal, the homerun chase with McQuire and Sosa basically save professional baseball.
that I've ever heard say that in 25+ years of being a baseball fan. Seriously. You're entitled to your opinion, though.
whether true or not, is that college went to metal to save money- wooden bats breaking more frequently, etc. State could probably afford to use wood if they wanted to, along with everyone else in the SEC, but most people like Marist can't.
The best bet for wood in college is for Louisville Slugger or some other bat company to get a contract with conferences and start out using wood in conference games and go from there, because metal is so prevalent.
Your thoughts about MLB helping college out with this are good, but the fact of the matter is MLB is not going to help college baseball with things like that. A lot of MLB teams would prefer to get a kid out of HS, and then develop them in their own minor league system. For a short period of time, MLB and college are competing for players, so in reality MLB views college as a competitor for US talent, albeit for a short time that it is. A lot of US players have started going to college and are developing, getting more mature and then demanding more money from MLB and are getting it, which is another reason why MLB won't help them out. The fact of the matter is, a lot of MLB people look down on college baseball. Despite the fact that most MLB players go to college.
That's why MLB loves Dominicans- they are cheap, talented, and can be developed in their MLB run academies. They can give a Dominican a 20,000 signing bonus, and the guy thinks he has hit the jackpot, whereas a guy like a Rashun Dixon is going to cost them 300,000 or whatever it was he signed for.
If you ask me, what I think MLB should do is hold coaching clinics for college and high school coaches teaching them how to teach the game. Especially since as I said before that's where a majority of their American players are coming from. To me, that would be more beneficial than buying wood bats.
The best bet for wood in college is for Louisville Slugger or some other bat company to get a contract with conferences and start out using wood in conference games and go from there, because metal is so prevalent.
Your thoughts about MLB helping college out with this are good, but the fact of the matter is MLB is not going to help college baseball with things like that. A lot of MLB teams would prefer to get a kid out of HS, and then develop them in their own minor league system. For a short period of time, MLB and college are competing for players, so in reality MLB views college as a competitor for US talent, albeit for a short time that it is. A lot of US players have started going to college and are developing, getting more mature and then demanding more money from MLB and are getting it, which is another reason why MLB won't help them out. The fact of the matter is, a lot of MLB people look down on college baseball. Despite the fact that most MLB players go to college.
That's why MLB loves Dominicans- they are cheap, talented, and can be developed in their MLB run academies. They can give a Dominican a 20,000 signing bonus, and the guy thinks he has hit the jackpot, whereas a guy like a Rashun Dixon is going to cost them 300,000 or whatever it was he signed for.
If you ask me, what I think MLB should do is hold coaching clinics for college and high school coaches teaching them how to teach the game. Especially since as I said before that's where a majority of their American players are coming from. To me, that would be more beneficial than buying wood bats.
I played just as wood was going away and aluminum was getting introduced. I used wood most of my HS and summers. By the college years Easton made a bat that would not dent and we went to aluminum.
I have written this before, I think Colleges should go to wood for a different reason than the ones given here. Most or many kids come to division 1 baseball with hopes of playing professionally. Therefore Colleges should do everything in there power to better prepare the players to move on and succeed. Especially since the scholarship numbers are so low now. If you are paying for part of the players fall back, but preparing him for his dream, I think you would get some additional players who are skipping that path now.
Even then scouts worried about the aluminum bats. I always had to tell them I had used wood up until I was 16. The problem with the transition when I was drafted was the ******** way Houston handled supplying bats. We were asked one day what model we wanted for our dozen bats. There were no examples or even a book describing the different models at all. Had no idea on barrel sizes and handle sizes and knob configurations. We had to order Louisville Sluggers even though I had always liked Adirondacks ( knew the model for that brand). They acted as if it was not an important decision when it was probably the most important decision we were making. Even one of the coaches said "you should be able to hit with anything, order an M110". It was so <17> stupid. I got stuck with bats I didn't like at all.
So College Athletics should be like College Academics. It should prepare you for your future. Going to wood bats is a step in the right direction. To expand on that thought I also think colleges should stop ignoring the fact the professional sports is a valid industry in this country. They should design curriculum for people that want to be in that industry as players or management. You should NOT be limited to how much time you spend with the coaching staff. The curriculum could consist of not just the physical aspects, but the communicative, business and educational aspects of sports. Prepare players with the knowledge how to handle money, talk to the media, be part of the media, be an agent, work in the front office, etc.
The argument is that the odds are stacked against players making it. Well many universities have performing art degrees and how many people actually make a living acting or dancing or being big time directors. There are many things students are trained for with a very limited number of jobs available. So accept that professional sports are an actual industry in this country.
I have written this before, I think Colleges should go to wood for a different reason than the ones given here. Most or many kids come to division 1 baseball with hopes of playing professionally. Therefore Colleges should do everything in there power to better prepare the players to move on and succeed. Especially since the scholarship numbers are so low now. If you are paying for part of the players fall back, but preparing him for his dream, I think you would get some additional players who are skipping that path now.
Even then scouts worried about the aluminum bats. I always had to tell them I had used wood up until I was 16. The problem with the transition when I was drafted was the ******** way Houston handled supplying bats. We were asked one day what model we wanted for our dozen bats. There were no examples or even a book describing the different models at all. Had no idea on barrel sizes and handle sizes and knob configurations. We had to order Louisville Sluggers even though I had always liked Adirondacks ( knew the model for that brand). They acted as if it was not an important decision when it was probably the most important decision we were making. Even one of the coaches said "you should be able to hit with anything, order an M110". It was so <17> stupid. I got stuck with bats I didn't like at all.
So College Athletics should be like College Academics. It should prepare you for your future. Going to wood bats is a step in the right direction. To expand on that thought I also think colleges should stop ignoring the fact the professional sports is a valid industry in this country. They should design curriculum for people that want to be in that industry as players or management. You should NOT be limited to how much time you spend with the coaching staff. The curriculum could consist of not just the physical aspects, but the communicative, business and educational aspects of sports. Prepare players with the knowledge how to handle money, talk to the media, be part of the media, be an agent, work in the front office, etc.
The argument is that the odds are stacked against players making it. Well many universities have performing art degrees and how many people actually make a living acting or dancing or being big time directors. There are many things students are trained for with a very limited number of jobs available. So accept that professional sports are an actual industry in this country.
That's good stuff right there.Bulldog Bruce said:
I am an electrical engineer. MSU taught me a lot about being an electrical engineer. But I was even more fortunate that the department brought in a financial planner to give a 2 hour seminar on financial responsibility and planning. That was probably the most valuable 2 hours I spent at Mississippi State. I agree there should be more in college for all majors about real life preparation.
And....excellent point comparing sports to arts.
thanks for the comments, very interesting stuff. I agree with you - I think it's crazy that players don't use the same equipment at every level. It would be like playing basketball with a basketball all through college, then in the NBA, you have to use a medicine ball.
I'm a software engineer. I was lucky enough to have that two hour seminar with the financial planner and it was extremely valuable. I was also lucky enough to get into Hank Flick's interviewing class, which was the most important class I took at MSU. I have never had a problem with an interview, and later in life it taught me to be a tough interviewer instead of those guys that Google "interview questions" 10 minutes before a scheduled interview. I think I made a girl cry one time. Thanks, Hank.
...for baseball players that wooden bats could be more easily afforded by college programs. Granted, they may not be able to buy Louisville Sluggers, but surely somebody could step up and make a more affordable wooden bat.
The game would be considerably less exciting if you're a fan of seeing runs scored, though.
The game would be considerably less exciting if you're a fan of seeing runs scored, though.