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The debate is on: Are aluminum bats more dangerous, do they bring an edge to baseball or should we return to the pure sport?
Aluminum bats were introduced to the NCAA in the early 1970s and have been used ever since, but much controversy is circulating as to whether or not the bats are safe and fair.
A few high school leagues and some little league teams have made the switch to wooden bats out of a safety concern but the NCAA is far from making that decision.
Aluminum bats were introduced as a way for teams and players to save money because while an aluminum bat can dent, it will not break and need replacing.
Today, with aluminum bats priced over $250, the old reasoning is not as valid as it once was.
From the time aluminum bats were introduced at the college level, the overall batting average has increased from .262 in 1970, to .291 in 2006, according to a study at Kettering University. The batting average peaked at .306 in 1998, just before the implementation of strict bat regulations from the NCAA.
The increase is significant when you consider BYU is batting just over .300 with the season halfway through and has almost 400 hits.
Aluminum bats have increased pitchers' ERA as well as hitters' batting averages.
BYU pitcher Jesse Craig has a 3.84 ERA, but when he played in a wooden bat league at the junior college level his ERA was 1.30.
"My stats were a lot better in wood bat compared to here," Craig said. "I still think wood bats are better."
Craig, like almost any other pitcher, prefers pitching to a wood bat because his ERA is lower and because it is safer.
"I don't allow myself to think about [the safety]," Craig said.
Craig has taken a number of hits off his body during his time as a pitcher, but nothing to seriously cause injury.
"It is the ones that zoom past your head that make you worry a bit," he said.
With a wooden bat, pitchers have an advantage because any pitch that is not hit with the sweet spot of the bat will not likely result in a base hit.
From the hitters' standpoint, aluminum bats give them the advantage over pitchers.
"I like hitting with an aluminum bat, so I wouldn't like to see it changed," BYU outfielder Leon Johnson said.
As a professional draft prospect, Johnson faces the task of transitioning to wooden bats when he enters the world of professional baseball.
"If you don't hit it right, you don't get a base hit," Johnson said.
Johnson has played with wooden bats before so he does not foresee a problem transitioning back.
"There are still going to be injuries with a wooden bat," Johnson said. "There is always a risk for injury."
BYU coach and retired Major League Baseball player Vance Law said Johnson should be able to make the transition but some players are unable to do so.
"I think it's the pure way to play the game, it rewards good pitches and challenges hitters," Law said.
He said the safety is an issue only because the sweet spot is much larger on an aluminum bat.
The sweet spot on a wooden bat is roughly 21/2 inches while it is 15 inches on an aluminum bat.
"There are more balls coming off with higher exit speeds," Law said. "If a major league team used aluminum I have not doubt someone would be killed."
Ty Halpin, NCAA liaison to the baseball rules committee, has been involved with bat performance research and sees little difference in bat exit speeds between an aluminum bat and the best wooden bats.
"I would say it is very, very close," Halpin said. "I would not say the difference is dramatic."
Halpin said the studies of the bats were conducted to ensure the safety of the athletes.
"The safety of the student athlete is always talked about," said Jim Paronto, secretary to the baseball rules committee.
While a number of studies have been conducted concerning how safe aluminum bats are, no conclusive evidence has been found.
Physicists Joseph Crisco, Richard Greenwald, Jeffery Blume and Peena Lorraine conducted a comprehensive study of the performance of aluminum and wooden bats.
"In summary, we have shown that some metal bats can significantly outperform wood bats," the physicists said in their results.
While hard hit balls up the middle have injured many pitchers, Halpin said most of the injuries occur in the lower extremities and have not resulted in any life-threatening injuries.
"The [NCAA] membership like the more offensive game," Halpin said. "You get more hits and more interaction on the bases."
A question posed by many is: which type of game would fans like to see more? With aluminum bats there is more on-base action with a greater number of hits. But would fans rather see a competitive pitchers' duel?
For the time being, the NCAA is not considering making the change, although Halpin said if the coaches association wanted to make the change, they could present it to the NCAA, then the membership would decide.