Whats everyones opinion on the new bats? not how they operate because we all know that, but what there doing for the HS game. Do you think they take away from the excitment at the HS level? Do you think with a lack of numbers we would go back to the old bats? just curious to see what everyone thinks
Whats everyones opinion on the new bats? not how they operate because we all know that, but what there doing for the HS game. Do you think they take away from the excitment at the HS level? Do you think with a lack of numbers we would go back to the old bats? just curious to see what everyone thinks
The bats are awful we should all go to wood . This is a joke its not even fun to watch a game anymore.
LOL ....These seperate the men from the boys !!!!
Just because balls are not flying outta the park doesnt mean its ruining the game. Alot more to this game than homeruns. Maybe the coaches will get back to teaching a littlesmall ball.
Now the kids will actually have to learn how to play the game correctly. Hit and run, situational hitting, such as hitting behind the runner, pushing the ball to right field with runners on 2nd or 3rd. You may even see a bunt. (the lost fine art). The true power hitters will be fine. The old bats made very average hitters look like superstars. I'm all for the new bats. I would be fine with wood bats too.
Think about it, do the younger coaches of today know how to teach or play or defend against small ball? Having never had to use it much in their playing days, do they really know much about it?
There's definitely a lot more small ball in the game nowadays. Whether more bunting, hit and runs, etc, and less home runs and long fly balls is good for the sport, we'll soon find out as the season goes on.
LOL ....These seperate the men from the boys !!!!
Just because balls are not flying outta the park doesnt mean its ruining the game. Alot more to this game than homeruns. Maybe the coaches will get back to teaching a littlesmall ball.
Im not talking homeruns, even though homeruns are one of the most exciting parts of the game. my brother plays d1 baseball and i agree with it in college baseball. guys are still big and strong enough to hit the ball hard etc etc. Idk who you watch but good succesful programs have always played small ball.
Just depends on the team that you are watching but mule is right to a point there have been some very boring baseball going on in some places. The college prospects will be fine but the avg to below avg hitter is not goin to like the bats and I dont like having to watch them up to bat. lol
The bats are awful we should all go to wood . This is a joke its not even fun to watch a game anymore.
Go ahead.....use wood, what's stopping you? St. Ignatius, one of the perennial powers in Ohio is doing just that. My son hits much better with wood....but won't switch because "no one else is using it". Hopefully he'll wise up....but who knows....lol
I have watched four freshmen scrimmages, and honestly havent seen that much of a difference. Seen some real hard hit balls, and some not so much. Cant say it has changed my watching experience, ecspecially in this weather, games are still fun as hell!
The new bats will change the game. More small ball, faster games, outfielders not playing as deep and you better have a good infield. Right now the weather is having more of an effect on the game. Spring ball usually is very cold.
maybe its time to change the fields too, When I played it was wood bat with DIRT INFIELDS. you could actually hit a ground ball through a hole.
Now all infields are grass and many are way to thick and cut too high.
Freshman games played on dirt are much more fun to watch. or games on turf infields.
I think we all agree the bats were too hot and although basball can be a dangerous sport for pitchers, it was getting out of hand.
There shouldn't be a lot of runs scored this year (unlesss the defense is bad) teams are now going to earn runs and each player in the lineup will have a part to play. Walks, stolen bases, bunts and rbi's are now going to be more important than ever. It's like playing tennis with a wooden racquet. It's skill , not power. SHould be fun to watch.
I don't know how any one with a long familiarity with the game could not like the game returning to its roots-- the sooner the game gets back to all wood bats, and pitchers having to hit for themselves, the better.
Learn how to bunt, learn how to run the bases, learn how to field your position-- learn how to play the game. There is no down side to the return of wood bats.
I don't know how any one with a long familiarity with the game could not like the game returning to its roots-- the sooner the game gets back to all wood bats, and pitchers having to hit for themselves, the better.
Learn how to bunt, learn how to run the bases, learn how to field your position-- learn how to play the game. There is no down side to the return of wood bats.
Have to say, the bbcor bats are going to change the game at the high school level as it did at the college level. The kids knew during last year's high school season, that they would be swinging the bbcor bats this season. They
would of been head of the game, if they would of used these bats during summer ball and fall leagues. Moeller and Oak Hills kids are using the RIP -IT bbcor and swinging it well. It is the #1 one piece bat on the market. I have to agree, your going to see small ball this season.
I agree that there will be an over reliance on bunting this year. Teams will learn how to defend the bunt better and that will go away too. There is a good reason why professional teams rarely bunt...because it is rarely the right call. When it works, and a teams scores as a result it looks like a great tactic. When it doesn't result in a run scored, it tends to be overlooked. It might be an interesting exercise this year...track the number of innings in which a bunt was employed OR attempted and the number of runs that scored in those innings. Then compare that to the number of innings in which the bunt was employed OR attempted, an out was recorded and no runs scored. I am adding the attempted provision because it is very relevant to the tactic of bunting. A failed bunt attempt is a factor because it puts the hitter in a worse count, yet we see failed attempts frequently. ultimately the hitter may be forced to swing away with 2 strikes and make an out. The failed bunt attempts certainly contributed to putting him behind in the count. I would guess that the innings where no runs scored will dwarf the innings where at least one run scores.
I assume most people on here are old enough to have played LONG before bat technology overcame poor hitting skills. Baseball was fine back then and will be fine now. Great hitters will still bat 50-100 points above mediocre hitters. It's just that their average will be .390 and 5 home runs instead of .490 and 10 home runs.
I agree that there will be an over reliance on bunting this year. Teams will learn how to defend the bunt better and that will go away too. There is a good reason why professional teams rarely bunt...because it is rarely the right call. When it works, and a teams scores as a result it looks like a great tactic. When it doesn't result in a run scored, it tends to be overlooked. It might be an interesting exercise this year...track the number of innings in which a bunt was employed OR attempted and the number of runs that scored in those innings. Then compare that to the number of innings in which the bunt was employed OR attempted, an out was recorded and no runs scored. I am adding the attempted provision because it is very relevant to the tactic of bunting. A failed bunt attempt is a factor because it puts the hitter in a worse count, yet we see failed attempts frequently. ultimately the hitter may be forced to swing away with 2 strikes and make an out. The failed bunt attempts certainly contributed to putting him behind in the count. I would guess that the innings where no runs scored will dwarf the innings where at least one run scores.
I assume most people on here are old enough to have played LONG before bat technology overcame poor hitting skills. Baseball was fine back then and will be fine now. Great hitters will still bat 50-100 points above mediocre hitters. It's just that their average will be .390 and 5 home runs instead of .490 and 10 home runs.
I'm assuming you're referring to run expectancy at the major league level? If so, it's been studied on multiple occasions and it's more likely to score 1 run in an inning using a bunt with R1, 0 out than not bunting. However, as I'm guessing your point is, it's much less likely to have a big inning when a team bunts...
...however, that's in the major leagues. For as much as people like to wail against the lack of fundamentals in MLB today, a bunt play is an out except for the very rare occasions teams fail to get a lead runner or commit an error. At the highest levels, it doesn't happen often. In high school, we all know that's a different story. There are errors and/or wrong decisions made on bunt plays often in high school baseball. While I agree a bunt is less useful when you have an elite offensive team, in high school it can be a highly effective strategy for most teams some of the time. When you're slick-fielding .180-hitting 9 hole 2B has 1st and 2nd and 0 out, you're likely to bunt. Putting pressure on a high school defense is a very real thing that can, and often does, lead to runs.
In your scenario above, the 7 and 8 hitters (usually weak on a typical HS team) reached base. If my .180 9 hitter has an extraordinarily high strikeout ratio, I may consider the bunt, however if the pitcher just walked 7 and 8 hitter, I may wait until he throws strike 1. I'd be more inclined to pinch hit in this scenario rather than send a sure out up to bat to bunt. I would hope to have at least one kid on the bench who has a batting average of at least 100 points higher than my .180 9 hitter.
If the 9 hitter is given the bunt, a lot can go wrong for the offense as well. A pop up or 2 failed attempts are not uncommon. now its 1 down and 1 grounder away from the inning being over.
Bunting is best saved for the 7th inning in a tie game or down a run. Possibly earlier if both pitchers are stellar and with great defenses and the expected runs scored total between the 2 teams will be 3 runs or less. Otherwise, swing away or pinch hit.
Learn how to bunt, learn how to run the bases, learn how to field your position-- learn how to play the game. There is no down side to the return of wood bats.
I can't believe I'm going to write this......but....I actually agree (partially) with xxxxl....did I just write that????
The BBCOR change is good for the game! For safety & competitivness. Good Hitters will still be good hitters....period.
Coaches and players will adapt, not sure if many Parents will though...
Good Luck to all as the OHIO HS season begins this weekend!
I agree that there will be an over reliance on bunting this year. Teams will learn how to defend the bunt better and that will go away too. There is a good reason why professional teams rarely bunt...because it is rarely the right call. When it works, and a teams scores as a result it looks like a great tactic. When it doesn't result in a run scored, it tends to be overlooked. It might be an interesting exercise this year...track the number of innings in which a bunt was employed OR attempted and the number of runs that scored in those innings. Then compare that to the number of innings in which the bunt was employed OR attempted, an out was recorded and no runs scored. I am adding the attempted provision because it is very relevant to the tactic of bunting. A failed bunt attempt is a factor because it puts the hitter in a worse count, yet we see failed attempts frequently. ultimately the hitter may be forced to swing away with 2 strikes and make an out. The failed bunt attempts certainly contributed to putting him behind in the count. I would guess that the innings where no runs scored will dwarf the innings where at least one run scores.
I assume most people on here are old enough to have played LONG before bat technology overcame poor hitting skills. Baseball was fine back then and will be fine now. Great hitters will still bat 50-100 points above mediocre hitters. It's just that their average will be .390 and 5 home runs instead of .490 and 10 home runs.
Much of what you say above is backed by Sabermetrics-- that said, I disagree with a few points:
1) Of course it is not a good play to send somebody up to bunt in a situation where bunting could work and would be called for-- if that player is a bad bunter, and can't do the elementary thing which should be expected of any competent player (not hitter-- player)-- which is to get a bunt down in fair territory, when attempting to offer at a strike-- that's why I said "learn to bunt-- learn to play the game properly".
I am so tired of watching MLB pitchers, who often have no other expectation placed on them (hitting-wise) than to be able to bunt well, not be able to do this fairly simple task-- mainly because they don't care to master the skill because "they don't get paid to hit"... there is a reason that Greg Maddux is 350-game winner, multiple All-Star selection, 19-time Gold Glover, and guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer-- and it specifically includes the fact that he mastered all of the other skills required of pitchers that go into winning ball games, over and above getting batters out-- which included being able to field his position, being able to move runners over, and even occasionally hitting safely to drive in runs or keep innings going.
I am also frustrated at the arrogance, and lack of professionalism in players like Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn, that when they came up to bat in the late innings of a close game (tied or 1-run difference), with a runner on 2nd base (let alone 1st base), with no outs, they considered it so beneath them to be asked to bunt to advance the runner (despite strike-out totals for these players which regularly exceeded 150/season), that they were never even asked to do so by their manager... these are guys who had better than a 33% chance of not even putting the ball in play, and still, they could NEVER be asked to bunt-- and, if you were their manager, why would you subject yourself to that-- the player hadn't bothered to learn how to do it, even if he were willing to do it, so the outcome was likely to be even more disastrous than having them swing away and strike out-- and then you would have had to deal with their surliness about the request in the dugout and clubhouse for days, weeks, or months afterward, to top it off.
If Griffey or Dunn came up to bat with a man on 2nd, and no outs, in the late innings of a close game, I'd much rather have them be able to bunt that runner over to third, where any kind of fly ball or right-side grounder scores the run with 1 out, than have them swing away, no matter what Sabermetrics says about playing for big innings-- but what's the point, when the players involved CAN'T and WON'T do what SHOULD be asked of them...
Seeing as none of these players in HS baseball (short of Bryce Harper) have Griffey's or Dunn's power potential, why the heck shouldn't every HS player know how to and be expected to bunt in that game situation? If I was a HS coach, I would make it priority for ALL of my players to take bunting seriously-- I'd make them get down 3 out of 4 pitches offered at, in fair territory, during batting practice, before allowing them to swing away-- if you don't meet the goal, then you go to the back of the line, and wait your turn to bat again-- if you don't meet it ever, then you don't get to swing away, ever... and pitchers who can't get bunts down would always be batted for, no matter what their other hitting skills.
Elder has won more state baseball titles than any other school in Ohio, often by playing great team defense, and then playing little ball on offense-- I can recall many times over the years, when Elder beat Moeller in a game 1-0 or 2-1, after getting outhit, because Elder always knows how to bunt and move runners over, and wins a game with a run scored on no hits (walk, stolen base, bunt, ground out or sac fly)... Elder has historically been the soundest fundamental smallball team in this area-- and they have truckload of state title trophies to show for it.
BBCOR or no BBCOR advancing runners with anything other than a bunt is still a lost art in baseball. Watch how many times a player with a runner on second and 0 outs makes sure if he makes an out it is on the ground to the right side so that the very worst thing that happens is one out and a runner on third.
Ground balls to third or short or lazy pop ups and fly balls are still the norm in that situation. Excuse - "johnnie wanted to drive the run in". It will take a while before team baseball is back in play.
In your scenario above, the 7 and 8 hitters (usually weak on a typical HS team) reached base. If my .180 9 hitter has an extraordinarily high strikeout ratio, I may consider the bunt, however if the pitcher just walked 7 and 8 hitter, I may wait until he throws strike 1. I'd be more inclined to pinch hit in this scenario rather than send a sure out up to bat to bunt. I would hope to have at least one kid on the bench who has a batting average of at least 100 points higher than my .180 9 hitter.
If the 9 hitter is given the bunt, a lot can go wrong for the offense as well. A pop up or 2 failed attempts are not uncommon. now its 1 down and 1 grounder away from the inning being over.
Bunting is best saved for the 7th inning in a tie game or down a run. Possibly earlier if both pitchers are stellar and with great defenses and the expected runs scored total between the 2 teams will be 3 runs or less. Otherwise, swing away or pinch hit.
Don't misunderstand me--I prefer to steal or hit-and-run to move runners than bunt because I don't want to give up outs either. However, high school lineups are often sub-optimal. In my scenario, I guess I'm assuming my .180 hitting 9-hole hitter can bunt because if they can't do ANYTHING at the plate, then it's hard to justify starting him no matter how good he is defensively (unless you have no one else to play the position).
I didn't say it was more likely to have a big inning in my scenario, but it is more likely to get 1 run. A base hit gets you two. Granted, you're probably not getting more than that, but I think a lot of high school games this year won't have a lot of runs in them. And as you must know from watching a lot of high school infielders, there are simply a lot of bad varsity infielders on the corners and on the mound--some errors (maybe many errors) will be made. In the majors, the routine play almost always get made; that's not necessarily so in high school. Used judiciously, the bunt will help teams win games this spring.
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