HOW TO HIT WITH A WOOD BAT

• Posted on 24 January 2024
• By Carl Lemelin
• 0

New to hitting with wood and you're getting lost in the forest of wood bats out there? Let us help you navigate your transition to make it as seamless as possible.

Every competitive ballplayer must go through it eventually. The transition from metal or composite bats to wood can be tricky if you fail to grasp the nuances between the more technologically advanced materials and the O.G., a good old piece of lumber.

The pros make it look so easy, don’t they? That unmistakable crack of the bat, that majestic, high trajectory, the ball that takes forever to reach its landing spot 25 rows deep in the bleachers.

How can they hit a ball that hard with a wood bat and not have the thing break?

Well for one, they know where the ball should strike the bat. They also know how to maneuver the bat to strike the ball on that optimal area. That’s because they have grooved a pro swing through countless hours of practice and drills.

For amateurs, hitting the bat’s sweet spot provides a benefit that is twofold.

First, it maximized the ball’s exit velocity, thus the bat’s performance. Second, it helps augment the bat’s durability by ensuring that the ball contacts the hardest, most solid part of the barrel.

So where exactly is that sought after sweet spot? To better answer that question, we must first talk about the different types of wood used to make bats, and each of their specific properties. We can then get into the differences between hitting with metal/composite bats and hitting with wood bats, and how to better maximize your efficiency with the latter, and the bat’s lifespan.

TYPES OF WOOD USED TO MAKE BATS

Maple: The densest (hardest) type of wood used in bat manufacturing, maple was first introduced to the industry by Sam Bat, a Canadian manufacturer, in 1997. The first maple bats to hit the market were immediately reputed to perform better than any other wood species, but also broke more frequently. Advances in billet selection and turning techniques have since vastly improved bat durability, making maple the current species of choice for hitters.

Ash: Some will say ash is the very best species used to make bats. It was the dominant type of wood used by the industry before maple came along. Ash is much more flexible and less dense than maple, making it generally more durable. Until the wood has been compacted, either by multiple contacts with the ball or by a process called bone rubbing, an ash bat won’t have as much pop as a maple bat. Once broken in (when the wood grains have been fully compressed), some ash bat proponents swear that they become even harder than their maple counterparts and have a bigger sweet spot. The current shortage of ash bats on the market is attributable to the emerald ash borer, a beetle that has diseased and devastated North America’s ash tree population.

Birch: The emerald ash borer has made this species an emerging, cheaper alternative to maple for hitters, yellow birch being the most popular subspecies due to its seemingly perfect blend of flexibility (which usually translates to better durability) and hardness (for performance). Birch seems to be the ideal compromise between maple’s density and ash’s flexibility.

Bamboo: Although bamboo bats are considered wood bats, bamboo is in fact a plant, not a tree. Bamboo bats will never be the choice of elite power hitters – the material being much softer and pliable than any type of wood. Being at the opposite of the hardness spectrum from maple, bamboo holds a clear edge in durability. That’s why most manufacturer who offer a 30-day warranty on most of their wood bats stretch it to 120 days for bamboo bats. For most players, they make ideal batting practice bats, since bamboo – like wood – provides much better feedback on contact than metal or composite.

Wood composite: Since wood bats have become quite expensive and do eventually break, manufacturers have come up with different versions of wood composite bats. These are bats made of a durable composite core and a wood outer shell.  These sticks also come with extended warranties, meaning their suppliers are very confident in the durability of their product. To date, there are wide-ranging opinions on the performance level of such bats compared to regular wood bats, but at best, they are at par with wood exit velocities. Note that wood comp bats can be barred from specific leagues or tournaments, so double-check your league rules before purchasing.

I’M TRANSITIONING, HELP!

No reason to panic. If you’re a good hitter with metal or composite, you can be just as good a hitter with a wood bat. All you need is an understanding of the differences between the two categories, and then make the proper adjustments.

Here are the 5 major technical distinctions between wood bats and metal/composite bats, as listed in our Bat Buying Guide:

• Wood bats offer no trampoline effect that can assist players with lower swing speeds. Therefore, you may want to train during the winter to improve your speed.
• The sweet spot on wood bats is smaller and closer to the end of the barrel. In fact, a wood bat’s optimal hitting area is only 2 inches on average and situated between the supplier’s logo and the personalization inscription, where the barrel is at its widest diameter.
• Although wood bat manufacturers try their best to standardize the weight of their bats to a drop 3 for adults and drop 5 or 7 for junior bats, these drops are not as reliable as for metal or fiber bats, since the weight depends entirely on the density of the wood billet used. Most wood bats are one or two ounces heavier than a BBCOR (-3) bat of the same length. Hit the weight room, get stronger!
• Wood bats are offered in many different models with a wider variety of profiles, to fit individual batter preferences (shape of knob and handle, swing weight either balanced or end-loaded, look and finish). Head to the store and swing a few different turn models to find your own comfort zone.
• Wood bats can break more easily than metal or fiber bats, especially when contact is made away from the sweet spot, and that explains the much shorter warranty period. That brings us to the technical aspects of hitting with a wood bat.

TIME-TESTED TIPS TO CRUSH IT LIKE A PRO

A baseball swing is a baseball swing. The first myth we must bust about hitting with wood is that you need to change your swing. Unless you are already consciously working on swing changes, just keep the same swing mechanics you have used while hitting with metal or composite bats.

When comparing the different types of wood and their varying densities, the durability/performance compromise was discussed, but conversely, the two converge when addressing hitting technique. If you constantly hit the sweet spot of a wood bat, you’ll get more hits AND extend the bat’s lifespan.

You may have heard many theories concerning the logo on wood bats; the ink dot, cross-grain (face grain) or along-grain (edge grain). While there is truth to all these – as will be explained – the best way to avoid breakage and to hit the ball as hard as possible is one and the same: make contact on the sweet spot!

MLB’s ink dot test came about 15 years ago as maple bats were gaining in popularity among pro players. The first wave of maple bats saw them breaking at an alarming rate, and in a very different manner than ash bats. Where ash would splinter from wear and tear, maple bats wood split into two or more pieces from the handle across to the barrel, sending sharp-edged pieces of lumber flying dangerously toward unsuspecting infielders.

So, MLB conducted a series of tests on different strains of maple bats and uncovered that the straightness and angle of the grain along the length of the bat had a huge impact on its solidity on off-centered contact. That’s when the decision was made to mandate that all MLB authorized bat suppliers leave a small, unpainted area between the handle and barrel that would serve as the ink dot test. A drop of black ink was to reveal the straightness and angle of the grain, guaranteeing the quality of the maple billet the bat was made from.

This changed the way manufacturers cultivate and select the wood they use to make high-end wood bats. These days, the only times we see bats breaking in MLB games are on contacts at the very tip of the barrel or near the handle. Have you noticed how the best hitters hardly ever break their bats?

During the tests that resulted in the ink dot being implemented, it was also revealed that contacts on the edge-grain side of bats were 12% more likely to cause breakage than hits on the face-grain side.

To illustrate the difference between face grain and edge grain, let’s compare it to a deck of cards, where the former is like striking the deck with a closed fist from the top; striking it from the side of the deck would be like hitting on the edge grain of the bat. The strike from the top wouldn’t disturb the deck at all, whereas the side strike – assuming the other side of the deck was set against a wall – would result in the cards bending, with the top ones flying off all over the place.

Consequently, manufacturers now position their logo on the edge grain side, with the ink dot at a 90-degree angle, thus on the face grain side, where it is recommended to hit the ball. So, when you’re in the box, you should hold your wood bat with the brand logo facing you, and then rotate it slightly to have the logo directed at your back shoulder (the right for right-handed batters, and vice-versa for lefties).

That ensures your square contacts will be made on the face grain part of the barrel. You can also have the logo facing the opposite way (180 degrees or facing away from you) and still contact the face grain.

Another tip for first-time wood users is to consider selecting a bat that is one inch less in length than the metal or composite bat you are transitioning from.

The main reason you should do that is weight. Most wood bats will be an ounce or two heavier than a non-wood bat of the same length, so taking off an inch will help you keep the same swing speed you are used to, helping your timing and control at the plate.

The second reason is the positioning of the sweet spot in the hitting zone. As mentioned previously, the sweet spot of a wood bat is more toward the end of the bat, whereas on metal/composite bats, it sits right in the middle of the barrel. That means that in the same position in the box and for the same swing path, you need a shorter wood bat to have the sweet spot centered in the zone. Additionally, the closer the barrel is to your hands, the better control you have over its path.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WOOD BAT FOR YOU

Another shock to your system if you are buying your first wood bat is the variety of different models – called turn models because of the way the billets are spun to achieve the desired design – that are available to you.

Contrary to non-wood bats, which are standardized in shape within each brand, you will find that all wood bat suppliers have a full complement of designs that are made to cater to all types of hitters and feel preferences.

Manufacturers can customize all parts of the bat: knob, handle, taper, barrel, and the cup at the end of the barrel.

The knob can be standard, flared to different levels, or crafted to an axe-handle shape. The handle can be thin or thicker to varying levels. The taper can be sharp or gradual. The barrel can be at maximum allowed diameter (2 ⅝”) or a bit smaller. The cup at the tip of the barrel can be shallow, deep, or simply non-existent.

The knob and handle affect feel and comfort – thinner handles tend to help whip the bat through the zone, whereas a thicker handle can relieve tension in the forearms and favor contact hitters. The taper, barrel thickness and cup affect the bat’s balance point – a balance point closer to the handle makes the bat feel lighter, while one near the barrel makes it feel heavier. Finally, barrel length affects the bat’s sweet spot – a longer barrel means a bigger sweet spot.

The industry has developed a few stock turn models that all suppliers include in their standard offering:

110 Turn

It has a similar balance and feel to metal or composite bats. The 110 model has a similar barrel diameter to most wood bats, but a thicker handle and longer barrel. This gives the 110 model a balanced feel which is preferred by contact hitters who lean more toward a controlled approach to hitting.

• Handle Diameter: 1.00”
• Barrel Diameter: 2 ½”
• Taper: Gradual

271 Turn

Similar to the 110. The main difference is that it features a thinner handle and is slightly more end loaded. Although it is more end loaded than a 110, the 271 maintains an overall balanced feel. The 271 is a great fit for any hitting style, but because it is balanced, it is typically preferred by contact hitters.

• Handle Diameter: 15/16” (.938”)
• Barrel Diameter: 2 ½”
• Taper: Gradual

243 Turn

It offers a thinner handle and larger barrel diameter than most wood bats. This gives the 243 an end loaded feel and a lot of pop. Wood bats with a 243 turn are not suggested for first timers because they are top heavy and not as easy to swing. They are arguably the most popular model among experienced, power hitters because of the larger barrel and end loaded swing weight.

• Handle Diameter: Approximately 29/32” (.906”)
• Barrel Diameter: 2 ⅝”
• Taper: Sharp

Suppliers then add signature pro models that are slight variations on these stock turn models and based on pro players’ preferences, or even their own personal gamer designs.

There you have it. This should cover all the information you need to make your transition to wood bats as smooth as possible. All that’s left is for you to do is pay us a visit, swing a few different models and find your niche on our incomparable bat walls.

To get you started with your search, visit our wood bats section here.