[Husker] PineTar and Aluminum Bats

[Neal Smith]

College baseball went to aluminum in the mid-70s.  It makes it easier to hit and harder on pitchers.  Some of the best players stay away from college for that reason.  The aluminum bat makers are in bed with the NCAA and college baseball programs; that is the only reason we still have metal in the college game.  It is more dangerous for players and it cheapens the game.  It's a money issue in that the makers have bribed colleges to keep their bats in the game.  It is also a reason why college baseball is inferior to AA minor league ball.
 
Neal
 
PS, I think the stuff on the helmets looks tacky and shows a disrepect for the program.  SP needs to put a stop to it and make the players use cleaner helmets for the image of the university and the state.  

Lynette Tillner <ltillner at yahoo.com> wrote:
Pine Tar is rubbed on helmets on purpose. It is so the batter can
touch their helmet during an at bat and refresh the pine tar on their
batting glove to make their grip better on their bat while at the
plate. Watch some of the batters, their between pitch movements are
systematic routines performed over and over again usually -- dig the
dirt with your cleets, pat your helmet, adjust your grip, adjust your
stance. 

College ball went to Aluminum bats many years ago. Wood was becoming
expensive, had to be replaced more often (from broken bats) and there
is some danger in broken bats flying (minor compared to the expense
issue at the time, as I recall). I'm thinking that they went
aluminum in the late 60's? Someone might be able to give a better
date than I remember. 

Aluminum bats are one of the reasons nay-sayers claim that college
baseball isn't "very good" ball. That and the DH rule. Kind of like
National Leaguers putting down the American League because of the DH.
Does anyone remember when College Baseball went to the DH? Was that
also late 60's? I sort of remember that as well. 

Anyway, pine tar is used to make your grip better on the bat. You
will also see the pine tar on the helmets in the majors (and in
softball). Pine tar is used on both aluminum (in college only) and
wood (in pro's only) bats. 

In my opinion, batters changing from the aluminum to wood bats is a
big adjustment for these college kids when they go Pro. The minor
leaguers (kids drafted out of High School) use wood bats. High
School and Little Leaguers use aluminum. Using wood bats (in
organized baseball) is limited to the Pro's these days. 

HTH
Lynette
(a real BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL fan) -- GO BIG RED! 



Lynette Tillner
ltillner at yahoo.com

_______________________________________________
husker site list
husker at tssi.com
http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/husker

		
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Sports
 Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football