A composite baseball bat consists of a hard aluminum exterior surrounding a softer interior wall of woven graphite. The materials of a composite baseball bat can make for better hits during a game and decrease the amount of shock to a player's hands and wrists when the bat makes contact with an oncoming ball.
Breaking In the Bat
A composite baseball bat can make a sound similar to a wooden bat when striking an approaching baseball, although the exterior is aluminum. To achieve a crisper sound than that of a wooden bat, you need to break in the composite bat. Baseball Corner suggests breaking in a composite baseball bat by making between 100 and 200 hits of leather-covered solid baseballs. You can practice with other players or use a pitching machine, but the balls should approach the bat at a speed of at least 40 mph. Rotate the barrel of the composite baseball bat about 1/8 of a turn after each hit to break it in evenly.
Swing Weight
The swing weight of a baseball bat is a relative term referring to how heavy the bat feels to a player when swinging at an oncoming ball. A player can swing a baseball bat faster and easier depending on how close the bat's center of mass is to the handle. The woven graphite center of a composite baseball bat is lighter than the core of a standard aluminum baseball bat, allowing for the center of mass to be closer to the handle for lighter swing weight, according to Associate Professor of Applied Physics Daniel A. Russell, Ph.D., at Kettering University.
Trampoline Effect
The trampoline effect is a term referring to how the baseball appears to leap off the bat when struck. The soft woven graphite center of a composite baseball bat allows the bat to utilize the energy of the approaching ball during a hit, whereas a bat with a stiffer body can nullify some energy of the approaching ball, resulting in a duller reaction.
Bending Stiffness
The soft woven graphite center of a composite baseball bat can help decrease the bending stiffness of the bat. According to Russell, the softer material of a composite baseball bat reduces the amount of vibrations that transfer from the bat to a player's arms when making contact with an oncoming ball.
Sensitivity to Cold Weather
A composite baseball bat is sensitive to cold weather and could suffer damage or even break if used in temperatures of 65 degrees F or below, according to Baseball Corner. Leaving the bat outside in cold weather can also compromise its integrity.
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