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Who’s Swinging What Baseball Bat in the 2012 College World Series?

The best way to know what baseball bat is hot is to know who’s swinging what in college baseball. Here’s a fun article from Baseball Express, Who’s swinging what in the 2012 College World Series

All eyes will be on Omaha this weekend as the 2012 College World Series gets underway.

The field is set, and some of the usual suspects are back again. The SEC leads the way with three teams, including South Carolina, gunning for its third consecutive national championship.

Now that we know who’s in, what are they swinging? Here’s a look at the baseball bats that all eight teams will be using.

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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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2012 Youth Baseball Bat Rules and BBCOR Standards

2012 Youth Baseball Bat Rules and BBCOR Standards

Baseball leagues around the country have seen plenty of changes over the past year or so. Most have focused on BBCOR bats, but there are changes across the board.

Citing safety concerns caused by the exit speeds of some composite bats, some leagues have banned composite-barreled baseball bats. Others have not. Add in the new BBCOR performance standard, and things can quickly get confusing.

This post is a guide for parents, guardians and players looking for new bats or making sure their current bats will be legal.

Little League
Heading into the 2012 baseball season, Little League’s bat rules look like this:

  • Minor League Baseball — Composite-barreled bats will be banned; some have been re-allowed
  • 9-10 Year Old Baseball Division — Composite-barreled bats will be banned; some have been re-allowed
  • Little League Baseball (Majors) — Composite-barreled bats will be banned; some have been re-allowed
  • Junior League Baseball — Composite-barreled bats will be banned; some have been re-allowed; and all BBCOR certified bats will be allowed
  • Senior League Baseball — All bats must be BBCOR certified
  • Big League Baseball — All bats must be BBCOR certified

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Why Have Composite Baseball Bats Been Banned?

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee’s recommendation to remove, at least temporarily, composite bats from NCAA competition. NOTE: This is a ban in college baseball only,  composite bats are still legal in High School down through T-ball for now. Also, hybrid bats are still legal in College baseball (bats with composite handles and alloy barrels).

The rules committee proposed the action in July and met again via conference call August 17 after hearing comments from the membership and manufacturers about the recommendation. After considerable discussion, the rules committee concluded that composite bats will not be allowed for the time being.

The committee’s main concern about composite bats is that they are susceptible to performance improvement above standards set by the NCAA, either through normal use or alterations to the bats.

While committee members are not convinced that simple compliance testing of specific bats will solve what they see to be a significant problem in the sport, the committee agreed with a suggestion from the NCAA Baseball Research Panel to seek additional testing to determine if it is feasible to allow composite bats in NCAA play this season.

The research panel met with baseball bat manufacturers August 12 in Indianapolis to explore whether composite bats could be used within NCAA guidelines and parameters.

During the 2009 Division I Baseball Championship, composite bats were selected for ball exit speed ratio (BESR) certification tests. Of the 25 bats tested, 20 failed the official BESR test for current NCAA performance levels. Because all bat designs must pass that test before mass production, the results indicated that the performance of such bats changed thereafter, most likely due to repeated, normal use or intentional alteration.

In the meantime, the NCAA plans to conduct additional testing that will provide the baseball rules committee another opportunity for review. Additionally, the committee is open to providing an opportunity for companies to prove that their bats would meet current NCAA standards regardless of use or tampering.

As for beyond the upcoming season, the baseball research panel is recommending that an Accelerated Break-In (ABI) process be added to the certification process under the new Ball-Bat Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) standard to help address the issue of improved performance and further the goal of having all bats in NCAA play remain under the NCAA limit through the life of the bat.

The BBCOR is a method designed to measure the performance of the bat. The ABI is designed to replicate repeated use or intentional alteration of the bat. This process has been used with some success in the certification process for softball bats.

The Secrets Behind Moment of Inertia (MOI) and Swing Weight

Moment of Inertia (MOI) governs how a bat feels and is a more meaningful measure of how well it will swing for you than the actual weight of the bat. Bat speed, not bat size nor weight, is the main factor in driving a ball. Bat speed is affected by a number of variables including bat length, bat weight and bat Moment of Inertia (MOI) which is often referred to as swing weight or balance point.

The distinction between light or heavy swing weight really boils down to the location of the balance point (or center-of-mass) and the moment-of-inertia. The closer the bat’s balance point is to the handle, the easier it is to swing. The basic concept is that it is not the total overall weight of the bat which determines how fast you can swing a bat, but the way that weight is distributed along the length of the bat. For example, a bat with a balanced point closer to the handle will feel lighter and swing faster than an end loaded bat. This is true even through both bats are the exact same weight on a scale.The higher the rating the higher the MOI and the heavier the swing weight.

As a general rule, most players can hit a ball further with lighter (really low MOI) bats. It is only the biggest home run hitters, who can hit the ball further with a heavier (really higher MOI) bats. Also, lighter bats provide more bat control during the swing phase

Good players who are strong tend to prefer bats with a heavy swing weight because they can swing the bat fast enough and the extra inertia of the bat makes for a more effective collision with the ball. Players who are not as strong, or who cannot swing a heavy bat quickly, tend to opt for bats with a lighter swing weight so that they can increase their bat-swing speed and obtain faster batted balls that way.

Here’s a brief Easton video on MOI…

Obviously MOI is only one factor to consider with material, handle flex, mass and design (1 or 2 piece) being the others. But, it is often ignored or misunderstood. You should take the time and effort to decide what MOI is best for you and what the ratings are for the bats you’re considering.