How Has the BBCOR Bat Changed the Game of Baseball?

At the Elite Baseball Academy we often talk to coaches and players about baseball bats and the changes that the game is going through since the change to the BBCOR aluminum bats.  We hear them talk about how much "pop" has left the bats, how they don't reach the fences anymore and how the "jam shot" blooper hits do not get over the the infielders like they used to.  We hear a lot of people talk about how the new BBCOR bats are similar to swinging a wood bat.  It is defnitely much more similar to wood bat than the old "pre-BBCOR" bats.  We have always believed that the size of the sweet spot on the bat is different.  The sweet spot on a bat can be defined by the location which produces maximum batted ball speed and the definition I prefer that ties into our "Energy Transfer" Hitting Approach is the location where maximum energy is transferred to the ball.  With my professional background I always favor wood bats for all ages when working out in the off-season and pre-season then switching to the aluminum bat to reap the benefits of the aluminum bat in their games.  As a coach and scout I believe that the BBCOR regulations are a step in the right direction in creating better hitters because kids won't get rewarded as much on the weaker contacts.  In addition, using either bat (BBCOR or wood) they get a similar reward when properly putting the actual sweet spot on the ball, which cleans up their swing for the better.  Now the tough part that elevates the higher end hitters is how often can you repeat your good actions that put that barrel on the ball.  Transfer that energy efficiently!

Today I received some information on the effect of the BBCOR bats on the college game from one of my colleagues, Pete Caliendo.  Thank you Pete.  Here is what the difference in BBCOR regulation bats compared to the bats that used to be legal.  The stats came from ESPN Science.  Here are some of the results they found:
The sweet spot was five inches in the old bat, the BBCOR is three inches.

• The BBCOR bats have 5% reducction in exit speed (the ball leaving the bat).
• A 400-foot home run in the past is now a 375-foot home run or fly ball.
• College baseball has seen a 20% reduction in scoring using the BBCOR bats.
• College baseball number of home runs per game:  Old bats:  1.87/g   BBCOR:  1.04/g

Let us know what you have experienced since the change to the BBCOR bats.