Feb. 21, 2011

The State of College Baseball - Part 1
By Sean Ryan and Phil Stanton
CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founders

In 2008, CollegeBaseballInsider.com conducted its first State of College Baseball. Back then, hot topics included new scholarship rules, the APR and an aging Rosenblatt Stadium.

Over the next few days, CBI will unveil the 2011 State of College Baseball. We surveyed nearly 40 percent (118) of Division-I's 300 head coaches on a variety of topics concerning the game.

Today, CBI takes a look at all-things bats...


New Bats Alter College Baseball
By Sean Ryan
CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

RICHMOND, Va. - The toned-down ping of the aluminum bats used by college baseball teams across the country will change the game's landscape according to the CollegeBaseballInsider.com State of College Baseball.

In a survey of nearly 40 percent of Division-I college baseball coaches, half said the new bats introduced this season will "greatly" change college baseball, and 43 percent said the new bats will cause them to change the way they coach. Conversely, the other half of the 118 coaches who participated in the survey said bats will "minimally" change the game.

"It's pretty clear that the jury is still out on how the new bats will affect college baseball," said Phil Stanton, co-founder of CollegeBaseballInsider.com.

Sixty-two percent of coaches agreed there was a need to tone down the aluminum bats, and 61 percent said the new bats will make college baseball safer. Yet only 28 percent thought the NCAA should switch to wood bats, and 72 percent said the NCAA will never switch to wood bats.

As far as the bats themselves, 36 percent said the new bats are worse than expected, with 56 percent saying the bats were as expected and only 6 percent saying the new bats were better than expected. And 46 percent estimated their team's home run production would be reduced by at least 50 percent. To offset the drop in power, nearly 60 percent of coaches said they expect to bunt, steal and hit and run more than they have in the past.

CollegeBaseballInsider.com State of College Baseball Survey Results - 118 Division I Coaches

The new bats will make college baseball safer:
Yes 72 (61 percent)
No 46 (39 percent)

There was a need to tone down the bats:
Yes 73 (62 percent)
No 45 (38 percent)

The new bats are:
What you expected 69 (58 percent)
Worse than expected 42 (36 percent)
Better than expected (6 percent)

The new bats will change college baseball:
Greatly 59 (50 percent)
Minimally 59 (50 percent)
Not at all 0 (0 percent)

The new bats will:
Have little impact on the way you coach 67 (57 percent)
Change the way you coach 51 (43 percent)

With the new bats, you expect to bunt, steal and hit and run:
More 70 (59 percent)
Less 1 (less than 1 percent)
The same 47 (40 percent)

The new bats will cut your team's home runs by:
10 percent 17 (14 percent)
25 percent 43 (36 percent)
50 percent 42 (36 percent)
More than 50 percent 12 (10 percent)
No change 4 (3 percent)

The NCAA should switch to wood bats:
No 85 (72 percent)
Yes 33 (28 percent)

The NCAA will:
Never switch to wood bats 85 (72 percent)
Switch to wood bats eventually 23 (20 percent)
Switch to wood bats in the near future (within five years) 10 (8 percent)