The debate over whether to use wooden bats or aluminum bats is one that continues to pester baseball leagues across the world. Decision-makers must factor in safety, longevity, cost and the amount of advantage they are willing to give to hitters when deciding whether aluminum or wood is the best choice. The standard is for professional leagues to use wood and all amateur baseball leagues to use aluminum, but exceptions exist.
Safety
Aluminum bats can send the ball into the field of play at a higher rate of speed, raising safety concerns for the pitchers who are exposed just 60 feet, 6 inches away. A high school pitcher from Marin County, Calif., was hit in the head by a ball hit from an aluminum bat in May 2010, reigniting the debate over safety. According to Allen St. John's story in "Popular Mechanics," the debate is centered on if the ball comes off aluminum faster than wood. "The issue is the velocity with which balls come off the bat, otherwise known as bat-exit speed. The exit speed is a function of swing speed and elastic properties of the bat," says Richard Greenwald, assistant professor of engineering at Dartmouth and the founder of the National Institute of Sports Science and Safety. "Proponents of the (aluminum bat) bans suggest that aluminum bats allow for higher ball-exit speed, which endangers pitchers."
Longevity
Aluminum bats are virtually indestructible. Wooden bats are anything but that. Aluminum bats last decades if used properly and provide the player with a consistent piece of equipment to get accustomed to. It is common for players to use the same bat throughout high school play and possibly into college. Players who choose wooden bats risk cracking, splitting or shattering their bats every time they step up to the plate. Even if a player is careful with a wooden bat, ruining the piece of equipment is a possibility.
Cost
Wooden bats can become useless at any point, and in the long run that increases equipment costs due to replacements. Brian Baiotto of the "Long Beach Press-Telegram" reported that "wooden bats range in price from $20 to $200, while aluminum bats cost between $100 and $400, but a wooden bat lasts an average of one month while aluminum bats last years and are used by more than one batter per team. Being forced to use wooden bats would be costly to baseball programs that are already cash-strapped." Economics play a huge role in the debate over whether to use aluminum or wooden bats.
Hitters' Advantage
Aluminum bats promote more offense and put pitchers at a disadvantage. Brevard County Community College coach Ernie Rosseau said in "Florida Today" that his league used wood bats for its fall season and aluminum in the spring. The difference in game length and runs scored was massive, he said, and added that pitchers could make good pitches and fool hitters with aluminum bats but still get beat because aluminum bats make up for hitters' mistakes. Aluminum bats don't have dead spots like wooden bats and hitters can still get power without hitting the ball squarely, whether it's off the handle or off the end of the bat.
New Technology
Manufacturers are coming up with ways to make wooden bats more durable, in the hopes of getting more amateur leagues to make the switch from aluminum. Some of the solutions include wood other than the customary ash, like bamboo, maple and hickory. Bat companies have found ways to combine ash and maple to make composite bats, which promise better durability compared to bats made of one type of wood. Some manufacturers add to composite bats' strength by adding an 18-inch fiberglass wrap on the handle.
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