Let me say this up front
I do not like aluminum bats . . . but Ill win with them.
Practice with wood . . . and youll win with aluminum.

Its really very simple. An aluminum bat swing can be mechanically flawed but still get results. Inflated averages & power numbers abound with huge aluminum sweet spots & tricked-out metal alloys!

But eventually bigger fields and better pitching eliminates many aluminum bat hitters well before High School . . . and it doesnt have to be!

Allow me to explain . . .
Much of the physical side of the game is about:
BATSPEED
HANDSPEED
FOOTSPEED

Much of hitting is about:
TIMING & BALANCE (Strength helps too)

Wood Bats feel head-heavy, with much smaller sweet spots so any imperfections in a swing are magnified. (Are you getting the picture?)

Training with wood forces the player to become mechanically precise & builds bat speed and strength. Additionally, wood trains hitters to really learn the strike zone and not swing at bad pitches (ever hit one off the end or the handle? . . . it hurts and many times it breaks!)

To successfully swing with wood

Trigger the hands earlier into the load position
Keep your hands inside the ball (meaning hands closer to the body throughout the swing to make for a quick rotation to the ball)
Stick with it until your muscle memory acclimates to this new weapon.
#1 Defined
Dead Hands Kill Players!
The first thing a hitter must do is take away the pitcher’s fastball. In general, that is a pitcher’s best pitch. From Clemens, Johnson, Martinez & Maddux, to the baddest pitcher in your league. Spot the fastball and you are a real pitcher. Ok, hitter what are you going to do about it? Youre going to crush it thats what!

Hands Start The Swing!
Start your swing with your hands (its your timing mechanism). . . and you can time a jet or a fastball! Call it a trigger, load or hitch, its all the same. Just get some movement from your hands starting when the pitcher separates his hands from his glove with a movement toward the back shoulder.

#2 Defined
Keep Your Hands Inside The BallWhat?
Keep your hands 4-6 inches from your body throughout the swing. Think about hitting the inside half of the baseball (the half thats closest to you). This will train you to have a shorter, quicker stroke and will help keep balls straight and not allow them to hook foulsee Barry Bonds!

#3 Defined
Use your wood bat instead of your game aluminum for tee work, soft toss, in a cage & when hitting live pitching & youll get the results youre looking for!

NOTES:
Wood Increases Bat Speed!
Bat Speed Equals Power!

In summary, any player or team that trains with wood will hit the ball harder, plus increase contact and power over all who dont. Ask any hitting coach.

Coaching Hint
Kids, like adults, do not necessarily care for change. Get creative, make it cool like real ballplayers and they may accept it easier. Use marker to put their number on the knob. Tape the handle. Buy some stick-em. Have them use a permanent marker and put their “Signature on the business end.”

The Rules
Since January 1, 2001, high school players nationwide must use bats that weigh no less than 3 oz. of their length (meaning a 33″ bat can’t weigh less than 30 oz.). The barrel diameters have shrunk from 2-3/4″ to 2-5/8″ and the exit velocities were changed so that batted balls dont “jump” off the bat as quickly. In other words, these bats more resemble the performance of wood.

Younger players take note! The college bat rules have changed, the high schools have changed, and the changes may not be finished. So, train with wood and you will win with aluminum.

Where To Buy Wood Bats
Need em cheap? - Try a Kmart or Walmart for around $25.00.

Need em great? - We carry Brett Bats (yes, that Brett family) Check em out.

Get your free instructional articles at www.baseballtips.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I remember the spring days very well. My friends and I would be outside at the first sign of warm weather. We would grab our ball gloves and stomp through the damp muddy ground to play some catch or perhaps engage in an intense game of run-down. Whatever the activity may be, we all knew that our baseball season was fast approaching.

Like any young athlete we were always looking for ways to improve our game and gain a step on our competition. And like any young athlete we always looked to our superiors for advice. At times they would offer suggestions and teach us a thing or two, but more often than none we usually picked up ideas from observing them.

The one memory that is very vivid in my mind was a training technique that we used called “jogging”. We would band together like a small platoon and jog around the local football field. I can’t remember how far we would jog or for how long? But I can tell you that we jogged and took it quite serious. Sometimes we would jog twice a day; once in the morning and again in the evening.

Now my question is: What the hell does jogging have to do with baseball? Let me think for a minute………..oh that’s right, NOTHING!

The purpose of this article is not to give you a speed program or template to follow, but rather outline some ideas that you can implement right away to get on the right track to help increase your speed for your game. So let’s get to it.

First and foremost you are not an Olympic sprinter. You are a ball player. I say this because when I was working with a young player; his father had made the observation that his son’s running mechanics did not resemble Maurice Greene or Tim Montgomery? I almost fell over. The boy was only 12 years old and just looking for support. He was nowhere near his physical limit. He’s 12 dad! Greene and Montgomery work on sprinting (straight ahead) every single day. They are Olympic athletes with Olympic trainers! We need to be cautious of our mechanics but we are ball players.

Next, aerobic training is pretty much a waste of time. That’s right all of that jogging I did; not going to help me in baseball. There is nothing in baseball that is done aerobically. When was the last time you witnessed a pitcher jogging back-and-forth from the pitcher’s mound to home plate over and over again? Hopefully never! Baseball requires hand and eye coordination and explosive acceleration to get from point A to point B. The last time I checked, it’s only 90 feet between the bases. Ok, depending on what level of baseball you are playing! But you get my point. So, why train slowly, if our sport needs us to be fast?

So what exactly do we need? Most multi-directional sports such as baseball, football, basketball, soccer and tennis require us to have that first-step quickness, acceleration and agility. Have you ever noticed how quickly a major-league infielder reacts to a ground ball? They can take one or two steps perhaps dive and field that ball and turn and make a play. This doesn’t happen from jogging!

Here are some drills that can help you get started. I always prescribe a dynamic warm-up before jumping into any type of agility or sprint training to elevate the body temperature and warm the connective tissue in the joint areas.

* Set up two cones or bases (just so you have a starting and finishing point) approximately 30 yards from each other. Have a partner hit the baseball or softball into the ground and you take-off when you hear the sound and sprint to the designated spot or cone. Remember that when you are playing sports you rely on several of your senses and this drill will help increase your auditory response.

* Have one of your parents throw the ball from behind you and you run in the direction of the ball based on the visual cue. Now you are relying on your visual sense to help develop that speed you need for your game.

* Play a mock game of game of baseball by yourself or with friends. But play it backwards, pretend to hit the ball from home plate swinging opposite of your normal swing and run to third base. Then get a lead off and steal second and so forth. This will seem quite confusing to your body because we’ve become so adapted to playing our sport in one direction.

* Simply a good game of tag with friends will help to increase your agility and first step quickness. Sounds fun…well it should be.

* The centipede: If you have ever observed a centipede walking on the ground you will notice that his tail end always follows along in different directions that the head is moving. This drill will require a few of your friends. Simply form a straight line with roughly 3 yards between each one of you. The person at the front of the line begins the drill by starting with a slow jog and each person will follow accordingly. The leader can then change the tempo and direction of the run as he or she chooses and those following need to mirror that movement. Thus simulating the tail of the centipede.

Remember this is just a starting point. These simple drills will deliver the change of direction and acceleration skills needed for the game of baseball or softball. In part II of this series I will outline a basic template for a speed program so that you can see how to put some of the pieces together. Until then; remember keep it fun and work hard!

About the Author

Shawn is an independent performance coach. He is a graduate of Waynesburg College where he was an all-conference defensive back and attended CFL/NFL tryouts in 1994. He is a certified Renegade Training practioner under world renown Strength & Conditioning Coach John Davies, and is a certified Speed / Agility and Quickness Trainer through N.E.S.T.A. (National Endurance and Sports Trainers Association) Visit his website http://www.gamespeed.biz

<CENTER> <font color=”RED”size=4>BASEBALL:

<font color=”BLACK”size=4>Bonds vs. Wells <font color=”SCARLET”size=3>”The Tale of the Tape”.

<font color=”BLACK”size=2>by Best Bet Sports Handicapper Jim Sneeringer @ www.daysbestbet.com

<font color=”BLUE”size=3>As Different as Night and Day.

<font color=”DARKBLUE”size=2>It takes a man to stand up and go against the grain, and David “Boomer” Wells ~ is that man.

Wells praised Bonds’ baseball skills but said he should “be a man and come out and say that he did it” if he used steroids.

“If you’re guilty and you got caught, come clean. I think you can get a lot more respect from people than (by) lying,” Wells said.

David Wells, with all of his off the field , Ruth like behavior, doesn’t care what the union wants, doesn’t care that he can be fined by baseball’s “lame duck” commissioner, you see, David Wells is a ball player, and a dam good one, and he respects this game we call baseball that has been good to him.

And David Wells has been good for baseball.

Boomer can pull a “all nighter”, then show up at the ball park and pitch a perfect game. Pitching in post season, few hurlers can match the success this left-hander has displayed thru out his career.

A 5-2 record in divisional series,

4-1 in league championship series,

10-4 record in post season with a sparkling 3.15 earn run average!

Thats what I call in my profession ~ “a MONEY” player.

Baroid Bonds on the other hand, after “juicing up” for severals years, still coudn’t perform at Wells post season level .

The numbers speak loudly….

Bonds vs the Mets in the 2000 post season managed to go 3-17 .

And that my friends, is after juicing up to the extreme, by injecting himself with cattle steroids !

Ruth and Maris are somewhere up their in that big ball park in the sky laughing their baseball caps off.

In Tampa, Joe Torre said allegations of steroid use have given baseball “a black eye.”

“I think the one thing that baseball has always tried to maintain was the integrity because our game more than any other game statistics are so important,” the New York Yankees manager said. “I think that right now that is called into question, and it’s a shame in Barry’s case. He’s such a good player … long, long ago before there was any doubt on what made him good.”

Torre is concerned about the long-term impact on fans.

“It’s certainly a black eye that we all have to be aware of,” he said. “It can turn to anger if you try to circumvent and get around trying to help us clean up. Trying to cut corners or trying a different way to keep doing what you’re doing, that I think is wrong and knowingly wrong.”

We need more “men” like David Wells and Joe Torre to speak up, and I think the time has come for others in the game to follow their lead. It’s bad enough that Bud Selig has permitted these ripoffs of the game to survive as long as they have. But the time has come, and we, as American sports fans, will not tolerate the sham that this commissioner has orchestrated.

Bud Selig is no Judge kenesaw Mountain Landis,

and Baroid Bonds is certainly,

no Babe Ruth.

End of Story~ </CENTER>

About the Author

http://www.daysbestbet.com/about_us_contact http://www.daysbestbet.com/baseball_betting

By the early 1800s, a variety of ball and stick games had also become popular in North America. Many people in northeastern cities such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia played cricket, but rounders also began to take hold. Rounders most closely resembled modern baseball as we know it now.

This early version of baseball history then known as rounders, required a batter to strike a ball and run around bases without being caught out. Balls that were caught on the fly, or in some cases after one bounce, were commonly known as outs.

Varieties of rounders also involved the practice of plugging, soaking, or stinging the batter. This was where fielders could put runners out by throwing the ball at them as they ran between the bases. People used various names to describe it rounders depending on what part of the country you were in. It was also known as town ball, one o? cat, and base ball (hence the now shortened version we know as baseball).

Americans began playing baseball in informal competitions in the early 1800s. By the 1860s, the sport, was being described as America’s “national pastime.” In 1845 Alexander Cartwright and the members of the New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, devised the first rules and regulations for the modern game of baseball. The first game was held at the Elysian Fields, in New Jersey.

In 1858, the National Association of Base Ball Players, the first organized baseball league with tournaments and competitions between clubs was formed and in 1876 the first major league, the National League, was formed. This allowed states to play against other states. State teams were fed players from local leagues where the cream of the crop was selected to play for the states League team. Baseball is know one of the most popular sports in the country.

About the Author: Come and avail of your free baseball equipment from our promotional site. Check out our current baseball offers

Lets first define: what is the typical or basic baseball gear?

The first is the basic baseball. In the past baseballs were single pieces of hand stitched, stuffed leather. Todays modern version baseball is the modern hardballs, which are technologically made to exact specifications.

Another old baseball gear is the bat. Bats today are more precisely carved and crafted from different materials: woods such as ash, maple, metal like aluminum, and even bamboo. No longer is this basic baseball gear made from tree limbs and wagon tongues.

Even the simple fielders glove, another baseball gear basic, has undergone changes. Today there is now a wider selection. There are even gloves made for women fielders! You can pick buffalo leather or the “Full-Grain” leather which is made out of cow hide leather on which the entire natural grain remains. For new players or occasional baseball players, fielders gloves made out of pigskin will do. While it is less durable compared to cowhide, it is more flexible.

All other baseball gear stalwarts such as the helmet, sneakers to the outfits of the baseball players, have benefited from technological advances. For instance, the materials used to make sneakers and uniforms are now stretchable synthetic-blend materials. These materials are more functional and protective.

These sound technological advances have indeed made a big difference, in the making more durable, sturdier and comfortable baseball gear. Making it possible for baseball to be enjoyed by the spectators and players in safety and fun!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If you play baseball or softball, you need a good, dependable baseball glove. The right baseball glove can make the difference in your game.

Below are some suggestions for finding the right baseball glove:

How To Buy A Baseball Glove from:

http://thelefthand.com/baseballgloves.html

Gloves, like the hands they fit, come in a variety of sizes. Baseball and softball gloves also are geared to fit both the position you play and the level of your game. Keep these factors in mind when you decide which style, size, features and materials best suit your game.

Determine the glove that best suits your fielding position
Catcher
First base
Infield
Outfield
Softball
Find the features that fit your game
Construction
Materials
Suit the glove to your ability
Fit the glove to your hand
Determine the glove that best suits your fielding position.

Gloves are made to better help you field your position. A key element in determining the size mitt you buy is the position you play in the field.

Catcher

A fingerless mitt (it does not have individual fingers)
Has heavy padding to reduce the sting from the pitcher’s throw
Reinforced to withstand the heavy use throughout a game.

First base

Also resembles a mitten, but has less padding than the catcher’s mitt
It is longer to help the first baseman field throws from infielders
A shallow pocket allows the first baseman to quickly retrieve the ball from the mitt.

Infield

A five-fingered glove with a shallow pocket
A youth size is between 9 - 11 inches
Adults 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 inch is the typical baseball size
Softball infielder gloves have a deeper pocket to accept the bigger ball
Second basemen need a smaller glove to help make those quick throws while still having control shortstops use something in the middle for grounders and quick throws Third basemen need a larger glove.

Outfield

Usually sized at 12 to12 1/2-inches for adults, about 11 inches for children. A deeper pocket to handle balls hit high in the air
Longer length to give as much reach as possible.

If you plan to play several positions, find a glove that provides the most control for a variety of outfield positions.

http://www.a1-glove-4u.info/baseball.html

I love this game. It has been half a century since I started to fall in love with baseball. The romance is still going strong. Playing, coaching, watching, listening, and reading about baseball has been part of my every day life since I was 15 years old. Even in the dead of winter when baseball is on the back pages of the newspaper, I will find out what new development has occurred or who has been signed or traded.

I want to write and read about all types of baseball stories that are inspiring. Why not? Isn’t being inspired a great way to live? Isn’t offering others an expression of what you love the ultimate gift?

I discovered my need to write and gather inspiring stories about baseball as I drove on Route 80 in Northern New Jersey in February 2004. I started thinking about the movies I have seen and the stories I have read that I loved. Why did I like these stories? What was “My” definition of a great story? I was fixed on finding an answer. I started thinking about the movie Field of Dreams, one of my all time favorites. Why did I like this corny
movie so much? Was Field of Dreams a metaphor for living out of your field of dreams? Was creating a clearing done to allow the dreams to show up? In the movie they cleared away a crop of corn to build a baseball field. Do we need to clear away some of our own corn fields to see the dreams that capture our hearts and then create a path to reach those
dreams?

It was then I decided to open up a new road for myself. The direction I was meant to travel on. I love baseball. Oh I said that. I love great stories. I said that as well. Let me fuse these two passions, together. “Sounds good,” I said to myself. I guess I am pretty corny, huh. That is the birth of baseball’s pride and joy. The company I started that is dedicated to expressing inspiring baseball stories. Talk about a labor of love. This baby has been living inside me for over 30 years.

What could be better than finding your love and then nurturing it? I have discovered my essence. When I write these words, I see that I am on the field where I want to play.

Now, I can provide a place for others to tell their tale of baseball inspiration. Tell your Field of Dreams or be like The Natural even if you are The Rookie. Make your story sing. Make it vibrant.

Be outrageous.

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His passions have included; playing, watching, reading , evaluating, and coaching the game he adores. Check out his baseball ezine. For inspiring quotes, unusual statistics and most of all heartwarming stories go here.

http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=emporium

Pedro, Beltran, and the Mets as seen by one true Yankee Fan:Aron WalladPedro, Beltran, and the Mets as seen by one true Yankee Fan:

It was the middle of the NFL playoffs, and what has grabbed the interest of many sports fans has been the off-season maneuvering and acquisitions of the Mets and Yankees. In the past, the sports media has hyped baseball trades, the big money contracts, and the long time rivalries which make the off-season so interesting, but never as intensely as this year in NY. First, Pedro Martinez, then, Carlos Beltran going to the Mets has splashed the team front and center in our sports world consciousness. For the first time, in a long time, the Mets have captured the imagination of their fans with the possibilities of a dynamic exciting season.

Anyone who knows me knows I love the Yankees. And yes, I admit scoffing at the Mets in recent seasons. Some may wonder how a Yankee fan feels about the increasing powerful competition across town.

Like many true Yankees fans, I NEVER wanted to see Pedro Martinez in pinstripes.
(Hey, I also was never a Roger Clemmens aficionado).
I have witnessed many sworn enemies extend the olive branch during my lifetime. Ive seen Berlin Wall come down, Communism fail, and normal trade with China. Ive accepted that Darth Vader was once a good guy, and Tom Cruise can play a bad guy,
But all that doesnt mean I could want Pedro Martinez playing for my team. So thanks Mr. Steinbrenner, for not making that deal. However, I do know Pedro is a terrific pitcher, so why not have him winning for a NY team, in another league.thats perfect!

Carlos Beltran is another matter. Yeah, it would be great to see him in a Yankee line-up.
I could see him patrolling the Stadium outfield. Like a spoiled child who has been given exorbitant gifts throughout her lifetime, I expected George to make a last minute move and deliver yet another treasure. Instead, he offered up a different prize: Randy Johnson. I admit that I secretly hoped for both players and was slightly disappointed. In spite of this, Im very happy he went to the Mets.

Why? Because the ultimate thrill for a NY sports fan (no matter if you love baseball or not) is to have another Subway Series. Its our Mecca, our Earthly Paradise, and Nirvana all rolled into one. It eclipses The Superbowl, has us more excited than the NBA playoffs, US Open and Master combined. NASCAR is nothing when were talking Subway Series.

So if getting Beltran, pitching Pedro, and grabbing some headlines in the process are the beginnings of making that dream come true, then bring it on. Yankee fans are ready.

Submitted by Cheryl Wallad my wife

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His passions have included; playing, watching, reading , evaluating, and coaching the game he adores. Check out his baseball ezine. For inspiring quotes, unusual statistics and most of all heartwarming stories go here.

http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=emporium

Last night, as I watched the Baseball All Star Home Run Derby and visited Major League Baseball’s Web site, it struck me. The league is doing many things to effectively find and attract targeted Web customers, while simultaneously generating revenue.

In fact, I noticed numerous lessons from Major League Baseball you can consider to profitably target your own customers. Here are six of them:

Think Through Your Business Models

Free information and activities are present, but well thought out, revenue generating business models are also evident.

Lesson 1: Make your profit generators stand out.

MLB.com has a separate, prominent navigation menu for profit producing activities - MLB Shop, Tickets, Auctions, Subscriptions - which appears in the upper right on all pages, where potential paying customers cannot miss it.

Importantly, each corresponding area of the site is narrowly focused on the visitors’ interests. For example, the shop sells baseball - and only baseball - items. This is readily apparent from the slogan “For all things baseball”.

Lesson 2: Sell subscriptions.

The league generates revenue from a variety of event subscriptions - live video broadcasts, live audio broadcasts, archived clips, and fantasy games. This also help open the door for repeat purchases and add-ons.

Lesson 3: Include advertisements.

Pop-ups and other online advertising are a fact of life on free-to-user sites. Major League Baseball demonstrates taste and intelligent implementation with their pop-under, limiting each visitor to a single impression. Banner advertisements and sponsorships are also apparent.

Develop Profit Pulling Marketing Techniques

Lesson 4: Segment your visitors.

The league uses a “hub and spoke” system, which allows visitors to choose their own interests. There is one general site (MLB.com), with links to several specialty sites (stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com, etc.).

This portal approach helps segment visitors into specific interest groups. It is a win-win strategy. Visitors find what they are looking for and the league can more easily target its marketing activities.

Lesson 5: Target locally.

Each “spoke” off the MLB hub contains local content, which segments visitors regionally. The league targets products and services accordingly.

For example, the Cardinals team site includes detailed information for Cardinals baseball events, ticket purchasing for Busch stadium games, and auctions for St. Louis related baseball memorabilia.

Lesson 6: Offer tiered products.

MLB offers subscription services at many levels. By packaging fantasy games into progressively larger bundles, they encourage trial as well as repeat visits. The offering also target customers according to interest level and budget.

There you have it - five lessons in profitable target marketing from Major League Baseball.

Copyright 2003 Bobette Kyle. All rights reserved.

Bobette Kyle draws upon 10+ years of Marketing/Executive experience, MBA, and online marketing research in her writing.

Her book shows how to better find, target, and attract Web customers. Read about it here: http://WebSiteMarketingPlan.com/bookinfo.htm

Back in the day …

I used to deal in baseball cards, and some memorabilia in the mid to late 1980’s. Through an old client I had the opportunity to sell a very rare piece of baseball lore. The piece that I was fondest of was a rare document signed by Harry Wright. A founding father of the game. The document was a contract of some player that was signed by Harry Wright, the manager, circa 1870. It was written on Cincinnati Red Stocking’s letterhead.

I was impressed. I was so excited to be entrusted with this rare artifact. I remember saying to myself. “Oh my god. You have got to be kidding.” I was astonished. I was in awe. I felt like I was let into a special group.

I sold the piece in the range of $10,000 - $12,000 if memory serves me. But selling the piece did not compare to the dreams I had about the contract.

Imagine, what it must have been like 130 years ago on the ball field. The baggy uniforms, and the teeny gloves for the players. The pitchers, hurling both games of a double header was common practice and a home run was a rarity. Boy has the game changed.

Handling that document made the early times of baseball real for me. I visualized those men playing in those old ballparks. I felt like I was part of that time. I was having a dream. I was there, back in the late 1800’s sitting in the stands. Smiling and watching baseball - Back in the day.

Handling this artifact was like punching a time clock and never punching out. I was in baseball memorabiliaville.

I can see why some people are so zealous about baseball memorabilia. Their baseball fantasy made a lot more sense to me after I sold this Harry Wright piece.

About the Author

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. You will love his honesty and his passion.. You will be touched by the heartwarming stories. The unusual statistics will amaze you and the quotes will make you laugh..

Go here right now to join his ezine http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com

A successful major league batter gets a hit only 30 percent of the time he comes to bat. One of the ways pitchers lower these chances even further is by throwing a curveball. A curveball is a pitch that appears to be moving straight toward home plate but that is actually moving down and to the right or left by several inches. Obviously, a pitch that curves is going to be harder to hit than a fastball that is moving straight.
There are two basic factors involved in creating a curveball:

Proper grip

Air resistance

Any baseball pitch begins with how the pitcher grips the ball. To throw a curveball, a pitcher must hold the baseball between his thumb and his index and middle fingers, with the middle finger resting on the baseball seam. When the pitcher comes through his motion to throw the ball, he snaps his wrist downward as he releases the ball, which gives the ball topspin. If the pitcher throws properly, the back of the his hand will be facing the batter at the end of the motion. The ball will break down and away from a right-handed batter if thrown by a right-handed pitcher.

The spinning action created when the pitcher releases the ball is the secret behind the curveball. This spinning causes air to flow differently over the top of the ball than it does under the ball. The top of the ball is spinning directly into air and the bottom of the ball is spinning with the air flow. The air under the ball is flowing faster than air on top of the ball creating less pressure, which forces the ball to move down or curve. This imbalance of force is called the Magnus Effect, named for physicist Gustav Magnus, who discovered in 1852 that a spinning object traveling through liquid is forced to move sideways.

Adding to the air pressure exerted on the ball are the 108 red stitches that hold the cover on the ball. Because they are raised, the stitches increase the amount of friction created as the air passes around the ball and places more air pressure on top of the ball. A well thrown curveball can move as much as 17 inches either way. If you’ve ever seen a batter jump out of the way of a baseball that ends up crossing over the plate, you’ve seen a good curveball.

http://www.a1-baseball-4u.info/

choosing a good Baseball Bat!Silent Onechoosing a good Baseball Bat!

Ash

Most wood bats today are made from Northern White Ash generally harvested in Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. It is graded for quality with straight grain being the most important criteria. (Southern Ash grows too quickly and is not as dense). Major League grade is of course, the best and is also in short supply. Most of what you see that’s labeled or sold as Pro-Stock or some similar name is actually Minor League wood or a lesser grade and generally is found for around $40. Of course, there are other levels of quality down to the $20. range. They are known by grades called high school, trophy and retail (don’t expect to see the grades labeled). Generally, they are not of very good quality and only worth purchasing if money is an issue. (Better than not having any wood at all). You won’t find these on our site. We only work with quantities in straight ash.

Maple

Here is another material that has recently gained some Major League notoriety. They cost a bit more, but when made properly AND from the right material known as Rock or Sugar Maple, it is absolutely worth the extra money simply because it tends to outlast ash bats many times over. So in the long run, because they last longer, they’re less expensive.

So why don’t all major Leaguers use maple? Actually, as they are becoming more well known, more players are now using them. Just like in your own dugout, players will try out each other’s new bats. And since they have such good “feel”, some players will switch while other players having the superstitions that many ballplayers tend to have, will never change even the color much less the type of bat that they use. Also, since Major leaguers aren’t concerned with saving money on bat breakage, economy is not the issue that it is for the rest of us.

http://www.a1-baseball-4u.info/