Was the cork bat really busted?

Posted by ploberle@reddit | mythbusters | View on Reddit | 9 comments

S5E15 the baseball special, they tested the cork bat myth. But I feel like they rushed the whole segment and didn’t show us everything ya know?! Like there’s no way professional baseball players would do something to drop their stats that significantly. Maybe I’m just giving too much credit to the baseball players lol but I just feel like if they found out it was confirmed, the American baseball league wouldn’t want that information out there, so they had to bust it. Idk lol. What are other people’s thoughts ?!

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Feisty_Welcome_7189@reddit

Oh and.like they were obviously involved is some way, cause made it clear that someone didn't us.seeing a corked bat was made

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Feisty_Welcome_7189@reddit

I question that too, I mean, did you see a real person throwing and hitting, usually there is a real life example to see if the test works, it's not there, no one using it and seeing the effects irl

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thirstpretzel@reddit

Why would cork help. An entire bat made from cork would be shit. Why would putting it in the middle improve anything?

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A_Fartful_Dodger@reddit

That episode bothers me a bit.

Their rig was stated to swing a bat at a constant speed whether it’s the solid bat or the corked bat.

A human player should swing the corked bat faster because it is lighter.

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92xSaabaru@reddit

As a moderate baseball fan with some playing experience as a kid and teen, I can't watch that episode. A lot of the myths were kinda basic and or came from the wrong angle. Curveball most definitely curve. Sliding is for slowing down faster and more controlled while avoiding a tag. (The clips of them trying to stop quickly from a full run while standing up hurt me to watch. Injury waiting to happen.)

But corked bats is probably half right. A lot of it is placebo and some power may be lost by cork absorbing it, but a lighter bat allows for a quicker reaction time which can have a big impact on hitting. I read an article about how Babe Ruth looks out of shape compared to modern players and his swing looks different in tape but his timing allowed him to set very respectable records.

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Drill_on@reddit

A corked bat WILL cost you power imparted on the ball. Players know that. Even with the increased swing speed ti doesn’t have the inertia to transfer to the ball. Big but here, it gives them more time before they have to swing. If you can make the balls path off a difficult pitcher it is a win over missing the swing.

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