One of the true advantages of
operating Australia’s most popular baseball blog is the rigorous debate that
often arises from posts. Monday’s post on aluminium bats making a return in the
Western Australian State League competition sparked some serious discussion
amongst readers and had the Defensive Specialist in the midst of a fairly long
winded email back and forth with a number of baseball minds. Anytime a major
change comes about you’ll always encounter several sides to the argument.
There really isn’t a right answer
this time (ok, who are we kidding, switching to metal bats at that level is
nonsensical) but it has been interesting to hear the many pros and cons to wood
and metal in baseball.
The Defensive Specialist did make
mention of Geoff Hooker who holds an interesting position in the Western
Australian baseball universe – a senior baseball administrator and the owner of
an extremely successful baseball retail outlet. The Defensive Specialist’s
implication was that Hooker actually had a vested interest in the switch to
metal from a business perspective.
Since we’re running a democracy here
at Deep in the Hole, it was with pleasure that the Defensive Specialist noted
an email from Hooker in the Deep in the Hole inbox. Here’s what he had to say:
Defensive Specialist,
Saw your post on the metal bats...
Since you mentioned me as a decision maker, I just thought I should let
you know my opinions on the issue:
Because I am spending so much time at BWA and the Heat, I actually have
very little time to work on stuff at Fielders Choice, but I'm pretty sure there
is significantly greater margins and higher long-term revenue in wood bats.
While the changeover might be good for Fielders Choice in the short term,
I think it will hurt us in the long term, in this specific context.
That said, my business motivation for supporting such a decision is
based on overall market size (participants). I essentially got into
league management because the market (participation) had collapsed during the
2000 - 2005 period. Since 2005, we've made a few charges to bolster
participation and I think we've started to turn things around. Without
question, a bigger market is good for Fielders Choice. In that regard, I
hope my business interests are aligned with WA State League.
While the metal bat issue has been raised, in the most part, by me, I
have made it very clear that I am simply expressing my opinion and that I would
not try and force the change on WA's State League. There does seem to be
significant interest among club officials and it has become a
"serious" issue much quicker than I expected. Now that the
issue is out there and being debated, I plan to remove myself from
the argument, unless someone specifically asks my opinion. So it certainly
won't be my decision.
Taking off my BWA and Fielders Choice caps:
· When I look back to my
days as an entry level state leaguer (pre ABL v1), I really feel it was
beneficial for the 16-20 year olds entering State League to be
competitive immediately. I don't think I was physically up to swinging a
wood bat in competition until my return from college at age 23 (some would argue
I never could). I feel bad for the young guys now, who have it a lot tougher
than we did.
· I think it keeps old
guys in the league longer at the expense of younger players.
· I also have an opinion
on the offensive approach it creates for most young guys... but I could ramble
on for ages, and who am I to preach that stuff...
Anyway, just wanted to clarify my position and
motivation.
Geoff
The
Defensive Specialist appreciates Hooker taking the time to outline his thoughts
on the topic and some of his motivating factors.
As
stated previously, the debate can rage on and on with no real end in sight. The
Defensive Specialist doesn’t agree with a potential switch as it compromises
the integrity of the game. Think back over the last 10 years, when we saw an
explosion in offensive numbers and people were saying that Mark McGwire had
saved the game because he had brought huge offensive output and excitement to
the contest. Obviously the big leagues didn’t switch to metal bats but they did
have a steady stream of performance enhancers coursing through it to assist in
raising the offensive output.
Hitting
a round ball with a round bat squarely is one of the toughest things in the
world to do from an athletic perspective. There is a reason that the best
hitters in the world make an out 7 times from every 10 at bats. Why mess with
the fabric of the game by making it easier for hitters through the use of
metal?
Hooker
did raise an interesting point in regards to participation. Did player numbers
drop because it was tougher to get a knock with wooden bats? The Defensive
Specialist is of the belief that if a kid can make the state league level, he’s
normally in for the long haul. The factors nowadays that seem to pull them away
from the game appear to be more social than an ability to hit a line drive to
the gap with wood.
The Defensive Specialist has no problem with aluminium
being used as players rise up through the junior ranks, but if they’re good
enough to be considered for the higher state level baseball then wood is the
next test. It should be an equal playing field for both pitchers and hitters.
The Defensive Specialist just doesn’t see kids on the cusp of the top level
thinking that it’s all too tough with wood and dropping out of the sport.
In the Defensive Specialist’s opinion, participation
is down because there is no league for youngsters to aspire to. If the ABL gets
up and popping, the Defensive Specialist anticipates participation numbers will
rise. However and this is a big however, it’s unlikely that numbers will ever
get back to the halcyon days of the mid to late 90’s simply because there are
way too many other things for kids to do nowadays and the channels are too
diverse to drive the numbers into teeball and baseball.
The Defensive Specialist is eager to hear from readers
with their theories on participation numbers and drivers. Hit up the inbox or
the comment section.
In the meantime, let the Defensive Specialist cherry
pick a couple of great examples to support his case for wood:
"Crack and ping of bat", "Probing for more information", "Looking through a crack", "Nose to Nipple" are all written by the Defensive Specialist or in one of his/her other guises as Reality Bites.
ReplyDeleteCommentary on Aussie baseball is always welcome, but I am the only one sensing something a little weird about this author's self-indulgent meanderings?
Hey Anonymous or shall I call you "Chip on Shoulder", if you don't like don't read. I am yet see something solid, interesting or constructive from you.
ReplyDeleteHang on if you can bang out these quotes you must like the blogs. Keep upping the blog hits, I am sure the DS will appreciate it.
Hey DS,
ReplyDeleteI thought one of the main reasons for going to wood was to protect the pitcher! Wouldn’t the BWA be opening themselves up to potential lawsuits if they move back to metal and a pitcher gets badly pinged?
I play in the lower grades and hate pitching to the older guys with their metal bats, it’s a mismatch as my old arm cannot live up to their bats (have a look at the results in the lower divs and you will see what I mean). It’s pure vanity on their part, to arrive at the plate with a metal bat when the pitcher throws mid 70’s. It could also be argued that with metal bats in the State League there might be more older players that would be lured back to hit the young studs around as the quality of pitchers will be down (ABL) and clubs more likely to go with experience over youth when it comes to batting. In fact I am willing to wager that this is indeed what will happen.
Also, I have been to enough council meetings to know that these things aren’t raised by the floor, it always seems to be a directive from the board, and who the main sponsor of the bill is, is never really revealed, your guess would be as good as mine though.
"what about me"
ReplyDeleteNot being as verbally diverse as the DS, I am not going to try and put another "perspective" across in a witty and intelligent manner for failure would be a forgone conclusion, but have we considered what State League and AAA pitchers think about the Metal Bats?
Being an ex SL pitcher I have asked the same question to current and ex pitchers of substantial (ABL / PRO / NATIONAL) quality and surprisingly enough, they didn't mind the potential challenge.
One pitcher provided and interesting perspective. Given that in each SL team there are potentially 3 "dangerous" hitters that you have to "get down to business" on, there are 6 others that you may not have to work as hard to get out. Understanding that this pitcher is capable of handling 1-9, he did not seem too phased by the "opportunity" to get nasty 1-9, infact he welcomed it. Would the inclusion of metal bats increase the pitchers (wait for it) need to think a little more how they worked each hitter?
From my previous experience I was given a "decent" arm to use but "advanced catchers" to play with in the ABL days. I have no doubt that they were the reason for a lot of Perth Heat pitchers success in the 90's, they were certainly mine ..
In the Sydney Major League during its last season with aluminum, more hitters hit .400+ that season, more than the collective over 5 seasons since wood bats were introduced... from my viewpoint wood bats have identified the legit' hitters in our competition and resigned all those punch n judy hitters to the lower grades to learn how to hit and not just swing in hope.
ReplyDelete