Why can metal bats outperform wood bats?
1. Aluminum bats can be swung faster. 2. Aluminum bats have the trampoline effect. Translation: The ball loses less energy during impact with a metal bat than with a wood bat. 3. Aluminum bats have wider sweet spots. Which metal bats are legal in college and high school? Requirements include: 1. The minus-3 standard, which means the length of the bat (in inches) can’t exceed the weight of the bat (in ounces) by more than three. A 31-inch, 28-ounce bat is legal; a 34-inch, 30-ounce bat is not. 2. The barrel can be no bigger than 2-5/8 inches. 3. The bat must have an approved ball-exit-speed ratio, which varies for bats of different lengths. For more information visit ncaa.org or nfhs.org. Who uses the various kinds of bats? Wood: Professionals (example: Everett AquaSox, Seattle Mariners), Washington community colleges (example: Everett CC), some summer youth select teams, some summer semi-pro teams Metal: Most high schools, four-year colleges, adult city leagues Composite: Some high sch
