A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to
hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75
inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches (1067 mm) in
length. It typically weighs no more than 36 ounces (1 kg). The batter uses the
bat two-handed to try to hit a pitched ball fair so that he may become a runner,
advance bases, and ultimately score a run or help preceding runners to score.
Terminology
Although using a stick to hit a ball is a somewhat simple
concept, the bat is a complex object. It is carved or constructed very carefully
to allow for a quick balanced swing, while providing power. The bat is divided
into several regions. The barrel is the thick part of the bat, where the bat is
meant to hit the ball. The part of the barrel best for hitting the ball with,
according to construction and swinging style, is often called the sweet spot.
The end of the barrel is not part of the sweet spot, and is simply called the
tip or end of the bat. The barrel narrows, and becomes the handle. The handle is
very thin, so that batters can comfortably set the bat in their fingers.
Sometimes, especially on metal bats, the handle is wrapped with a rubber or
cloth grip. Finally, next to the handle is the knob of the bat, a wider piece
that keeps the bat from sliding out of a batter's hands. Over the centuries, the
baseball bat's form has become more refined. During the 19th century, many
shapes were experimented with, as well as handle designs. Today, the baseball
bat is much more uniform in design.
"Lumber" is a sometimes-used slang term for a bat, especially when wielded by a
particularly good batter.
The drop of a baseball bat is its length in inches minus its weight in ounces.
For example, if a bat is 33" long and it weighs 30 ounces, then the drop is -3.
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