Wooden Baseball Bat Designs Versus Aluminum Baseball Bat Designs
In modern times, baseball's long-time association with the "crack of a bat" no longer applies on many baseball fields. With the emergence and growing popularity of aluminum bats, only the most skilled and experienced professionals hit with the traditional wooden bats, rare college leagues like the Federation of Amateur Baseball Leagues notwithstanding. The two types of bats make different sounds but also are different in many other aspects, too.
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Uses
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In professional baseball, such as Major League Baseball and the minor league affiliates, players are not allowed to use aluminum bats, and instead must use the wooden material alternatives. Lower levels of baseball--in particular, college, high school and little league levels--all have a widespread aluminum use for several reasons. One is the cost; because wooden bats break often, the cost to replace them is high. Another reason is aluminum bats have a larger sweet spot, which allows an inexperienced player to hit the ball harder and farther with more consistency.
Aluminum Construction
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Although aluminum bats generally are more lightweight than comparable wooden bats, the range of weights is far more wide-reaching, starting as low as 16 oz. for little leaguers and going up to around 32 oz. for college players. Unlike their wooden counterparts, aluminum bats can be manufactured in such a way that a longer, thicker bat isn't necessarily heavier, allowing the hitter to generate better bat speed.
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Wooden Construction
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Historically, baseball players used bats made out of hickory that weighed close to 50 oz. in some cases, but modern players prefer lighter woods such as maple and ash for increased bat speed. Since few players use wooden bats besides the professionals, the bats come in a less diverse range of weights than do aluminum bats. The lightest wooden bat made is around 20 oz., but most professionals are more likely to go with 30- to 35-oz. bats.
Performance
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Because the two bat types are no different in shape, the only deciding factor that will impact performance is the weight of the two materials. Wooden bats are heavier, more compact instruments, and as such, require more skill and precision to use properly. Aluminum bats, because of their lighter weight, are easier to handle and give the batter more control of his swing. All other things being equal, however, a player of high skill and experience can hit a ball harder with a wooden bat, provided he can swing the wooden bat as fast as one made of aluminum.
Safety
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There are many things to take into consideration for both bat types in regard to potential danger. Wooden bats run the risk of breaking when making contact with a pitched ball, occasionally sending a sharp, splintered piece flying out of control. Aluminum bats, on the other hand, experience a recoil reaction when making contact with a baseball, and the resulting vibration can be painful to a hitter's hands. While this is possible with wooden bats, it is not as common.
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References
- Photo Credit baseball image by Christopher Walker from Fotolia.com
