Is there a baseball equipment store ala "Total Hockey" somewhere in the south suburbs? I swear someone mentioned it here awhile back but I can't find anything on Google. I'm looking for a place that has a good bat selection & has a cage to sample the goods.

_________________
Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"

Santos on 111th past Central was pretty thorough

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Thanks, that must have been it. As of January 1 at least for younger leagues, all bats used must be certified by the USSSA. Supposedly the new certification specs are meant to mimic wood as closely as possible. I'm assuming that this has undermined the market for $300-$400 bats if the performance can't exceed a certain point.

_________________
Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"

Just buy wood for the winter. Expect one to be broken, but your son will love it, and be in the top tier.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

But is baseballsavings.com no longer a thing?

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Wood's not a bad idea--I might do that. Yeah I looked at baseballsavings but he's such a whiner. I know I'm going to end up returning bats & shit.

_________________
Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"

Right next to the Jerk Store.

Take him to cages where older guys are hitting. He'll want to mimic what they're doing, and equate the sound of wood with ballers.

Do they still make the DeMarini 1/2 wood composite bats? Great to wean kids off fiberglass.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Even the wood bats are expensive now. You can find a Louisville slugger in ash for $25, but most bats are now maple and are over $100.

_________________

This is the cheapest I found. Can the price even be possible for a 100% maple bat?

https://www.baseballsavings.com/wood-ba ... e-wood-bat

_________________
Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"

I wouldn't spend any money on that, cheap bats only lasted for one trip to the cages. Let your boy see how much you're willing to spend on a composite bat, buy whatever passes for the cool new grip tape and take a bow.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

It is funny how things have changed since I was a kid. You just picked up what worked for you out of the coache's team bag of 8-10 wooden bats.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

I wanted to buy a wood bat for my son but turns out it is illegal in the league even for little tykes. stupid.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

In little league? If so, times have changed

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Probably some dumb excuse that it will break and the shard will impale a youth.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

Probably some dumb excuse that it will break and the shard will impale a youth.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

Why would you ever use a wooden bat unless it was required?

_________________

Yeah in the Oak Park Little League. From T-ball up. Like I said, stupid.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

You gotta be shittin me.

well, A) to work on strenth and hitting the ball properly, and B) paying $79 for a bat for an 8 year old is just stupid.

But of course, we all have to be lemmings nowadays so I bought the $79 bat.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Wouldn't it make sense to have the rule be standard for bats?

It would seem weird to have a game where someone comes up with a wood bat and then the next person comes up with an aluminum bat.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

that doesn't make any sense but you will see the gap between aluminum bats themselves is wider than the gap between wood and a "regulation" aluminum.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

My little league experience was limited but is it common for there to be leagues where you can use either wooden or aluminum bats?

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I don't really know but is it common for there to be leagues where you can use either wooden or aluminum bats?

_________________
Elections have consequences.

For the most part, wooden bats are accepted in all games (there are exceptions). Plus there are some "wood bat only" tournaments. Once you reach high school and most travel leagues over 13u, you need to use a BBCOR bat (or wood). That stands for Baseball Coefficient of Restitution, which essentially limits the trampoline effect of a metal bat to be no greater than that of wood. Saves the pitchers from getting killed.

_________________

Thanks.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I remember just using an Easton that one of the rich kids brought.

_________________
Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Yeah I played from Kindergarten through 7th grade and never owned a bat. Always used a friends or what was ever in the equipment bag.

_________________

I remember the days in White Cap Little League (Hanson Park) when we would just pick one of the team's wooden bats...they rarely broke because the handles were so thick. The breakage problem started when handles became thinner. And if an ash bat broke, it never hurt anyone (other than the bee sting it gave the batter), whereas the maple bats can splinter into lethal projectiles.

_________________

_________________