Mantle corking bats? Article on Yahoo Sports

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Wite3

Now watch Bonds, AROD, Ortiz, McGwire, Sosa, Fielder, Howard...they generate power mostly with upper body strength and even swing with just their hands. I am always amazed watching them hit homeruns at times. Griffey Jr was an exception in my mind and his power was generated with his smooth full body

Bonds had incredible hip rotation.. It may not have been as smooth and aesthetic to the eye Griffey, Will Clark, or even a Michael Tucker, but it was incredible. I do agree though, a lot of the big muscle guys just didn't/don't look like the guys you're talking about (and don't forget Joe D, his swing was amazing).. And many of their HR's, especially to the opposite field, are more heavily upper body generated. Some in the modern era that come mind who created amazing rotational (torque) with their legs/hips, into their upper bodies- Shawn Green, Josh Reddick, Ryan Braun, Bryce Harper, Ichiro (watch a BP), etc.

To add: per links I and Tiger8Mush posted above, you should get all the academic explanation necessary. The one that really jumped out at me is the comment that many many hits, being glancing blows, are hugely influenced by the angle at which the bat hits back, and whether this will create back spin and carry the ball further. This is definitely a factor and is not calculable using simply force/mass/acceleration equations.

[Exhibitman]

Corking a bat doesn't improve performance.

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/corkedbat.html

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats...atingPaper.pdf

[HRBAKER]

The steroids didn't help them at all.
That's precisely why they did them and then lied about it, bc they thought they weren't helping them at all.

[itjclarke]

I think placebo effect for anything.. Roids, corked bats, etc, will often have great unquantifiable influence too. I mean, does swinging a donut or two bats make you swing faster in your at bat?? No, but I know I was a mess if I couldn't get my two bat warm up swings in before stepping to the plate.

Btw- I think there are 4 separate references to the same website now. It's an informative read, and in my opinion explains the physics nicely.