In baseball game, a material of the baseball bat plays a vital role in the game. There are basically wood bat and aluminum/metal bats that are using in the game. Wood bat are now using in Major League Baseball out of aluminum. There are certain scientific reasons out of tradition though. So, we are here to let you know why does MLB use wooden bats rather than aluminum bats or a metal which is cheaper than wooden bats.
Basically, using wooden bats in pro/major league baseball is to save the game, to ensure safety, and to maintain the integrity of the game. Though some minor leagues, collage league baseball use aluminum bats, but they should switch from aluminum bat to wood bats to save the game.
Reason behind Using Wooden Bats in MLB
Every year, the baseball player of the school, collage, university level gets stronger, better, and faster. So, using right kind of bat will make them more professional. There are some reasons why most of the major league baseball use wooden bats apart from the metals are,
- Tradition
- Rules
- Safety
- Integrity
There is no other game as hidebound as baseball. This game always remains same from the beginning. So, it’s quite true that it follows the using of wooden bats traditions from the beginning of the game.
But baseball is no longer stuck in tradition. It also has rules that has scientific definition and logically proved to use wooden bats in major league or pro league baseball. In MLB rules 3.02 (a), explain as:
The bat has to be smooth and round and the diameter of the thickest part and length of the bat should not be more than 2.61 inches and 42 inches in length. Most important thing in MLB rules book is, the bat have to be one piece of solid wood not laminated wood.
So, to play a major league baseball, you have to maintain the rules. Though wooden bats are broken easily in MLB games. Still, using wooden bats in the game makes it more reliable and interesting with maintaining tradition as well.
However, if you want to know about the reason of breaking bats, then you can read about why MLB bats break easily?. I hope, you will get your answer.
Safety
The reason why wood bat is using in MLB instead of aluminum/metal bat is the high speed of the ball coming from the bat. Nowadays, most of the aluminum bats are not manufacturing through aluminum. They are some kind of alloy that is designing for increasing the speed so that the ball can go faster.
After all, the fast the ball can travel the more runs player can achieve that will go with the favor of the batter.
But the most concerning factor for using aluminum bat is speed. It can generate 150+ mph speeds. So pitcher reaction times that means how much time a pitcher could get after throwing the ball to the batter and the batter hit the ball towards the pitcher.
For a MLB caliber player, it’s just quarter of the second. In the meantime, the pitcher will fall into seriously injury, possibly get killed by hitting the ball in skull.
See the crucial moment of high speed ball coming to the pitcher. It will take few moments. You will get the idea how dangerous it can be using aluminum bat that can produce around 150+ mph speed.
So, if aluminum bats will use in MLB, then the pitcher have to use cage for protection. Otherwise, defenseless pitcher/infielder will get kill for less reaction time.
Wood bats cannot produce this kind of speed. It can produce 90 mph which is less than aluminum and safe. So, a pitcher gets enough time to react. That’s the reason why wood bats are used MLB instead of aluminum or metal bat.
Integrity
If MLB can ensure the protection of the fielder, how can they ensure the integrity of the game by using aluminum/metal bat? It’s because the dimension and the weight of the aluminum bat.
An aluminum bat is hollow whereas a wood bat is solid. So, aluminum bat is much lighter and has less weight than wood bat. This light weight gives more privilege to aluminum bat. Batter can swing harder and generate more speed by lightweight bat that the ball can go to the audience.
Moreover, sweet spot which is the target of all batters are no longer a matter while using aluminum bat. Because aluminum bat are not depend on the sweet spot. It has a thickest part of sweet spot and the shaft is hollow.
So, if the bat get jammed and the ball hits in a portion of handle, it will still get a decent speed to travel which is not possible if the wood bats get jammed. In case of wood bat, the handle may have break.
There is estimation that, the ball come off metal bats are travel 10 percent farther than wood bats. So, batter can get more home runs that will be an unfair advantage to the batter. If aluminum bats will use in MLB, then every single record will be broken and it will be worthless since MLB caliber player can swing harder the bat and get chance to gain runs.
Aluminum/metal bat shouldn’t use in MLB. Everyone should enjoy the sanctity of the game and the game has to be fair for both pitcher and batter.
Moreover, the noise of the metal bats when it hit the ball is another criterion. You will get to hear “Bink” from the metal bat whereas wood bats gives “Crack” sounds which is more satisfying.
Why Metal/Aluminum Bat Shouldn’t Use In Mlb? Secrets Revealed!
It’s because of the lightweight, larger sweet spot and to save the baseball game. Wood bat can deliver huge force; it cannot accelerate fast as aluminum.
But aluminum bat can swing harder and has larger sweet spot. Imagine, Mike Trout, Aaron Judge who are regularly hit 100 to 110 mph with wood bat, what can they do with aluminum bat? The infielder or pitcher will see the ball coming to them at 150+ mph speed and they won't resist the ball.
Not only baseball bat can change the direction of the game but also baseball can change the direction of the result. Its color of stitch, weight, number of stitches can places impact on the game. For more information about baseball stitches, we have full blog post about the number of stitches of baseball, from where you can get some idea that might help you to understand.
There’s a graph by which you can see the difference between the speed of wood, and metal bat
What If MLB Use Aluminum Bat Through Ensuring Safety and Integrity?
Well, if MLB wants to use aluminum bat in the game, then they must have to change the dynamics of the game. Like,
- They have to moving back the fence 50 to 100 feet for home runs.
- They have to moving back the distance between pitcher, batter and infielder.
- They have to increase extra outfielder to balance the home runs.
Seems unrealistic? That’s why aluminum bat are not using in MLB even though it has less cost than wooden bats. With dozen of aluminum bats, you can replace only one wooden bats. That’s the price ratio. Still, it’s all about the safety, integrity, and to save the game.
Some steps are taken by NCAA, minor league; Pony league places requirements about the bat speeds. If it doesn’t match with the requirements of bat speeds, the bat is going to be ban. Moreover, the order has been given to the manufacturer while manufacturing the bat to meet with those standards in order to get permission to use this in the league.
Why Aluminum Bats are now using in NCAA? Reasons why they do Work?
NCAA allows aluminum bat because of cost. Wood bat are breaking easily and they have to bear a lot of cost for its. Since school and collage league cannot bear this cost, aluminum bats are legalizing from this viewpoint.
Though aluminum bats are heavy like wood bats while it is legalizing. But it is much easier to swing a lightweight bat. So, people were using more lightweight aluminum bat.
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