Compiled By: Austin Alexander & Joey Haug – October 16, 2010
One of the hottest topics along the college baseball landscape is that of the new bat being swung this fall, in preparation for a spring that is thought to be unlike most past seasons.
A quick history lesson: In the 1990’s, a bat that allowed a -5 ounce difference between length and weight (ie 33 in, 28 oz, 2 ¾ barrel) produced legendary offense. The 1999-2009 college bat (-3 ounce drop, 2 5/8 barrel) produced trampoline exit speeds of 110-115 MPH at contact, both bats endangering pitchers and resulted in runs galore.
According to most, the new rule change, headed by Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin, will alter the college game drastically.
The new bat will supposedly decrease exit speeds down to 94 MPH, comparable to a wooden bat, nearly 10-15% reduction from the speed that the ball jumps off the bat. Do the math on homerun distance and disparity is abundantly clear. But some early returns are in that some 100+ MPH exit speeds have been recorded.
DP has gotten a load of questions about this topic and gotten quality feedback from a handful of coaches regarding this, so we tossed it out to the masses and have gotten a much better feel from the experts.
We apologize in advance that names, schools and organizations could not be attached to the responses, Diamond Prospects had to protect their identities to avoid violations, either at the collegiate or professional level.
This article is long, we’ll go ahead and acknowledge that, but equally as informative, enjoy the read.
Diamond Prospects Q: How do you feel the new bats will impact the college game strategically and statistically?
A Division II Head Coach said:
I suspect most of us are overreacting to the change. I think we underestimate the player’s ability to adapt. Most of the college players go out and swing wood in the summer, and find a way to get a few hits and score runs. It should change the game a little with regard to strategy- which would be a good thing. I think these bats have a chance to return the game to one of skill, which might lead to a change in recruiting strategy. It would be my hope that baseball knowledge, speed, and strategy would carry a more important role.
A National League Scout said:
Foot speed and bat control may return to the college game as a useful weapon. Manufacturing runs will be on the college coach’s mind often. You may see players up and down the lineup learning how to sac bunt, bunt for a base hit and control the bat head for hit and run situations. Gone will be the "unlikely" source of a home run.
A Division I Pitching Coach said:
These new bats will change the way that teams operate offensively. Teams will play more small-ball with bunts, hit and run more, and obviously straight steal. Team ERA’s, which I feel have climbed like crazy as a whole the last few years, will come down dramatically. The batting averages will drop a little bit in my opinion but the run production will drop a great deal more than that with the number of homeruns that turn into F-7’s and F-9’s increasing. I think that it will change pitch calling a little bit as well just watching our intra-squads.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
This may be confusing some people, so I would like to clear something up. These new bats are the same weight as the old ones. The only difference to my knowledge is that the weight was shifted to the end, making for a top heavy bat and the walls are thicker which is supposed to reduce the trampoline effect.
We have 3 different bat models (Demarini, Nike and Rawlings) with the new specifications. We have not seen any type of drop off in exit velocities and distance. I know this is completely on the contrary of others. The new bat specifications will not have any impact on in-game strategy and statistics for us. I will say this. If our opposition has the problems that we have been hearing about the bats, holding runners as a pitching staff and having a sub 2.0 catcher are a necessity. I heard a person say that 10 homeruns will lead the nation; that statement is ridiculous. Only time will tell but there will still be teams at the 80-100 homerun mark at the end of the year.
A Division I Head Coach said:
There is no doubt the statistics of college baseball are going to have a significant change on both sides of the ball.
Strategically it’s going to vary from team to team. There are some teams in our league and on our schedule who do not rely on power to score runs, and those teams will not make many changes. The curious thing to see will be the changes, if any, from teams who have traditionally relied on power to pace their offense.
An American League Scout said:
The new bats will decrease offensive numbers as a whole; certain players will continue to put up solid numbers as they are strong enough to continue hitting balls for HR/RBI type stats. Strategically, I think it favors teams with stronger pitching/defense so the scores of games should naturally go down.
A Division I Head Coach said:
The new bat standards will change the game from Big Ball to Small Ball. All power numbers will see a major drop off.
A Division II Head Coach said:
Time will tell on this. Strategically it does not change the way we do things at all.
A Division I Head Coach said:
I think the bat will impact the home run numbers. I think it’ll be easier to play defense too. The positives are pitchers will be able to pitch off of their fastballs more.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
There will be a lot more bunting and small ball played. Statistically, the batting averages will go down along with the homeruns. The pitchers’ ERA’s should go down and wins will go up.
Diamond Prospects Q: Do you think that the present move to this new type of bat is the answer to exit speeds?
A National League Scout said:
It is a step in the right direction. The game will never be completely safe unless the field is redesigned. A pitcher standing less than 55 feet from home plate after delivering a pitch will always be vulnerable to balls hit back through the box.
A Division I Pitching Coach said:
No, I personally do not. Another coach on our staff and I even tested the new bat off a tee in one of our indoor cages. The ball seems to come of the bat the same, just not have as much carry to it for some reason. We were able to get basically the same speeds with both bats on our gun. I know that my swings don’t count being a pitching guy, but the other coach is a position player who is not far removed from his playing days.
A Division I Head Coach said:
It is definitely an answer. Ball modification may have been a cheaper route (especially for bat companies).
A Division I Head Coach said:
I believe this move was necessary for college baseball to continue to improve overall. Changing the NCAA to a wood bat league is not feasible for many different reasons but it was nice to see the NCAA step in and make a change.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
No! There is still no time to react with the new bats. Exit velocities on these SO CALLED dead bats are still triple-figures during BP! I have seen balls shoot through the infield so fast that after one step by an infielder, the ball is already in the outfield. These bats are
still metal!
A Division II Head Coach said:
Usually the bat companies find a way around everything. More than likely by mid-spring we will have some "new" new bat that is better than the rest.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
No. The NCAA will see how these bats perform and will immediately increase the exit speeds on next year’s model. They don’t want to ruin the college game, and I think the college game will take a hit in popularity this year because of the lack of run production.
Diamond Prospects Q: Do you feel like hitting guys and pitching guys are divided as to their liking of the new bat rules?
A Division I Head Coach said:
Obviously, pitchers are going to like the new bats more than positions players. However, in our program I have seen an overall positive outlook on the new bats. They feel the change will now place a premium on fundamental baseball.
A National League Scout said:
I believe pitching guys think "it’s about time" while any realistic hitting guy should understand the old bats were like giving every hitter a bat while on PEDs.
A Division I Pitching Coach said:
No, I’m a pitching guy and it doesn’t matter to me what kind of bat we use, as long as everyone is using the same. No doubt it will make pitching stats look better but it will do that for everyone. You still have to recruit good players that fit your program and do a good job coaching them and developing their talents in order to win, no matter what kind of bat is used.
A Division I Hitting Coach said:
Very much so. I think that the biggest issue pitching guys have is when you make a good pitch to a guy and it’s hit off the handle or off the end of the bat, the hitter is still rewarded with the old bats. Supposedly, the new bats won’t be as forgiving and I think that’s a relief to pitchers and pitching coaches. My fear is that college baseball will lose the one unique quality it has that the pro game does not and that’s offensive excitement.
A Division I Head Coach said:
Of course! Pitchers will love pitching to the new bats. Hitters will hate it, especially upperclassmen who will dramatically notice the difference.
An American League Scout said:
I would say the hitters are probably a little concerned about the way the ball is coming off their bats as individuals; certain hitters are in for a long season! Pitchers are probably going to pitch in more this year allowing hitters to take cuts, which should actually speed up games. Either way, both sides are going to have to make adjustments in the approach to pitching and hitting.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
Of course they are divided. Why would a pitching guy want to see his guys pitching to trampoline bats? Why wouldn’t a hitting guy want to have his guys hit with trampoline bats? Of the old bats, the composite bats were the most "out of hand", and the other old bats were not a good way for pro scouts to evaluate. These new bats are more realistic for pro guys to evaluate who can really hit and who can’t. If these exit speeds stay the same, we might as well swing wood year round.
A Division II Head Coach said:
My pitching coach is my recruiting coordinator too. He likes to see his new players come in and drop bombs just as much as seeing his pitchers blow up some opposing hitter.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
NO! Everyone will be playing with the same equipment! Some may just like the new equipment more than others. I know a hitting instructor that is in love with these new bats, and for good reason.
A Division I Head Coach said:
I think pitching guys will love it, and hitting guys won’t like it!
Diamond Prospects Q: Do you think the new bat will affect recruiting and/or how college rosters are constructed?
A Division I Pitching Coach said:
These new bats are already affecting the way that I recruit. I want speed, speed, speed. Anyone who can draw a walk or hit a single and then instantly be in scoring position a pitch or two later is obviously going to be even more important now. I also think that defense is going to be more important in the recruiting process. I think that power guys are going to be hurt with these new bats and speed guys will get more attention and money.
A Division I Hitting Coach said:
Emphasis in recruiting has always been on pitching, but I think now you’ll see speed guys become much more valuable. The ability to run and play defense may be more appealing than it has been in recent years.
A National League Scout said:
I wouldn’t think it would change. College coaches like certain types of players and will continue to recruit those types of players. They might want to watch some kids play in wood bat tournaments first though.
A Division I Head Coach said:
Once again I think this will vary on programs. College teams have always placed a premium on pitching and this will continue to be the case. I think you will see some programs begin to value speed and athleticism higher than they have in the past.
A Division I Head Coach said:
I think most schools will try to recruit more athletic players, guys that can run, throw and defend and get away from the one-tool (bat) player. More coaches will bunt and hit-and-run, try to steal bases. My problem with the rule is that we are ending the careers of guys that are average runners and defenders, but can be productive hitters because they have some power with an aluminum bat.
A Division II Head Coach said:
I do not see this affecting recruiting at all. Good programs look for good players and good players look for good programs. That will not change because of a bat.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
We will not change anything that we have done in the past that makes us successful today; there is no reason to. I don’t want to speak for other programs but I would imagine that people will go after the defensive speedsters and hope and pray that they can steal first base. Arms will be at a premium, like they aren’t already.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
To some degree, you will see more attention paid to pitching, speed, and defense. The guys like a Phil Discher won’t be paid much attention to anymore. Schools can’t afford to give a guy scholarship money for hitting the ball out of the park anymore…unless they could do it with wood also.
A Division I Head Coach said:
Recruiting transitions from power to speed. Arms will also be at more of a premium.
Diamond Prospects Q: Do you think the new rule will alter how scholarships will be offered, percentage-wise, between the different positions?
A Division I Pitching Coach said:
Yes, once again I think that speed will be a huge deal again. Anytime a team can get a kid that can handle the bat and run, it’s going to be a huge pick-up. I think speed guys will begin to get more money and power bats will begin to get a little less. I think that some teams will go to even more speed and defense at primary power positions like 3B.
A Division I Hitting Coach said:
Pitching is still going to dominate the scholarship situation but that "guy that hits for some power but doesn’t really have a position and can’t run" is going to have a tough time attracting the same attention in my opinion.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
More money I imagine will be allocated to the pitching staffs: over the 60% mark pushing more towards the 70-75% mark. Because all great hitting coaches believe that they can teach someone how to hit.
A Division I Head Coach said:
Corner outfielders and infielders will be available more. Centerfielders and shortstops will be recruited even more heavily. I think it’s good for the average pitcher that can locate fastballs; it gives him a chance to be successful.
A National League Scout said:
Command and control pitchers might be given a second look but from a pro standpoint I cannot see the structure changing much.
A Division I Head Coach said:
At this point, I can’t really say. We will know more as we move throughout this season with the new bats.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
If pitching hasn’t already been paid enough attention, it will become even more important now. Also, you better have a good pitching coach, that is not full of gimmicks, can teach pitchers how to pitch, and how to gain velocity.
A Division I Head Coach said:
Scholarships will continue to be handed out based on pitching and the positions which are needed in each program. This will be one thing I believe which will remain consistent.
A Division II Head Coach said:
It may but not with our program. We always put a large percentage of our money on the mound. That will not change no matter what we hit with.
Diamond Prospects Q: College Coaches Only: What early signs and feedback have you gotten on the exact difference between last year’s bat and the new one?
A Division I Head Coach said:
This is a popular question to me on a daily basis. I believe the biggest difference is the size of the sweet spot on the new bats. The sweet spot on the new model is very similar to a wood bat. However, when a ball comes off the new bat on the sweet spot it is still livelier than a wood bat would be. The biggest difference are ball off the end of the bat do not have nearly the amount of exit speed as they have with past metal bats.
Like my high school coach told me a long time ago: "If you can hit, you can hit with a broom stick."
A Division I Head Coach said:
My guys have not hit with the new bat yet. I think it is a shame it was made available to some programs, but not all. I have a real problem with that, but I am letting it go in the interest of time!
A Division I Pitching Coach said:
Our guys say that it has a very small sweet spot (like a wood bat). Defensive players say that it is harder to read balls because of the sound of the bat. They can’t tell when a ball has been squared up and when it is capped because it all sounds the same. Also, with Demarini, our guys used to like the Voodoo more; now they like the Vexum a little more.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
We have gotten nothing but positive feedback from our players on these new bats. Our hitters like the feel of the top-heavy bat they believe they can feel were the head of the bat is at all times.
A Division II Recruiting Coordinator said:
Top-heavy, smaller sweet spot, and dead. These are all things I have heard. I have felt the bats and they don’t seem top-heavy to me. They are performing differently, without a doubt. Our BP and games used to be a laser show. Now we don’t even unlock the outfield gates for BP because there are not very many balls leaving the park.
A Division I Head Coach said:
Home run numbers were down last year, and I think the rules committee has overdone it. It’s too drastic of a change. Why don’t we just go to wood?
A Division I Head Coach said:
None yet. Still early.
A Division II Head Coach said:
We haven’t used them yet.
Diamond Prospects Q: Pro Scouts Only: What are the pros and cons to the rule change as it pertains to how you project hitters? Pitchers?
A National League Scout said:
Since the "sweet" spot on the new bat is much closer to the wood bat, guys that can "barrel" the baseball will stand out more at the college level. Raw power will not be such a guess. Power numbers will be more in line with what a hitter will produce at the pro level if he does not make adjustments at the next level. Pitchers may start to use both sides of the plate on purpose and learn how to pitch to contact rather than away from contact as the old bats "forced" them to do.
An American League Scout said:
Projecting hitters: certainly gives a better projection in regards to the power numbers of the hitter. It will separate certain guys from being looked at as run-production guys, 5’10” 170 pound guys will not be hitting 15-20 home runs. Mis-hits will be mis-hits, just like a wood bat. Overall, there is nothing like seeing a guy hit with wood day in and day out, so there is always going to be some doubt until pro ball. As for pitchers: there isn’t much change for me, can he throw strikes, can he spin it, and does he have the (guts) to throw in! The bat has nothing to do with that. The STEROID age for college baseball is OVER, juiced body’s or juiced bats-either way it evens the playing field and that is good for the game.
Note: A very special DP thank you goes out to the coaches and scouts who took the time to provide our readers with very valuable insight.