Baseball Hall of Fame member Fergie Jenkins This week was joined ongoing discussions about the use of torpedo bats, and the storm swept the major leagues after the New York Yankees’ strong outing on the opening weekend.
In Outkick’s appearance “Ricky Cobb Show,” Jenkins, 82, discusses how torpedo bats are the latest innovation in the sport and can favor bats.
“Well, when you look back at the game, when I was playing in the 60s, 70s, 80s, pitchers were almost dominant, and now we’re like second-class citizens. Everything is done for the batsmen. Like, you said that the clock is bigger, the base is bigger, your gloves are bigger, you have an extra 3-7 inches that slip into the bag, swapped for free throws, and sold.
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Hall of Fame member Fergie Jenkins was introduced at the 2016 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Clark Sports Center on July 24, 2016 at the 2016 MLB Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Gregory J. Fisher/Sports Today)
Jenkins said that besides preferring bats rules changes, torpedo bats are just the latest things in baseball that can help them.
“For batsmen, there are more batting surfaces, and I think that might increase the batting average, but you get better wood on the ball and the ball may spread further.”
“Who knows? A few extra basic blows, and now there’s a batsman who sees one of his teammates using it. Now, he wants to use it. I can believe that every ball club would use that torpedo bat with six batsmen before the All-Star game.”
The torpedo bat storm is coming MLB. What are these?
Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Fergie Jenkins held the first game of the ceremony at the Dreams Baseball Field of Dreams Baseball Field in Dyersville, Iowa on August 11, 2022. (Imagn)
Although the torpedo bat did not add the overall hit surface, the bat’s barrel was moved to another position. The purpose of transferring the barrel is to move the thickest part of the bat to the player’s maximum contact.
Jenkins said the number of players using torpedo bats could increase.
“I think the batting average, you’re probably going to see a 20-point increase in batting average for each player. Instead of them reaching .255, .260, maybe .280,” Jenkins said.
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Fergie Jenkins captured the first game of the ceremony before Game 2 of the 2023 World Series 2023 between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks on October 28, 2023. (Kevin Jairaj/USA Sports Today)
When Bats are in baseball during the storm this season, New York Yankees Designated batsman Giancarlo Stanton used torpedoes, including in the playoffs, when he smashed seven home runs in 14 games.
Jenkins started pitching from 1965 to 1983 and he didn’t have to deal with any new rules in his days. He is Chicago BearTexas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies in his 19-year career.
Jenkins won the 1971 NL Cy Young with the Cubs and won three All-Star games.
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