Category Archives: BBCOR

What to Know About Baseball Bat Stamps and Certifications

When selecting a baseball bat it is important to fully understand the stamps and certifications marks. Manufacturers produce several models of bats for multiple organizations. Without this knowledge you won’t be able to make the right choice when selecting a bat.

There are different models that are custom designed to meet each organization’s individual certification requirements. Bats that are custom designed for only a single organization will only have that organization’s mark. Conversely, many bats are designed to meet several organization’s requirements. These bats will have multiple organizations certifications marks. This makes them legal to use in multiple situations.

While I have provided information in the past on what the BBCOR certification implies, I thought it would be helpful to provide a brief description of all to help you out.

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The Best BBCOR Bats for 2019.

Finding the best baseball bat for the type of player you can be a daunting task. There are a lot of different BBCOR bats and figuring out which one is right for your hitting style may seem impossible. This list is, in our opinion, the best baseball bats for 2019. It will help to take the guess work out of your decision.  

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Here is Our DeMarini CF8 Review

Demarini CF8

Demarini CF8 Baseball Bat Review

The DeMarini CF8 is almost identical to when the CF3 model was launched, therefore my review is going to be similar to my reviews in the past.

It is a 100% composite, double wall, flex handle bat utilizing their half and half technology and a low swing weight (MOI). The only difference they’re claiming is it’s made from their “premium Paradox +Plus Composite so it breaks in faster and is hot right out of the wrapper”.

As mentioned in the past, the majority of college players on teams swinging DeMarini stay away from the CF because of the low swing weight among other reasons. The low swing weight is great for speed but power is sacrificed, and most college players (or experienced players below this level) are looking for power. College players are experienced and prefer balanced or end-loaded bats. Next many players at most levels prefer single wall bats. The general feeling is double wall technology deadens the exit speed of the ball. Plus they prefer a stiff handle bat to the CF8 flex handle. Put them all together and that is why many college players stay away from the CF8 or its predecessors.

In the 2015 CWS DeMarini gave the entire LSU and Vanderbilt team’s custom DeMarini Vodoo FT bats, not their top tier CF bat. Now if DeMarini is not even giving experienced baseball players on CWS teams a free CF bat why would you pay up to $400 for it? There are much better 100% composite options available. If you love the half and half technology go with the Voodoo unless you are an inexperienced player who needs bat speed.

The Adult BBCOR model retails for $449.95, the Senior League for $349.959 and the Youth for $279.95

Marucci 33 inch Cat 5 Baseball Bat Been Banned! What You Need to Know.

Marucci Cat 5

Marucci’s 33-inch Cat 5 bbcor baseball bat has been banned by the NCAA and NFHS: February 20, 2012.

The 33-inch model of the 2011 Marucci Cat 5 Adult Baseball Bat has been decertified by both the NCAA and NFHS, and it will be illegal this season in college or high school baseball.

The NCAA announced the decertification on Friday. The NFHS, the national governing body of high school sports, followed suit on Tuesday in an e-mail memo to state association athletic directors.
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Do You Want to Know the BBCOR Baseball Bat Standards, Rules and Regulations?

This will provide you with the difference between BBCOR, BESR and ABI. It also provides you with the current BBCOR standards, rules and regulations along with It will also let you know legal and what isn’t.

Below is the breakdown of the current changes in bat performance standards. First, we have some definitions of terms. Second, there is a league-by-league timeline. Third, some of the common questions about the changes are answered.

Definitions

BESR (Ball Exit Speed Ratio)
This was the longstanding test used to ensure that non-wood bats play similar to wood bats. It tests a bat’s “exit speed,” i.e. how fast the ball bounces off a composite or aluminum bat barrel. It has been phased out, because it failed to account for how bats would perform after they have been broken in (Composite bats typically improve with use).

BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution)
This is the new, more-accurate test that is replacing BESR. Like BESR, it is used 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. That’s because it includes the ABI, described below.
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Learn What The BBCOR Baseball Bat Standard Is, and Why It’s Important.

BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution), the baseball bat standard that replaced BESR (Ball Exit Speed Ratio)

Many are still confused with the BBCOR standard and exactly what it means. Here’s a very simple explanation.

Rather than measuring the ratio of the ball exit speed to pitch and bat speeds (like BESR), BBCOR measures the trampoline effect of the bat. With the BESR standard, when a pitched ball made contact with an alloy or composite bat, the barrel would flex inward somewhat and the ball would retain a portion of its energy. This resulted in hits that were longer and harder. Wood bats don’t have that give to them and the ball loses much of its energy upon impact. The BBCOR standard ensures that non-wood bats perform more comparably to wood bats in an attempt to level the playing field.

It also accounts for how bats perform after they’ve broken in. Since the dawn of composite bats, it was found that the more they were used the better they performed. This led to tampering with the bats to artificially accelerate the break-in process and improve bat performance (rolling anyone?). With BBCOR, bats are now tested after various stages of simulated use in the lab, so that a bat never performs beyond the BBCOR standard at any point during its useful life.

All Nike College Teams Released from Baseball Bat Commitment!

Looks like every college under contract with Nike has been let out of its commitment to use Nike baseball bats during the upcoming season. This is due to tremendous backlash from college teams that used Nike BBCOR bats last season. These teams showed signs of substandard offensive performance when compared to teams using non-Nike bats. The Tuscaloosa (AL) News broke the story, this is their article that was released on September 13, 2011:

TUSCALOOSA | The University of Alabama, along with every college under contract with Nike, has been released from its obligation to use Nike baseball bats in the upcoming season.

Alabama requested that Nike allow the school to use other manufacturers’ bats following the 2010-11 season.

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Everything You Need to Know About The BBCOR Bat Standard.

This new BBCOR standard measures bat performance and replaces the previous BESR standard. The NCAA (college) began requiring BBCOR starting with the 2011 season.  For NFHS (high school) play, all bats must be BBCOR certified for the 2012 season and beyond. BESR (Ball Exit Speed Ratio) is no longer considered accurate enough to determine the actual performance of differing bat models.

Instead of measuring the speed of the ball after it is batted, BBCOR measures the “bounciness” of the ball and bat, or the “trampoline” effect. When a bat hits a ball, the ball actually compresses / deforms by nearly a third at high pitch velocities.

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The BBCOR Standard Has Made An Impact on Baseball.

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.

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Baseball Bat BBCOR Rating Will Turn the Baseball World Upside Down!

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the governing body of High School Baseball, is changing their bat rules to match NCAA rules. So bats that are illegal in NCAA play will become illegal in High School starting on January 1, 2012 (some will enforce the rule beginning in 2011). The NCAA ban of 100% composite bats began last year. This will bring a plethora of changes that will turn the baseball bat industry upside down Here’s what’s going on (you can also visit here to check out my recommendations by category and cost):

The rule changed is NFHS 1.3.2, which requires (starting 1/1/12) all non-wood bats to meet the Batted Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) standard.  This is standard is much stricter than the old BESR standard.

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