Maple vs Ash

Last week, I took an enlightening trip to the Louisville Slugger bat factory in Louisville, KY before the Triple-A All Star Game. Both the trip to the bat factory and game were enjoyable and an unique experience. But this trip comes at a time when a huge controversy is brewing over the safety and usage of maple baseball bats. The controversy surrounded much of the talk during the 30 minute tour.

Ash has been the standard for bats for over a century, but in the last decade the use of maple bats have become greater. Much of this was because of Barry Bonds converting to maple and knocking 73 home runs over the fence of Pac Bell Park (now called AT&T Park) and other National League venues in the 2001 season. Players recognized the advantage of maple bats.

The advantage comes with the barrel speed one receives with maple from more torque. Because of a thinner handle, the barrel will stay behind the handle. When the hitter's bat reaches the ball, the rest of the barrel catches up and thus creates more speed (thus more power) at the point of contact.

In recent years however, maple bats are now seen as more dangerous than ash. Maple does not break as often as ash, however when they do break, they tend to shatter. An ash bat will simply crack when it breaks. A good example of this came at a Columbus Clippers game on Wednesday evening when third baseman Yurendell de Caster swung at a pitch and his bat split into two without making contact on the pitch.

A broken barrel of a bat is moving just as fast as a line drive ball, but that part of the bat is much larger than a baseball. This has proven dangerous already for players, umpires, and fans. An umpire received a concussion when he was beemed with a shattered maple bat.

Major League Baseball has a dilemma on their hands. Do they accept the risk that these bats pose or lose the extra power that these bats provide. That is a tough call for a league hungry for more power.