What Is a Baseball Bat?

A baseball bat is a smooth wooden club used by players in the sport of baseball to hit the ball after it is thrown by the pitcher. Bats are regulated by many different leagues, so a player must check to make sure the bat is approved for their league. When checking a bat, look for the name of the league (Little League, PONY or Babe Ruth) printed on the bat, a USSSA stamp and a BPF 1.15 rating. The barrel of the bat is usually 2.75 inches in diameter and 42 inches long, while the handle extends to a “knob” at the bottom of the bat.

Many different factors affect a hitter’s performance, including pitching mechanics, batting technique and the bat’s characteristics. Some bat manufacturers try to help hitters by giving their bats a larger sweet spot. The bigger the sweet spot, the more likely the hitter is to make contact with the ball, which leads to more home runs and doubles.

Other bat manufacturers attempt to improve a hitter’s performance by making the bat feel heavier when swinging it. This is called moment of inertia or MOI. A higher MOI is more difficult to swing than a lower one. To decrease a bat’s MOI, manufacturers can either increase the weight of the bat or change its shape to reduce its stiffness.