best wooden bat

[cowboy15]

hey yall i got a question and i figure this is the best catagory of the forum to ask it in....Im lookin for a new wooden bat and im just curious on what the concensus is here about the best material to get? ive heard maple and ash are supposed to be pretty good but i want to know what yall think

[The Commissioner]

I'm certainly no expert on the subject. From what I've heard, though, maple bats are supposed to be much stronger and sturdier than ash. However, they are also supposed to be heavier to swing. The other drawback is that there are a lot less maple bats in production, so finding a high quality one is much more expensive. I'd imagine since there hasn't been this instant dramatic rush towards maple, that neither bat is going to make all that much of a difference for your production (as oppossed to if you suddenly started using an aluminum bat). Since a bat is someting that needs to fit your comfort level, I'd avoid ordering one without testing it in person. I'd say simply shop around, swing as many bats in the store as possible, and find out what you feel most comfortable with. Overall, your eyes, bat speed, and comfort level at the plate are going to make a lot more difference than the type of lumber you use.

[Chinmusic 44]

If you want a wooden bat for BP, buy a composite (sp) since it will give the feeling and effect of a wooden bat, but won't easily break.

[Rossembagger]

Composties are a good idea, especially if you've never played with a wood bat before, you won't have to worry about breaking your bat. If your going for this, get a Baum bat, it's wood but it won't break on ya.

If you just want a normal wood bat tho, RBI's are a good choice, they're maple bats and made somewhere in Canada, it'll last you a while.


And whatever you do, don't buy it from a place like sportchek or any other chain store, because they get the last of the crop after all the other specialty store take their picks.

[Kiwideus]

Barry Bonds prefers Maple bat, his homerun stats have changed BIG time since he switched from ASH to Maple... SO i assume Maple bat is pretty good and better.

[abolishthedh]

An article in the 2002 season preview issue of Sports Illustrated discussed bats, and maple versus ash. The issue is probably still available at a public library, or online somewhere. I would advise reviewing it, and you'll learn about the name of the maker of Barry's bat. The guy who makes Barry's bat lives in Canada, and his business has picked up in the past few years, as you can imagine. If I recall, the maple bat is a love it or despise it idea, but I'd have to reread the article to remember why.

[Ram Man]

Originally posted by abolishthedh
If I recall, the maple bat is a love it or despise it idea, but I'd have to reread the article to remember why.

It's probably due to all that sap oozing out. If you use a lot of pine tar, you love it, but if you're just a batting glove or bare-handed guy, you'd despise it.

[trosmok]

Swing a few

Most players still use ash, it is less expensive and most of the big manufacturers can provide every imaginable length, weight, and circumference allowed by the rules. My personal favorite has always been the Hillerich & Bradsby Louisville sluggers. My prize is a Jackie Robinson model with an extrodinarily fat handle, but I had the most success with the Ron Santo signature model. Not a big fan of the skinny handle sticks many players prefer, but that is the beauty of bats, to each their own. Maple has the disctinction of being a harder, heavier and more dense wood than ash, but is a lot more expensive, and I have heard that because of it's density, it is also more brittle, and therfore more easily cracked. Some small outfits are also making hickory and walnut bats, but I haven't heard much about them. Composites are making inroads, but I absolutely hate aluminum. Some legislatures are outlawing them because of the danger to pitchers they pose, and I long for the sound of wood on ball in college games instead of that gawdawful "ping" noise. Pitchers aren't taught to throw inside anymore, due in part to aluminum hits off the handles that would saw off a real wood bat.

[Bullwinkle]

Wood bats

My son swears by the Sam Bat..it's a maple bat.. He says it feels harder, heavier and has more pop. It's good for BP and game.

Look for them on the web at: www.sambat.com

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by Kiwideus
Barry Bonds prefers Maple bat, his homerun stats have changed BIG time since he switched from ASH to Maple... SO i assume Maple bat is pretty good and better.

I've heard Bonds switched to maple since this is heavier and harder. If you've got quick strong wrists like him, that makes sense. If you're not as strong or as fast, that may just slow you down, I would think.

[CardFanNV]

Re: best wooden bat

Originally posted by cowboy15
hey yall i got a question and i figure this is the best catagory of the forum to ask it in....Im lookin for a new wooden bat and im just curious on what the concensus is here about the best material to get? ive heard maple and ash are supposed to be pretty good but i want to know what yall think

Call Sammy Sosa - he'd know better than me

[Elijah]

I just found this link while browsing through the sam bats pages. http://www.sambat.com/carlos.htm Don't know exactly what it means but take it for what it is worth, bonds bats made in canada?? Sambats are made in canada.

$120 a pop plus shipping on these beauties. Tuffbats are $90 plus s&h and I thought that was steep. I wonder how long it takes to get one.

I clicked on the first link from this link.

http://www.sambat.com/index2.htm

I am now under the assumption that bonds does or did use sam bats.

[Elijah]

I just found this link while browsing through the sam bats pages. http://www.sambat.com/carlos.htm Don't know exactly what it means but take it for what it is worth, bonds bats made in canada?? Sambats are made in canada.

$120 a pop plus shipping on these beauties. Tuffbats are $90 plus s&h and I thought that was steep. I wonder how long it takes to get one.

I clicked on the first link from this link.

http://www.sambat.com/index2.htm

I am now under the assumption that bonds does or did use sam bats.

Oh, wait I just found this link too http://www.sambat.com/learning_to_hit_with_wood.htm

"Major league ball players are constantly telling us that our Sam Bat is the best baseball bat made today. Some of these fellows - Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco for example - truly know a thing or two about bats and how to use them. "

[Bullwinkle]

my post in 2002 is as valid as it is in 2005...son still uses sam bats. He likes the heavy feel of maple and the ball pops off the bat.

[Elijah]

Problem... It is gonna take a month to get one.. Oh well I guess I will use the cheapies until then.

I absolutely hate the BamBoo bat now. Sweet spot is sucky "compared" to some crappy ash eastons I have been using.

Every wood bat I have used besides the bamboo bat kicks it's butt. So it will just be a BP bat.

I will order a sambat and get a mizuno or easton locally.

Now I just have to figure out which model sambat to get. They will replicate any bat out there.

The eastons I have been using are ash and compared to the mizuno maple's the MM's seem to hit just a tad bit farther.

Be nice to get a sambat!