Composite baseball bats are typically more expensive than aluminum baseball bats, but have a much longer life span when the time is taken to break them in correctly. They are made of solid material, often aluminum, alloy and/or a hybrid material, whereas aluminum bats are hollow. Senior League composite baseball bats are used at the levels between Little League and high school, and have a barrel diameter of between 2 5/8 inches and 2 3/4 inches.
Breaking in Your Composite Bat
Step 1
Swing at live baseballs. Make sure that they are baseballs, not batting cage balls, to break in your bat properly. The balls also need to be pitched at a decent speed, over 40 miles per hour, in order to have the proper effect.
Step 2
Rotate the bat 1/8 of a inch between each solid contact. This ensures that the entire bat gets broken in. Do not count foul balls, as only solid contact breaks in the bat properly.
Step 3
Repeat for 100 to 200 swings. This breaks down the fibers and epoxy between the layers, allowing the composite to harden as one solid material.
Tips and Warnings
- Wait to use the bat in a game until it is broken in. You will see great differences in how the ball comes off the bat after the bat is fully broken in.
- Avoid using your composite bat in temperatures less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, as the bat can break easier in colder temperatures.
Things You'll Need
- Baseballs
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