Mantle corking bats? Article on Yahoo Sports

[Wite3]

okay...so I posted late at night and forgot about my units...it has been 25 years since i was in physics in college. Still think that a corked bat might cause negligible results though. I do agree that more control of the bat would create better contact but again...hard to measure.

As to Williams...he used a 33 ounce bat...about 2 ounces less than average of the time. Many people close to Williams and Williams himself often spoke about the swing and the eye as the key to their power. Williams generated torque and his eye was amazing. Watch Ruth, Williams, Ott, Gehrig, Mize, Mantle, and other hr hitters from that era. They often swung using whole body rotation generating bat speed, and torque.

Now watch Bonds, AROD, Ortiz, McGwire, Sosa, Fielder, Howard...they generate power mostly with upper body strength and even swing with just their hands. I am always amazed watching them hit homeruns at times. Griffey Jr was an exception in my mind and his power was generated with his smooth full body swing.

Also, lengths of bats matter as well...the lever affect does happen. It is easier to move a baseball with a longer bat than a shorter one. Anyone who hit a ball on the handle as opposed to the barrell can tell you this.

Type of wood is also important. How much the wood will indent and spring back before it reaches a breaking point is also a factor.

This is not to even talk about the ball and the elasticity of the ball, hitting it on the laces vs. the sweet spot, frictional, rotational mechanics of the ball, etc.

Physics has shown that swinging a heavier bat slightly faster is better than swinging a lighter bat much faster. There are some great articles on this...one found here.

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/batw8.html

Oh, btw, I did play baseball for ten years all the way through high school. I did have some experience with this. And just for honesty's sake... I used a 33 inch bat that weighed 33 ounces. I was not a power hitter at all...in fact, I barely hit period. I was used mostly as a fourth outfielder who could bunt, make contact with the ball, and walk.

Joshua

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Wite3

Now watch Bonds, AROD, Ortiz, McGwire, Sosa, Fielder, Howard...they generate power mostly with upper body strength and even swing with just their hands. I am always amazed watching them hit homeruns at times. Griffey Jr was an exception in my mind and his power was generated with his smooth full body

Bonds had incredible hip rotation.. It may not have been as smooth and aesthetic to the eye Griffey, Will Clark, or even a Michael Tucker, but it was incredible. I do agree though, a lot of the big muscle guys just didn't/don't look like the guys you're talking about (and don't forget Joe D, his swing was amazing).. And many of their HR's, especially to the opposite field, are more heavily upper body generated. Some in the modern era that come mind who created amazing rotational (torque) with their legs/hips, into their upper bodies- Shawn Green, Josh Reddick, Ryan Braun, Bryce Harper, Ichiro (watch a BP), etc.

To add: per links I and Tiger8Mush posted above, you should get all the academic explanation necessary. The one that really jumped out at me is the comment that many many hits, being glancing blows, are hugely influenced by the angle at which the bat hits back, and whether this will create back spin and carry the ball further. This is definitely a factor and is not calculable using simply force/mass/acceleration equations.

[Exhibitman]

Corking a bat doesn't improve performance.

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/corkedbat.html

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats...atingPaper.pdf

[HRBAKER]

The steroids didn't help them at all.
That's precisely why they did them and then lied about it, bc they thought they weren't helping them at all.

[itjclarke]

I think placebo effect for anything.. Roids, corked bats, etc, will often have great unquantifiable influence too. I mean, does swinging a donut or two bats make you swing faster in your at bat?? No, but I know I was a mess if I couldn't get my two bat warm up swings in before stepping to the plate.

Btw- I think there are 4 separate references to the same website now. It's an informative read, and in my opinion explains the physics nicely.