Just like any nice piece of equipment, wood baseball bats must be maintained properly in order to achieve maximum results. Here are 5 tips from D-BAT Sports on how to properly maintain your wood baseball bats:
1. Wipe it Down with Rubbing Alcohol
After each time you practice with your wood baseball bat, go ahead and wipe it down with a clean cloth and rubbing alcohol. This will remove any pine tar buildup and keep the sweet spot nice and smooth – enhancing your ability to slug that ball.
2. Keep it Dry
Just like with any wood product, it is imperative that you keep your bat away from moisture and store it in a dry place. If your bat does in fact get wet, dry it off immediately, then apply linseed oil to protect it and replenish the oils in the wood.
3. Create Friction with Another Wood Bat
This might sound strange but applying force and rubbing another wood baseball bat against the bat will actually keep the sweet spot – and the rest of the bat – nice and smooth for optimum results.
4. Do Not Throw the Bat
This is self explanatory, but if you throw your bat, it can cause damage to the bat, and create knicks and grooves that are counterproductive to hitting. Do not throw the bat under any circumstances.
5. Store it Right
When your wood bat is not in use, store it in a dry, cool place, preferably with the handle up and the barrel facing downward. Never leave the bat in your gear bag in the trunk of a car, as the heat is detrimental to the quality of the bat.
6. Make Sure the Logo is Facing Up
When taking batting practice or stepping up to the plate during a game, always make sure the logo is facing UP. And when the bat crosses the plate to hit the ball, the logo should be up or at a 12:00 position. The sweet spot is on a 45′ part of the wood. When wood bats are designed, the bat maker takes great care to place the logo on top of the grain so that the player will hit the bat on the wood bat’s strongest surface. You want the player to squarely hit the ball on the wood bat’s “sweet spot.”
Ready to invest in a high quality wood baseball bat? Call D-BAT Sports today and let us show you our inventory of premium wood bats, or visit dbatsports.com to create your very own custom wood bat! Take a look here for some extra tips on taking care of your wood bat.