Wood vs. Metal (-5)

[JRH11]

Hypothetical question............Let's say a player practices with a 30/25 wood bat. How much differently will a 30/25 metal/composite game bat feel? What resuts would you expect? If the player is able to put good wings on the wood bat, would you expect the same with game bat?

Rob

[Roothog66]

It depends on the bat. I know that my son's 32/27 Marucci Cat5 feels far lighter than an equivilant wood bat. Balance is everything.

[JRH11]

It depends on the bat. I know that my son's 32/27 Marucci Cat5 feels far lighter than an equivilant wood bat. Balance is everything.

Assume that your point being that the wood bat has most of weight in barrel. Correct?

[Roothog66]

In comparison, yes. Some metal bats, though, are end loaded and can feel heavier. I recently asked a few of my kids to compare the weight of one bat that was 32/27 and another that was 32/24. They all thought the 24 oz bat was heavier. It was end loaded.

[kimbercarry]

In comparison, yes. Some metal bats, though, are end loaded and can feel heavier. I recently asked a few of my kids to compare the weight of one bat that was 32/27 and another that was 32/24. They all thought the 24 oz bat was heavier. It was end loaded.

I've had same experience with my son. 2 bats the same weight and he swears one is heavier. When I ask him what feels heavier he said the end of the bat.

[JRH11]

I've had same experience with my son. 2 bats the same weight and he swears one is heavier. When I ask him what feels heavier he said the end of the bat.

Agree. The wood bat still gonna be more end loaded than an metal bat.

[scorekeeper]

Agree. The wood bat still gonna be more end loaded than an metal bat.

Don’t bet your house on that.

[skipper5]

Comparing apples to apples
When comparing two bats of the same length and weight
One of which is wood, the other is hollow (metal or composite)
The wood bat will always be more end-loaded

The only possible exception being that the wood bat is a "bottle bat", essentially resembling a 2 1/4" untapered wooden dowel (exaggeration), which you never see anymore
Among the oldtimers, a number of singles hitters swung bottle bats. Nellie Fox's bat was a modern version.

http://sports.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=151203&lotNo=45242

"vintage" bottle bat
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Vintage-Bottle-Bat-Ash-Baseball-Bat-Cooperstown-Bat-Co-/06/!Bp%28ye5QBWk~$%28KGrHqYOKjQEu,uNtHZzBLrDpn7pi!~~_ 35.JPG

[JRH11]

Comparing apples to apples
When comparing two bats of the same length and weight
One of which is wood, the other is hollow (metal or composite)
The wood bat will always be more end-loaded

The only possible exception being that the wood bat is a "bottle bat", essentially resembling a 2 1/4" untapered wooden dowel (exaggeration), which you never see anymore
Among the oldtimers, a number of singles hitters swung bottle bats, including Nellie Fox

http://sports.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleN...03&lotNo=45242

Thank you.

[scorekeeper]

Comparing apples to apples
When comparing two bats of the same length and weight One of which is wood, the other is hollow (metal or composite) The wood bat will always be more end-loaded

In general that’s true, but in some cases its not. It matters how the mass is distributed. See http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/bat-moi.html

With wood, its pretty difficult to rearrange the mass. About all that can be done to the wood is to “cup” the end or change the diameter of the handle. But should a manufacturer want to, there are all kinds of ways a non-wood bat can have its mass distributed, and this year its being done more and more, in order to give customers that special “feel” they’re looking for.

[skipper5]

In general that's true, but in some cases it's not.

I disagree.

Regarding youth hollow bats (small barrel and large barrel non-adult bats, of the type the original poster inquired about), which have drops anywhere from minus-5 to minus-13, it's as sure as the sun comes up that every single one of them is less end-loaded than a wood bat of the same length and weight.

Regarding adult hollow bats: "Despite the fact that the BBCOR standard bats will in theory be the same as wood bats, there are still differences between wood and non-wood bats. The Moment of Inertia (MOI), or swing weight of a bat, will be less than a wood bat."

The latter is from:
Dr. Alan Nathan, "Physicist discusses BBCOR bats"

http://www.baseballnews.com/features/stories/physicist_discusses_bbcor_bats.htm