Effect of length of a baseball bat on the hitting

Abstract

Much remains unclear regarding the relationship between the length of a baseball bat and the outcome of the hit. This study therefore aimed to clarify how length in a baseball bat affects the batter's hitting of a ball approaching from the front. The participants were four male members of a university baseball club (height: 1.72±1.2 m, weight: 68.3±4.2 kg, baseball career: 13.7±2.5 years) who hit a ball launched from a pitching machine located ahead of them. Participants attempted 10 swings using an experimental baseball bat. Changing the length of the baseball bat affected the rotational motion and the linear motion of bat. The swing changed by the length of a baseball bat. Results indicate that the position of the impact and timing of ball impact changed by changing the length of the baseball bat. This shows that the length of bat affects the impact position of the bat and timing of impact upon a hit.