History

• When metal bats were initially invented, contradictory studies came forth regarding their performance. Eventually, better studies, such as one conducted at Brown University in 2002, showed a clear advantage for metal bats over their wooden counterparts.
  
  

Reasons

• The weight distribution on metal bats allows players to swing them faster than a wooden bat of the same weight, which leads to a greater impact on the ball. Metal bats also compress when struck with a ball, leading to a trampoline effect, propelling the ball with more speed.
  
  

Consequences

• Some people have called for college teams to give up metal bats for several reasons. They are concerned that pitchers may be injured by line-drives from metal bats. Major league baseball teams are also often hesitant to draft college players because it's hard to gauge how well they will perform when using traditional wood.