Month: April 2018

 

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.

Losing is never fun.

It doesn’t matter if it’s at baseball, or a contest at school, or even Family Game Night at home, a loss hurts.

But how can you channel that loss and make it into something meaningful? At D-BAT Sports, our goal is to develop the whole player, and here are 3 ways winners can learn from a loss:

1. It’s Okay to Be Upset – Just Don’t Stay that Way

After a hard fought game, it’s okay – and even healthy – to be upset. It shows that you care about the game, and your team, and you desire to see improvement. However, make sure that you cope with your frustration and move on quickly. Wallowing in your sorrow breeds bitterness, disappointment, and blame, none of which are emotions you can use for improvement.

2. Losing to Worthy Opponents Improves your Game

At some point, everyone loses. And losing to someone who is better than you, only sharpens your skill. Playing with and against those who are more skilled helps you to rise to the occasion. It teaches you how to perform on the next level. Use losses against worthy opponents as a form of player development.

3. Losing Forces You to Evaluate Shortcomings 

If you always won, then you’d never be able to clearly see where you fall short. Use a loss to evaluate your skills – where do you need improvement? Do you need to spend some time in the batting cages? Fielding causing issues? What about your teammates – where are they struggling? Use a loss to evaluate shortcomings and then use practice time to improve upon those faults.

 

Ready to get serious about player development? D-BAT Sports is a premier baseball training facility with the tools to help your player succeed. Find a location near you today for the best baseball training around! Don’t forget to visit www.dbatsports.com for all your baseball equipment needs!

Risk of injury occurs with any sport you play, and the game of baseball is no exception. However, there are preventative measures you can take to significantly reduce the risk. At D-BAT Sports, we are serious about baseball injury prevention and recommend making these changes now to keep your baseball player healthy:

 1. Properly Warm Up

Playing on cold muscles is just asking for injury. Whether it’s a routine practice or a game, always stretch and do light running or jumping jacks to get the flood flowing. Warm muscles are more agile and significantly reduce the risk of injury.

 2. Have Quality Equipment

The old adage “you get what you pay for” applies when thinking about baseball equipment. We’re not saying you have to purchase the most expensive baseball bat on the market, but what we are saying is that quality equipment can sometimes come at a premium, but it will also last longer and reduce the risk of injury. Invest in high quality baseball cleats, bats, and gloves. Also make sure your batting helmet fits properly.

 3. Develop Proper Technique

There is a reason that we focus so much on baseball techniques when training baseball players. Improper throwing techniques, batting, sliding, etc. can lead to straining – which puts unnecessary stress on certain muscle groups and ligaments.

 4. Schedule Periods of Rest

Your child should never play one sport year-round. If they only want to play baseball, then there should be periods during the year where they take a little time off between seasons. This gives their muscle groups time to rest and recover and prevents young childhood injuries from overworking those muscle groups.

 5. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Baseball injury prevention starts off the field. Getting adequate sleep, eating a well-balanced diet, and proper weight training are all important aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

Want to train in a baseball facility that supports your baseball player’s overall well-being? Come see us at D-BAT Sports – the best baseball training facility in the country! Click HERE to see the location closes to you! And don’t forget to get all your baseball gear at www.dbatsports.com!