Break-in and Maintenance of composite bat?

[amanda_cake]

I thought NCAA was for last year only? I bet they don't either... Especially around here. It's a rural area, not everyone has internet access and when they are online they aren't searching for updated baseball rules.

I hope no one gets seriously burned.

 

[CoachKevin]

What's wrong with hitting them on dimpled balls anyway? I know everyone says not to, but WHY?

I'm no expert by all means but the dimpled balls are basically plastic, and as Amy stated those that bake in the sun, or as they get older they get harder. Whereas a regulation softball is covered with leather and will "give" when hit. Kinda the same idea as using regular golf balls to practice hitting, would you use a golf ball? The answer is no because of the small size of the impact will damage the bat.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Where are composites banned at in BB? They were banned for the 2011 HS season, but at what other levels are they banned?

NCAA college BB beginning w/ the just completed 2010 season - http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/rules/baseball/bats/Legal-Illegal Bats5-26.pdf

 

[PEPPERS]

My daughter has 2 Demarini bats both came with a little warranty sheet that advised that using anything other than a regular softball would void the warranty. I’m guessing if they can find an excuse to not replace a bat they will use it.

The explanation was the bats were designed for the regular balls and not the dimple balls or plastic balls. I can’t figure how the plastic balls will damage a bat, but this is what they claimed. Demarini has numbers on the barrel to remind the hitter to turn the barrel every swing, claims it extends the life of the bat.

 

[obbay]

The problem with dimpled balls was explained by someone here a while back. At collision, both bat and ball deflect and energy is transferred from bat to ball. the dimpled balls are harder so they will not deflect so much, forcing the material of the bat to work harder. Another similar issue was the cold weather use of composite bats - they are not supposed to be used below certain temperatures (60?) due to the balls hardening up as the temperature drops. no one questions that you're not supposed to hit rocks with these bats - balls with a harder-than-normal surface would be the same thing, no?

 

[Hollyrockartist]

Just got back from the field with dd and her new CF4. They start hs practices daily tomorrow. Just got the bat last week with no swings, until today. She hit 40 off the tee and another 60 soft toss. We used regular balls - was afraid of the dimpled. The pitching machine at the school uses dimpled balls, but batting coach said for her to use the old bat when hitting off the machine. Just with those few hits today, I could tell a difference in the distance her balls were going. I can only imagine when it gets really good and hot how far they'll go!

 

[jonnypar]

It takes about 500 hits to break in a composite bat so you want as many hits as possible in the shortest amount of time to get the best results. I don't agree that dimpled balls harm bats. Nor does my daughters batting coach. These new bats are designed to break after a certain number of hits. That's just reality. As the bat gets used it will gradually get more reactive. You want the bat to have the best trampoline effect possible and the only way to get that is to use it. The bats also go dead after a certain amount of time. It is what it is. Bye an aluminum bat if you want longevity or bye a composite bat and use it if you want performance. Obviously just my humble opinion.

 

[obbay]

The bats also go dead after a certain amount of time

I thought they stayed hot pretty much btill they break. In the WCWS, I believe it was Hawaii that was using 5 year old bats because they worked better and I thought I saw lots of others using older (not new) bats. Then there was complaining about too many HRs and talk of the composite bats being banned because they get too hot.

 

[amanda_cake]

I thought they stayed hot pretty much btill they break. In the WCWS, I believe it was Hawaii that was using 5 year old bats because they worked better and I thought I saw lots of others using older (not new) bats. Then there was complaining about too many HRs and talk of the composite bats being banned because they get too hot.

I doubt those bats had five years of use on them, however. If so, they looked pretty darn clean and shiny--like a brand new stick. They might have new-old stock of them around there or something.

I think they stay hot until they break as well.

 

[CoachKevin]

It takes about 500 hits to break in a composite bat so you want as many hits as possible in the shortest amount of time to get the best results. I don't agree that dimpled balls harm bats. Nor does my daughters batting coach. These new bats are designed to break after a certain number of hits. That's just reality. As the bat gets used it will gradually get more reactive. You want the bat to have the best trampoline effect possible and the only way to get that is to use it. The bats also go dead after a certain amount of time. It is what it is. Bye an aluminum bat if you want longevity or bye a composite bat and use it if you want performance. Obviously just my humble opinion.

You might not agree about using the dimpled balls or your batting coach might not agree, but bottom line I know my DD's Easton Stealth said do NOT use dimpled balls. So taking your opinion or taking what the bat manufacturer says... hmmm sorry think I'll go with the manufacturer.