Technology is at it again. Further penetrating the athlete’s world. Shoes, helmets, pads, sticks, you name it and it’s been enhanced by a technological advancement in the past five years. And now the baseball bat, an object entrenched in American sports lore, is being re-engineered by Baden Sports in the form of the Axe Bat.
We have covered the Axe Bat before and reported on a study that showed the bat is more comfortable, enhances power transfer and reduces the risk of injuries to batters due to its grip.
Unlike the standard baseball bat, the bottom handle of the Axe Bat has an asymmetrical oval that tapers to an angled knob at the end. The shape is ergonomically designed to follow the natural contours of the wrist and palm, which allows for a more stable grip and less tension in the hands.
The bat’s design reduces the risk of injuries to the hamate bone by making sure the back side of the handle doesn’t poke the hitter’s palm. The asymmetrical handle also allows the hitter to hit the ball with the same side of the bat every single time; Baden calls this one-sided hitting and has engineered the Axe Bat’s barrel to have a hitting face and a non-hitting face, giving it improved durability and performance.
Hugh Tompkins, who heads research and development for Axe Bat said of the bat, “This is the first handle that is designed for the way that a hand fits the bat and the mechanics that a hitter goes through when he swings.”
But Hugh isn’t the only one who is happy with the way the bat has turned out. Jonathan Scott, a high-level slow pitch softball player and member of last year’s winning team at the ASA Class B National Championships has endorsed it. Scott, who has been swinging the Axe Bat for a couple years now, shared his thoughts on the bat in the Q&A below.
For Baden, it’s a big step in the right direction for players of Scott’s caliber to be swinging the Axe Bat because ball players, especially hitters, are very superstitious and can be reluctant to quickly adopt new technological enhancements to their sport.
Jonathan Scott, #17, C/DH
Team: OI Livingston (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Ht: 6’3” | Wt: 240 | Age: 31 | Bats: Right | Throws: Right | Home: Jesup, Ga.
Notable: Career .692 hitter…member of ASA ‘B’ National Championship team in 2014…twice named to USSSA All-Conference Team in 2011 and 2013…hit 17 home runs in prestigious Smoky Mountain Classic in 2011…also serves as a back-up pitcher…twin brother, Jesse, was a teammate until this season.
SportTechie: How long have you played slow pitch softball?
Jonathan Scott: This year will be my 14th season. I started playing right after high school and have stuck with it ever since.
ST: Did you play other sports in high school?
JS: Yeah, I played football and baseball through my sophomore year. Then, I just focused on baseball my junior and senior years.
ST: What position did you play in baseball and were you always a power hitter?
JS: I played the corner infield positions and outfield positions, and occasionally pitched. I’ve always had the gift of being able to hit the long ball.
ST: You play for OI Livingstone out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but you live in Georgia. Where are most of your teammates from?
JS: They’re from all over. We’ve got guys from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
ST: How many games a year do you play?
JS: Our conference schedule starts in March – this year it’s March 21st – and runs through the end of September. We usually play a 10- or 12-tournament schedule. How many games you play at each tournament depends on how well you do, but probably five or six games each on average. That’s not counting the other games we play during the season like charity games.
ST: What made you switch to the Axe Bat?
JS: My team was playing at a tournament in Richmond Hill, which is about an hour from where I live, and Brandon Murray [a well-known slow pitch player] was there with a new Axe Bat. He asked me and my brother to try it. We did and a couple days later, Baden contacted me and asked if we liked it enough to swing the bat all the time. We did and we’ve been swinging it ever since. That was in 2012.
ST: Was there any adjustment period or learning curve with your first few plate appearances with the Axe Bat?
JS: No, not really. The bat fit perfectly in my hand from the first swing.
ST: How did your teammates react to you using the Axe Bat? Did you have to explain the axe-shaped grip to your teammates?
JS: My teammates were all wondering what we were swinging, so we let them try it out. That first year, by the Smoky Mountain Classic [in July], we signed the whole team on to be the first “Axe” team in slow pitch softball.
ST: Are you involved with the on-going development of the Axe Bat?
JS: I’ve done a lot of testing of the bat and am in regular contact with the product developers at Baden. I’ve been able to give them feedback on the handle design and the bat’s performance over the years.
ST: Has your batting average, power or any offensive stat changed for you since you started using the Axe Bat?
JS: There are a lot of variables that impact batting average, but when you go to the plate with a bat you know performs well, it gives you that extra confidence that you will get a hit and can go yard whenever you want. That’s how I feel swinging the Axe Bat.
ST: Can you describe your batting stance and grip?
JS: I have a very relaxed batting stance with my front foot slightly open so I can see the ball coming in a little better. For my grip, I like to drop two fingers off the bottom of the knob and overlap my top hand.
ST: What’s the longest home run you’ve ever hit?
JS: The longest was probably a couple years ago at the Mullet in Niceville, Florida. Google Earth says it went a little over 500 feet. I didn’t watch it, but the people who went and got the ball told us where it landed.
ST: What was it like playing with your twin brother, Jesse? Who hits the ball farther?
JS: Playing with my brother helped both of us get where we are today. Being a twin has its benefits when it comes to sports – you always have someone to compete with and practice with. Who hits the ball farther? That’s a good question, and a tough question. We have never actually measured that…but that might make a good YouTube video! [Jonathan’s YouTube channel is jonathanscott257.]
ST: I heard you won’t be playing together this year, though?
JS: Right. This will be the first year that Jesse and I will not be playing together. He took a job where he has to work three out of four weekends.
ST: Do you have any superstitions for hitting home runs?
JS: None for hitting home runs, but I have a ton that I do every game. For instance, I do the same thing every time I go to the plate. I never step on the lines, never cross the bats. And if I have a bad swing or the team has a bad inning, I have to spit my dip out and get a fresh one.
ST: Any tips for how the average player can hit for more power?
JS: The first thing is you have to put the time and effort into it to be able to go out and hit for power consistently. Second, you have to get a good transfer of weight when you swing to get everything behind the swing. Third, you should focus on hitting the bottom half of the ball. That’s where you get the best spin – we call this “cutting” the ball.
ST: What’s the most important thing the Axe Bat gives you that other bats don’t?
JS: Confidence in my equipment. In today’s game, you have everyone wanting the best bat they can get their hands on. With the Axe Bat, I know I have that every time I go to the plate.
ST: How many bats do you go through a season?
JS: I tend to break a lot of bats because I take a ton of BP. A rough guess would be 12.
ST: What’s your job outside of softball?
JS: I work for the Georgia Department of Transportation in the Materials Department.
ST: How about your personal life? How involved is your family with the game?
JS: I’m happily married with three boys who enjoy the ball field as much as I do. It makes your day when you hear your kids and wife in the stands cheering for you! My wife and kids support me and come to just about every tournament. This makes it a lot easier for me to go out and play.
ST: Any other comments about the Axe Bat?
JS: You can’t beat the performance. The ASA bat you’re giving away has to be the No. 1 bat, period. It’s got to be the hottest bat on the market.