Nice little break from all the talk about money and contracts and stupid statements by Griffin, the Globe has Gary Sheffield visiting the Original Maple Bat Co in Ottawa. This business founded in a garage 7 years ago now churns out 17,000 bats a year employs 9 people and equips Barry Bonds as well as Sheffield and 160 odd other Big Leaguers.
In fairness to Gary, it was incredibly freakin' cold here yesterday, even for Ottawa. Getting the car started in the morning is no small achievement.
Barry Bonds has been here twice as well, visiting Mr. Holman -- one time, they even ended up at the Mayflower Pub on Elgin Street. I would've suggested taking him to the Empire Grill, myself, but my invitation to the event must have been lost in the mail.
Barry Bonds has been here twice as well, visiting Mr. Holman -- one time, they even ended up at the Mayflower Pub on Elgin Street. I would've suggested taking him to the Empire Grill, myself, but my invitation to the event must have been lost in the mail.
Jordan - I just moved here two weeks ago. I haven't been able to start my Jeep since Wednesday night. It's sitting in an alley downtown. I can't believe how cold it is. I find myself uncontrollably shouting expletives into my mittens every time I venture outside into this cold, soul destroying hell. From what I can tell though, that's a normal reaction. This weekend we're going skating on the canal. I can't wait.
Anyways, I'm reading "The Physics of Baseball" by Professor Adair. Great little book. I have just enough of a math background to understand most of it. I wonder how much of a difference maple makes over ash since the hardness of the bat seems to matter little in the ballstriking equation assuming the natural harmonics of a maple bat are the same as an ash bat. Adair says - perhaps two or three extra feet at most on a 400 foot bomb. The selling point of the maple bat of course is that the barrel is more resilient than ash over the life of the bat - but how relevant is that figure when players typically use dozens of bats over the length of the season? I suspect, and I could be wrong, it's mostly myth and Barry Bonds that are propelling the sale of this bat.
I'd quote more, but the book is in the glove compartment of my Jeep.
Anyways, I'm reading "The Physics of Baseball" by Professor Adair. Great little book. I have just enough of a math background to understand most of it. I wonder how much of a difference maple makes over ash since the hardness of the bat seems to matter little in the ballstriking equation assuming the natural harmonics of a maple bat are the same as an ash bat. Adair says - perhaps two or three extra feet at most on a 400 foot bomb. The selling point of the maple bat of course is that the barrel is more resilient than ash over the life of the bat - but how relevant is that figure when players typically use dozens of bats over the length of the season? I suspect, and I could be wrong, it's mostly myth and Barry Bonds that are propelling the sale of this bat.
I'd quote more, but the book is in the glove compartment of my Jeep.
Eddie,
I had this great Koho Aluminum stick in University, man I could shoot with that stick better than any stick before, and now that my friend has stolen it when I moved to Europe, any stick after. Getting the "right" bat is a lot like the right stick.
From what I understand Maple bats break less, plus I understand they can have slightly thinner barrels at the handles, which might mean something.
All this is completely subjective of course. Jose Canseco when he was in a Jay used to say that becuase the bats didn't break as much he could get in a better grove.
Let's face it, baseball players as a whole are a superstitious bunch.
Andrew
I had this great Koho Aluminum stick in University, man I could shoot with that stick better than any stick before, and now that my friend has stolen it when I moved to Europe, any stick after. Getting the "right" bat is a lot like the right stick.
From what I understand Maple bats break less, plus I understand they can have slightly thinner barrels at the handles, which might mean something.
All this is completely subjective of course. Jose Canseco when he was in a Jay used to say that becuase the bats didn't break as much he could get in a better grove.
Let's face it, baseball players as a whole are a superstitious bunch.
Andrew
You're dead on about the superstition, and you're right about the distribution of weight, since a critical factor in hitting is the transfer of power from the upper body to the forearms, and the speed at which the bat propels through the plane of the plate. Obviously having more weight in the barrel and less in the handle aids in these factors assuming the player can muscle the "heavier" bat. Barry Bonds can. Sheffield can too.
Still, I say the effect is minimal. I'd wager that a scientific study would prove the difference (if there is one) is three or four feet on a 400 foot homer since the forces that act on the ball in flight greatly outweigh the effects of wooden bat design. It's all mental.
Still, I say the effect is minimal. I'd wager that a scientific study would prove the difference (if there is one) is three or four feet on a 400 foot homer since the forces that act on the ball in flight greatly outweigh the effects of wooden bat design. It's all mental.
Whatever happened to the Cooper Bats? At one point, many major league players, especially Blue Jays, were using them.
Did Cooper stop manufacturing them for major league players?
Did Cooper stop manufacturing them for major league players?