Two days after New York Yankees’ offensive explosion in the Bronx made a torpedo bats by talking about baseball, Cincinnati Reds Shortstop Elly de la Cruz decided to try for the first time in the launch practice. At the end of Reds ’14 -3 Texas Rangers routine on Monday evening, 23-year-old Slugger used it to go 4-for-5 with two home runs, double and seven RBI.
“I just wanted to know if it feels good,” he said, “and definitely.”
But while bats have recently become the main storyline across the league, it turned out that experiments with uniquely shaped bats that caused national stir at the weekend are actually happening quietly across baseball – and for a long time.
“It happened viral,” said New York Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza on Monday. “But it’s nothing new to us.”
Aaron Leanhardt, 48-year-old coach Miami Marlins, was credited with many of the brain for bats that were first emphasized when Yankees used them on Saturday in the franchise record of nine houses and 20-9 victories over Brewers Milwaukee.
“Certainly there were some players of the main league who turned it in big leagues in 2023,” Leanhardt said on Monday. “Like some players of the smaller league, who turned it in some real baseball games in 2023, and it was just a bit of a bit of what it is today.”
Bats will no longer be under the radar. Players across sport have begun to apply for their own versions of bats. The retailers started selling them to the public online. Chandler Bats is now offers a model Designed for Yankees the third Baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. for $ 239 for a bat. Victus is offers three modelsOne signature version of Anthony Volpe while Marucci has Francisco Lindor “Torpedo for exclusive” Bat for sale.
Bats differ from traditional models due to their shape of torpedo, which comes from redistribution of its weight so that the worst part or “sweet spot” is closer to the handle.
Birch seems to be the preferred wood for bats that have been designed to help hitters to guide more true contact at age when more and more jugs throw 100 miles / ha offer a repetition than ever because of technical and analytical progress.
Major League baseball said bats are entirely within their rules.
“It’s a bit exciting,” said Los Angeles Dodgers Infielder Max Muncy. “We just had a long conversation about (how) in 170 years and what was the baseball around was the number of changes in baseball bats minimal.”
For decades, most players turned bats made of ashes until Barry Bonds helped popularize maple bats at the end of the 90’s and early 2000.
“I mean,” Muncy said, “everyone turned Ash for 140 years, and then you had a guy rocking Javola, and then went out with his birch, and it really was all the changes.
Hype around bats created an unusual scene in the loanpot of the park on Monday. Marlins made Leanhardt available to reporters outside their kickoff. When he was with Yankees last season, Leanhardt didn’t talk to the media.
“There are many more cameras today than I’m used to,” he said. “… it was certainly unbelievable in the last few days.”
Leanhardt – through interviews with coaches, players, MLB and Bat Companies – have developed prototypes that eventually landed in the hands of Yankees players. Chisholm, Volpe, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells are among Yankees who use them this season. But the judge of the right player Aaron Aaron – perhaps the best hitter in the game – said no.
In a video published on Instagram Brett Laxon, a bat manufacturer for Marucci Sports and a former big Likaj, he said Yankees Slugger Giancarlo Stanton used one of his torpedo bats last year when seven domestic runs hit last year. Rookie Jason Domínguez also told reporters that Stanton used one.
Trevino was with Yankees last season. He said he raised one for the first time in 2024.
“At first I was glad,” by no means, “he said.” Then I tried. I liked it. “
Trevino then used them during training and spring training games before taking them to the regular season. He added that for the production of bats is a complicated process. This starts by taking the designers with a model with which the player is already known and modifies. He said he could order the size of barrels in small, medium and large.
“It enlarges the barrel where you want to hit the ball,” Trevino said.
“Perhaps Eureka was really when the players began to point to the place where they were trying to hit the ball, and noticed themselves that it was not the most bother of the bat,” Leanhardt said. “They noticed themselves that the tip of the bat was the toughest part of the bat, and everyone just looked at each other as,” Well, let’s turn it. Will it look stupid, but are we willing to go with it? “
“At the end of the day we were able to find people who were willing to go with it.”
Although Word quickly traveled around the game of the new bat style, not everyone was sold to them.
“None of the players said anything about their use,” said Houston Astros manager Joe Espada. “I never kept a bat or seen one of them. I know some of our boys used them in smaller leagues, but I won’t comment on a piece of baseball equipment I have never seen.”
“I don’t have a big opinion,” said Reds manager Terry Francona. “I think if you come back and look at where any of these courses were (worthy against Yankees), it may not be a bat.”
“I think it’s the madness,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I just didn’t throw it into it. It’s definitely soon and people talk about it, but I don’t think any of our boys swing the bat, so I’m not sure what it is.”
Several players said that after the weekend they issued orders on their own torpedo bats.
“I learned absolutely nothing but that they look like bowling pegs,” said Dodgers utility Man Enrique Hernández. “I ordered one. All great kids do it.”
The real question remains: does it actually change?
“I think it’s still on the debate,” said Minnesota’s twins Ryan Jeffers, who used a torpedo bat. “I don’t think it will be something that is over, it will be all for everyone, that everyone will start to rock these bats and become better hitters.
“Last year I had my teammates (with Yankees) who asked me if I wanted to try it, but never captured me,” said Juan Soto Mets Right Fielder by New York Post. “Yeah, I would try.”
And are they here to stay?
“I don’t know,” said the first Baseman Detroit Tigers Spencer Torkelson. “I feel good with my bat right now. Nothing will change. But maybe one day.”
“It can be one of those phases … it comes and leaves,” Jeffers said. “I think time will say that.”
– AthleticThis story was contributed to by C. Trent Rosecrans, Fabian Arday, Dan Hayes, Will Sammon, Chris Kirschner, Cody Stavenhagen, Matt Gelb, Britt Ghiroli and Chandler Rome.
(Upper photo of Elly de la Cruz: Jeff Dean / Getty Images)
