 Introduction The Phoenix Bat Company is a specialized wooden-bat creator and manufacturer. Located just outside of Columbus, Ohio, the company produces premium rock maple and northern white ash baseball and softball bats. Combining premium grade woods with the most advanced, state of the art lathe in the bat manufacturing industry, Phoenix Bats delivers high quality wooden bats consistently to major league players and little leaguers alike. Company History In 1996, Phoenix Bat founder Charley “Lefty” Trudeau was earning his living by restoring old houses. Charley also owned a small wood shop, which included an old lathe. During his downtime, Charley began playing 19th century baseball for the Ohio Historical Society. About five years into his time as a player, the Historical Society asked Charley to make some wooden baseball bats that would be typical of the 1860’s. As word and interest about the wooden bats began to spread around the league, Charley’s one time project began to turn into a passion and a dream: to consistently produce the highest quality wooden baseball bat on the market. Born out of a small wood shop, Phoenix Bats now produces wooden baseball bats out of a state of the art, custom bat manufacturing shop. Finding its beginnings producing vintage baseball bats for vintage league players, Phoenix received Major League Baseball approval in 2000. With this approval came several moves and upgrades into larger facilities, and the addition of several employees. Starting as one man’s dream and hobby, Phoenix Bats now finds their wooden bats being swung by major league players, minor league players, softball teams, hitting coaches, vintage leagues, and little leaguers. As the company continues to grow, the Phoenix brand has become synonymous with power, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. The Process The attention to detail throughout the whole manufacturing process is what separates the Phoenix Bat Company from every other wooden bat manufacturer. Beginning at the mills, Phoenix Bats will only choose the finest quality of Rock Maple and Northern White Ash wood and will reject wood that other wooden bat manufacturers will normally accept. The mills refer to Phoenix Bats as the pickiest of the bat manufacturers, a compliment that the Phoenix Bat Company wears as a badge of honor. The wood Phoenix selects is cut into billets and shipped to the company’s shop. Once the wood reaches the Phoenix Bat Company’s manufacturing shop, every piece is hand graded for quality and weight. Unlike other bat manufacturers, the wood is not cut until a bat order is made – which protects the wood from excessive moisture or dryness before the finishing process, which are conditions that weaken the quality of a bat. When an order is placed with Phoenix Bats, the wood is then refined and shaped on the most state of the art lathe in the wooden bat manufacturing industry. The lathe owned by Phoenix is the only one operating in the baseball and softball bat manufacturing industry, and it cuts and sands the wood to amazing precision. This means that the Phoenix Bat Company can offer their customers the opportunity to get a Phoenix Bat with the exact same specifications years or season apart, so it will always feel like you are swinging the same bat. The company’s attention to detail isn’t lacking when it comes to the finishing process of wooden bats. Phoenix Bats finishes each bat to the specifications and desires of their customer. Not only are Phoenix Bats the high quality, but they are also beautiful. Wood Types Phoenix Bats produces bat that are made from the highest quality of Rock Maple and Northern White Ash woods. A bat that is produced from Rock Maple wood will be a much stronger bat, providing very little give or flex. For a hitter, this means that the bat will offer more pop for bigger, more powerful hits. For this reason, baseball bats that are cut out of Rock Maple wood are the bats most often chosen by professional players. The grain of the wood is less visible and has a beautiful appearance when finished, making it a better bat for engraving purposes. A wooden baseball bat produced out of Northern White Ash wood will be a less dense bat, offering more flex or give to the hitter. The flex is attributed to small air pockets which form around the grain. For a hitter who is swinging a wood bat for the first time, a baseball bat produced with Northern White Ash is a great choice. Even though the bat doesn’t offer as much pop as a bat produced from Maple wood, it is more forgiving for a hitter who has trouble hitting the sweet spot. All Phoenix baseball and softball bats are available in either type of wood. The company suggests that if a hitter tends to take the ball off the end of the bat, the hitter should choose a wooden bat that is produced with White Ash wood. If a hitter tends to get jammed (hitting the ball off the handle) often, the company suggests that the hitter choose a bat that is produced with Maple wood. Newest Product Introduced in 2009: Composite Wood Bats Wood composite baseball bats are the newest line of bats that Phoenix Bats offers. Phoenix Bats uses a variety of North American hardwoods to form a wooden bat that lasts up to four times longer than a maple bat. A composite bat will perform similar to a wood bat made out of maple wood, but is built for durability. Due to their durability and lasting power, wood composite bats are beginning to gain popularity among baseball players. If you are just beginning to swing a wood bat, or are overly concerned about splintering a wooden bat, composite wood bats may be the choice for you. Phoenix Bats offers composite bats made entirely of wood, with no metal rods or synthetic handles. Wooden Bats Versus Metal Bats Hitting Technique – hitters and hitting coaches love wooden baseball bats for developing a players swing. While metal bats are more forgiving and cover a lot of flaws in a player’s swing, wooden bats teach a hitter how to find and hit from the bat’s sweet spot. Due to the small sweet spot of a wooden bat, swing coaches prefer to teach hitting mechanics with a wooden bat. An aluminum bat usually hides a bad decision in the batters box, and compensates for a player’s reaching for a pitch. A disciplined serious hitter learns to wait on a pitch that will find the sweet spot of his or her bat. Training with wooden bats forces the hitter to become more technically precise, as well as helps the hitter to build bat speed and strength. Training with a wooden bat helps a hitter develop a natural feel for his or her swing. All Season Durability – metal bats can be dented or cracked if used during cold weather. For this reason, wooden bats are a much better choice for teams who practice or play in leagues where the weather is cold during the season. Bat Types The Phoenix Bat company produces custom made bats for various leagues, circumstances, and organizations. The Professional Series – Phoenix Bats offers an exclusive line of high quality wooden bats for hitters who are ready to elevate their game. Professional Series bats are offered in Rock Maple wood and Northern White Ash wood. Softball Bats – produced for the player who wants to play the game they way it was meant to be played; with talent and skill, and not technology. The wooden softball bat is beginning to make a strong comeback, but if a customer’s league hasn’t switched to wood the company still suggests a wood bat for softball players. Taking batting practice with a wooden bat will help a hitter develop a better sense for the sweet spot of a bat, and develop stronger wrists which will contribute to becoming a better hitter. Phoenix offers softball bats in 32” to 34” length with a 2-1/4” barrel. All Phoenix Softball Bats are engraved with “Official Softball” on the barrel. Youth Bats – a player is never too young to swing a wooden bat. In practice and in games, a wooden baseball bat is a sure way to both evaluate and improve a child’s hitting. A wooden bat by Phoenix Bats is a safe and economical choice for young players. Phoenix Bats offers Youth Bats with a barrel size of either 2-1/4” or 2-1/2” barrels. Vintage Bats – bats from the early days of baseball were made of wood, and tended to be longer, heavier, and have thicker handles. Phoenix Bats offers an exclusive line of Vintage Bats from the mid to late 1800’s and early 1900’s for the vintage player, or baseball history enthusiast who is looking to add to their collection. Fungos – bats which are specifically designed to be used by baseball and softball coaches for practice purposes. The bat is designed to hit balls that are tossed up in the air, rather than balls that are thrown or pitched. The smaller length, and lighter weight of the fungo bat allow coaches to hit balls repeatedly with high accuracy. Phoenix Bats offers a great line of fungo bats aimed at helping players become better all-around players. Trophy and Presentation Bats – Phoenix Bats offers great custom presentation bats for any event, occasion, or gift. The company allows the customer to choose any color combination, along with the message they wish to engrave. Customers can even add their own brand or logo to the bat, and can even design their own bat from scratch. Composite Bats – durable bats which will last up to four times the length of a standard maple baseball bat. Phoenix introduced their own line of composite bats in 2009 and recommends them to hitters who are learning to hit with a wooden baseball bat. Caring for Wooden Bats Once a person has purchased a wooden baseball bat, it is imperative to take great care of that bat. Most hitters recommend keeping the bat clean (especially important if a person uses pine tar) by using rubbing alcohol. Simply take a soft cloth and wet liberally with rubbing alcohol. Wipe down the bat from the top of the barrel down to the handle, paying special attention to the handle (where pine tar, sweat, and grime quickly accumulate). In order to keep the bat smooth, take a smooth piece of bone and rub it along the grain of your bat after each day’s use. This will help to repair small dents and scratches that might have occurred throughout the bat’s use. When a bat is not being used, it should be stored in a cool, dry place. The bat should also be stored vertically, with the handle end up. Preventing Breakage A frequent concern of first time wooden bat buyers is the potential for their bat to break. However, an understanding of the bat will help you to protect your wooden bat. The logo on a wooden bat is often placed over the weakest part of the bat. A hitter will want to hold the bat over the plate and make sure that the logo is pointed either toward the sky or toward the plate. This will ensure that a player will be hitting with the strongest part of the bat as they swing through a pitch. The Phoenix Bat Company Challenge The Phoenix Bat Company firmly believes that their bats are the best wooden baseball bat on the market. The company offers first time customers the opportunity to try their wooden bats for 10 days. If the customer isn’t fully satisfied with their bat, they can return it for a full refund.
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