In this week’s baseball bat news roundup, we’ve got everything from bat flips to virtual batting practice to Jack White. (Yes, the musician Jack White – he’s involved with baseball bats now.) Read on and enjoy these recent stories:
- Musician Jack White and Ian Kinsler Invest in Warstic Bat Company
- Ohio Bat Company goes from Garage to the Big Leagues
- The Baseball Bat is Finally Getting a Tech Upgrade
- Tampa Bay Rays go Virtual for Batting Practice
- Why do Baseball Bats Break? It’s Complicated
- Major League Baseball Lifts Ban on Bat Decals
- MLB Commissioner Says Bat Flips “Good for the Game”
- And While We’re on the Subject of Bat Flips …
Musician Jack White and All-Star Ian Kinsler Invest in Warstic Bat Company
Grammy-award winning rocker Jack White (from The White Stripes fame) and Detroit Tigers second baseman and four-time All-Star Ian Kinsler are now co-investors and co-partners in the independent sporting goods company, Warstic Bat Company, which designs wood and metal bats. Read the whole story here.
Ohio Bat Company goes from Garage to the Big Leagues
We’ve all heard of a certain bat company from Louisville, Kentucky that has been around since the days of Babe Ruth. There’s another bat company, however, from a different Louisville (Ohio). It’s called SabreCat Bats, and it’s beginning to make a splash among today’s major leaguers. Read the full story here.
The Baseball Bat is Getting another Tech Upgrade
Baseball’s most recognizable piece of equipment is getting a major makeover. Zepp Labs and Baden Sports, who partners with Victus to produce the Axe Bat, are helping hitters analyze and improve their swings. Read the full article here.
Tampa Bay Rays go Virtual for Batting Practice
While nothing can fully replicate the in-game batting experience, one MLB team is getting closer than ever before. The Tampa Bay Rays are using a new simulator known as iCube to let players practice their swings against specific major league pitchers inside a virtual batting cage. Read the full story here.
Why do Baseball Bats Break? It’s Complicated.
Shattering bats are dangerous for both players and fans. After a surge in breakage following the introduction of maple bats to Major League Baseball, material science has helped bat makers reduce breakage by nearly 50 percent. Read the story and watch the informative video here.
Major League Baseball Lifts Ban on Bat Decals
Bryce “Let’s Make Baseball Fun Again” Harper made headlines last week when he added the “100” emoji sticker to his bats during his chase for his 100th home run. Rather than draw the ire of the commissioner’s office, MLB actually lifted the recently-imposed ban on personalized baseball bat knob stickers. Read the full Sports Illustrated article here.
MLB Commissioner Says Bat Flips “Good for the Game”
This year, few subjects in baseball have become more divisive than “bat flipping” – the practice of tossing a bat high in the air after connecting with a no-doubt home run. Here at Baseballbats.net, most of us are big fans of bat flipping. And according to the Washington Post, so is MLB Commish Rob Manfred! Read the full article here.
And Speaking of Bat Flips…
Here is one of the most epic bat flips you’ll ever see, this by Ryan Sepede, a high-school player after hitting a walk-off grand slam. Click here.
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