We all know the BBCOR standard began on January, 2011 in NCAA baseball and January, 2012 in High School baseball. So what are the results?
First some background, BBCOR stands for “Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution” and it focuses on how much of a trampoline effect the barrel of a bat has on a ball. It was created to ensure that aluminum and composite bats play similar to wood bats, but it also accounts for how bats perform after they’ve been broken in. The fact that composite bats broke in, therefore exceeding the old BESR standard, was the primary reason for the change.
Also, many don’t know that College baseball officials have been gradually taking the pop out of bats for more than a decade. The turning point was the 1998 College World Series, when there were a record 62 home runs in 14 games. Southern California’s 21-14 championship-game win against Arizona State featured seven home runs and 39 hits.
The BBCOR change has made an immediate impact and provided the change it was designed for. In a release, the NCAA reported home runs per game have decreased by about 45 percent, from .85 per game in 2010 to .47 per game in 2011. Among the NCAA’s other findings, comparing mid-season 2010 to this year: The overall batting average has dropped from .301 to .279; ERA from 5.83 to 4.62; and the number of shutouts has jumped from 277 to 444. Here’s the breakdown:
| Category | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| HR per game | 0.85 | 0.47 |
| Runs per game | 6.98 | 5.63 |
| Batting average | .301 | .279 |
| ERA | 5.83 | 4.62 |
| Shutouts | 277 | 444 |
| Note: Division I team statistics | ||
So there’s no doubt it has changed the game. Some will make the point that it has but the focus back on good hitting, while others say it has dulled the game. This will always be debated and there will never be consensus.
The good news for those that miss the good ol’ days is that the bat manufacturers are hard at work developing new technologies. They’re looking at ways to give them a leg up on the competition and, hence, a way to circumvent the BBCOR standard. You’re naive if you don’t believe this will happen. Just like they circumvented the BESR standard with the composite bat they will find a way to do the same here.
Take a look at the 2013 baseball bat recommendations and decide which is the best for you.