Do machine balls really damage bats?

[Swing Coach]

Was at the cages last night when I told a 10-year-old to stop for a moment to listen to some instruction. He took a check swing at the ball (made contact) and his graphite handle on his Easton bat totally cracked in half. This was a new bat and the machine was using softer rubber dimple balls.

On all new bats the manufacturer warns against using any balls except baseballs. Is this just a way to cover their butts or are machine balls actually more damaging? If so, is it the harder ones or softer ones? The softer balls do have more rebound (time on the bat)....does that mean anything? And are the harder balls more likely to dent bats?????

The broken bat last night doesn't seem to be a ball issue since he made contact on the barrel and his stopping of his swing created the break.

Do balls other than baseballs harm metal or graphite bats, and how?

SC

[conky149er]

Was at the cages last night when I told a 10-year-old to stop for a moment to listen to some instruction. He took a check swing at the ball (made contact) and his graphite handle on his Easton bat totally cracked in half. This was a new bat and the machine was using softer rubber dimple balls.

On all new bats the manufacturer warns against using any balls except baseballs. Is this just a way to cover their butts or are machine balls actually more damaging? If so, is it the harder ones or softer ones? The softer balls do have more rebound (time on the bat)....does that mean anything? And are the harder balls more likely to dent bats?????

The broken bat last night doesn't seem to be a ball issue since he made contact on the barrel and his stopping of his swing created the break.

Do balls other than baseballs harm metal or graphite bats, and how?

SC
they defiantely do

i got a brand new maple bat, went to a batting cage, now there are dents into the bat

[PhilliesPhan22]

never had any issues out of the ordinary.

[wogdoggy]

me either? a bats WORST enenmy in my opinion are WATERLOGGED or wet baseballs..

[Baseball gLove]

My son had one of the first Easton Stealths. That bat lasted over 2 years of year round games and batting cages. We hoped it would die before the warranty ran out. It had been suggested that we hit the bat against a pole. We wouldn't do that. The bat had plenty of pop and kept blasting the ball. We gave it to my nephew when my son moved to -5 and -3. He shatter a Orange Stealth Comp when he blasted a homerun that easily cleared 410 in center. The replacement Orange Comp didn't seem to have the same pop and he was very dissappointed with it. He now has the Blue Stealth IMX and he is very happy with it.

[TG Coach]

From the kids always using wood bats or old bats in the cages I don't have a point of reference. Maybe there's a chemical in the balls that affects the metal. I do know you don't want to use a Demarini in cold weather. Metal bats are not warrantied under 60 degrees. Between the varsity and JV last year they broke four Demarinis. The kids had to buy a new bat, hold onto the Demarini until the summer and claim it cracked then.

[HYP]

Was at the cages last night when I told a 10-year-old to stop for a moment to listen to some instruction. He took a check swing at the ball (made contact) and his graphite handle on his Easton bat totally cracked in half. This was a new bat and the machine was using softer rubber dimple balls.

On all new bats the manufacturer warns against using any balls except baseballs. Is this just a way to cover their butts or are machine balls actually more damaging? If so, is it the harder ones or softer ones? The softer balls do have more rebound (time on the bat)....does that mean anything? And are the harder balls more likely to dent bats?????

The broken bat last night doesn't seem to be a ball issue since he made contact on the barrel and his stopping of his swing created the break.

Do balls other than baseballs harm metal or graphite bats, and how?

SC

I've seen a lot of the composite bats explode. I don't like them.

My son never hits cage balls with his game bat.

[59FIFTY]

they defiantely do

i got a brand new maple bat, went to a batting cage, now there are dents into the bat
Then you got some bad wood, what brand did you buy?

[escort1991]

Once the bat goes to gamer status, I wouldn't use it in the cages.

But if it's a brand new bat, swing away.

[DerekD]

For batting practice, you might try one of those sleeves that slide onto the barrel of the bat. Tuff Sleeve? I think that's what I've seen out there.

[All-StarLF1713]

my wood louisville broke from the dimples. trust me, they are damaging. then again, eastons have a knack for having problems. i have an easton rampage 24.5 ounce and it keeps getting dents even though i havent been to the cages in a long time. i only hit baseballs and tennis balls and im the only one to use it. i had to send it in and get a new one. now the new one has dents, so it could be a combonation of the two. from my experience, they're very good bats. mine has an enlarged sweet spot. and i really like it. but if its durability your looking for, dont get this. im not very surprised, because it was like a 60 dollar bat. not a bad price, considering stealths are going for around 200-300 dollars.

[NewbieBBDad]

Cage balls won't damage most metal bats (except the paint). But wood certainly and also composite bats.

The epoxy holding together composite bats break a little everytime they are hit. Which is why they obtain more pop with time. That's also why mfgs recommend rotating the bat slightly after each swing.

I believe cage balls tend to have high density and their surface is more durable than regular baseballs.

[CPatt44]

Then you got some bad wood, what brand did you buy?


He didn't get bad wood. All maple bats will "dent", moreso, compress with hitting baseballs. This is a property of maple bats. They will show lace marks in the barrel from hitting a ball because the wood compresses from the impact.

As far as machine balls on wood, I can surely say that they do not do any extra damage. I have been swinging ash, maple, and birch bats for the last 5 years in cages and have had no problems with any bats. I do agree however, to have a game only bat.

[conky149er]

Then you got some bad wood, what brand did you buy?

Rawlings Maple


i usually use Mizuno Bamboo bats but the sports store i always go to had none


this bat doenst seem to have as much durability as a bamboo does