Baseball studies: Baseball bat testing protocol development

The performance testing of baseball bats for potential use in regulating bat performance is best completed using the same baseballs as are used in a game. In the current research, the effects of repeated use of baseballs in testing are explored. The batball performance is compared with ball performance off a rigid wall, and the consistency of both bat- and ball-performance metrics during bat-ball testing. The understanding of these conditions gives bat testers and regulatory bodies a basis for what test criteria to consider in the development of baseball bat test protocols.