"When you have less than 150ms to strike that ball,
all that matter is timing and acceleration!"

The perfect strike depends very much on how quickly you react to the pitched ball and how fast you can swing your bat to intercept it! In other words, this is about pairing the power of your bat to your swing profile and ability. This is the basic definition of swing weight and where the StickMetrix system can help you improve your batting score by putting the bat with the right swing weight in your hands!

Swing weight is a crucial design variable of bat design; it matters more than COR, or any other design variable that you may think of... At least not until you make contact with that ball! Please follow the QR code below to learn how StickMetrix can contribute to elevating your batting scores.

StickMetrix: What is it?

StickMetrix is a mass property measurement scale that captures essential bat measurements that are modeled to reveal the dynamic properties of the bat like maximum angular speed, kinetic energy, and intrinsic effective power the bat can potentially develop to strike a pitched ball at speed and for some distance, given player's muscular build and athletic ability.

What does it measure?

Not two bats are alike, and minute differences can have a great impact on a batter's performance. The StickMetrix MPS scale lets you compare and analyze the dynamic properties of hundreds of bats. It can measure slight variations in weight, length; mass distribution, and moment of inertia. All these measurements are what define Swing weight. More importantly; the StickMetrix computes the bat's maximum angular speed and effective intrinsic power that could be effectively transferred to the incoming pitch. This is comparable to choosing between a 250-gram hammer or a 500-gram hammer to drive a nail in the wall! Which one is better? The simple answer; the hammer you can lift and use effectively to do the job. Bats are just hammers by any other definition!

How can the StickMetrix benefit you?

The StickMetrix fitting system uses a proprietary algorithm based on extensive field research that correlates body mass and athletic ability. If you know your average swing speed, we will use this additional information to select the bat that will help you develop a consistent swing and provide you with speed, power, and control. Three key ingredients for better than average batting scores.

How do I use it?

Simply place your bat on the MPS scale and push a button! The swing weight measurements are what you will use to determine whether the bat is suitable for you based on your body weight and athletic ability. Furthermore, you can scan the data directly onto your mobile device so you can further analyze the data and compare performance criteria with your favorite bat!

If you are a coach:

The StickMetrix system for mobile devices can help you keep track of which bat brand, model, and design your batters are using on the field. More importantly, it identifies the swing weight range that your batter is best able to handle for upping their batting score.

If you are a custom bat maker and fitter:

The StickMetrix MPS scale is easy to use in a fitting environment; it helps you pick all the relevant measurements of a player's favorite bat so you can clone it and replicate its performance. You can also document and track data for hundreds of bats by customer and their preferences. You can even publish and share data through your website at the click of a button!

If you are fitting a player from Scratch:

The StickMetrix system can guide you through the bat selection process by isolating key swing weight variables and range for a specific player body mass and athletic ability. The StickMetrix system is all about player's potential, satisfaction, and a great performance on the field.

If you are a retailer:

Customer service and customer satisfaction can be greatly enhanced with the StickMetrix in-store fitting solutions which let you collect, document, and publicize thousands of bats online. Qualify customers for private fitting sessions and shorten the queues at the batting cage! StickMetrix is the ideal retail solution for bat fitting and selection for boosting online sales and improving in-store purchases with fewer returns.

Which StickMetrix is best suited for me?

The StickMetrix system is based on 4 distinct MPS scales. Each scale can help you enhance your fitting process, select the proper bat and elevate your team to the next level;

• • "StickMetrix Dyno"

    This is a lab grade instrument that measures the Mass properties of a baseball bat including the "dynamic" moment of inertia of the bat to a precision of 1% or better. The StickMetrix Dyno by design is best suited for equipping R&D teams working out of fixed locations as the instrument does not tolerate great variations in environmental changes. Networking, data collection are standard features of this model

  • "StickMetrix HD"

    designed for fitters, custom bat makers and retailers. We've traded in a little accuracy for speed and flexibility warranted by the rough and demanding work environment of most workshops and open retail spaces. This model features networking capability, data collection and other production desirable features including barcoding and label printing.

  • "StickMetrix XP"

    The lighter version of the StickMetrix HD. same features same accuracy without connectivity support. Best suited for coaches and fitters alike. QR code enabled and compliant with most internet enabled mobile devices.

  • "StickMetrix Simplex"

    A compact instrument that measures the Swing weight of baseball bats in under 5 seconds! This instrument is the ideal Moment of Inertia measurement and verification instrument for any R&D and bat certification laboratory using legacy pendulums and other conformance instruments.

Fitting How To:

With a plethora of swing sensors, radar guns and video systems fitting available to coaches and trainers; One may be inclined to question the usefulness of the StickMetrix systems and whether it has a place in the tool box of the busy coach or trainer?

The latest fitting sensors are excellent for capturing basic swing metrics for both bat and batter and informs the fitter about the swing plane, bat position, rate of change, timing etc. The metrics as presented reconstitute the synergy between the bat and batter and thus do not inform the fitter about the underlying factors shaping the swing and what potential improvements can be had by making changes to either bat or swing.

In this context; the data is open to interpretation and in the absence of baseline metrics; the fitter is left with the iterative task of finding out what works and what doesn’t. This invariably turns fitting sessions into subjective bench marking sessions that fail to deliver tangible improvements that could help the batter home in on a bat that he can feel at ease with and exploit its potential.

In our opinion, the fitting process should always start with the player who is the driver behind the power that drives the bat, power is torque and that’s what sets the bat in motion. The player is an abstract quantity because of the complexities of human nature and the potential within.

The only key quantitative attributes that a fitter can evaluate objectively are stature and weight. Both of this combine to produce an index of athletic ability and from a strict power point of view, only net muscular power counts. That is Lbs./ Kg of muscle available to produce torque.

The bat is the second most important consideration and is the easiest fitting variable to consider. That is mass and inertia both of which are ruled by Newton’s first and second law of motion and the two variables that would influence the dynamics of the swing and the ability to do work on the pitched ball. Thus, mechanistically speaking, few simple measurements can tell us a lot about the kinematic potential of the bat which we can match for a given torque range and therefore the player. this is as simple as associating “X” with “Y” and which product is the synergy of both.

By setting the initial condition for both bat & batter using the instruments we have at our disposal to establish base line metrics or goals, the feedback we obtain from the bat mounted sensors, help the fitter understand the underlying issues and thus create a closed loop feedback system that benefits the batter and enrich the fitter with valuable causal observations. This is the essence of the entire fitting process.

Top-Down fitting approach with the BlastMotion™ Sensor

The BlastMotion “BM” for short provides the user with immediate dynamic feedback about their swing and then provides the user with additional metrics which purpose is to help the user improve.

Based on the literature; the BM sensor provides the user with 6 key measurements that are relevant to the StickMetrix fitting algorithm. Three of the measurements are dynamic in that they are measured directly while the remaining three measurements are derived because of accelerometer design driven limitations. The measurements as extracted from the BM sensor literature;

• • Rotational acceleration:

    Measures how quickly your bat accelerates into the swing plane. this is a dynamic measurement that depends entirely on the batter’s physical ability with specific characteristics and the swing weight of the bat. Rotational acceleration is a key variable in the StickMetrix model and is derived from kinetics and rotational dynamics where MOI is fundamental to the core equations.

  • Peak hand speed:

    The fastest hand speed reached throughout the swing. This is a dynamic measurement tracked by the BM sensor. The sensor is placed at the knob and gives an accurate measurement of the displacement over time. The StickMetrix model computes hand speed from kinematics and the value is in r/s the standard unit for angular speed.

  • Time to Impact:

    The time measured from the start of the downswing to impact. Time to impact is driven primarily by the ability of the batter to swing the bat from a starting position. The acceleration is dependent on torque, “the batter” and the swing weight of the bat. The shorter the impact me to faster the acceleration and the better the batter can respond to the incoming pitch.
    
    The StickMetrix model does not rely on “Time to Impact” for input as this is solely driven by the bat and the batter’s ability to swing it and therefore is the direct product of inertia and angular acceleration.

  • Bat Speed:

    The total speed of the barrel at impact. The BM sensor does not provide a direct measurement of the barrel speed at impact. The result is more or less a generalization of the bat’s mass properties and length and assumes a barrel position at a distance from the knob end of the bat. Bat speed would be a valid output when the impact position is prompted.
    
    The StickMetrix system measures the balance point, weight distribution and length of the bat. Using hand speed which itself derives from angular acceleration, barrel speed as computed by the StickMetrix system is both accurate and reliable, in that variations between batters of a normal physical build and swing style is minimal.

  • Exit velocity:

    Speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after impact. Ball exit velocity as computed by the BM application is synthetic and relies on a bat/ball collision model with a known COR and a presumed impact distance from the barrel end. The value as computed is very much dependent on bat speed as previously stated and would depend on the user being prompted for the bat mass properties for the output to be validated.

  • Bat power:

    Bat mass X avg. acceleration X bat speed at impact. The BM system computes torque input from acceleration measured by the sensor and the bat mass property prompted from the user. The StickMetrix System computes input torque from kinematics, using the measured bat mass and inertial properties.

Research in the field produced over the past decade or so provides sufficient proof that correlate the dependency of swing speed, bat power and collision efficiency “solely” on the bat swing weight. This provides justification for fitters and trainers to focus on the four core dynamic metrics produced by the BM sensor, with the bat mass proper es prioritized synergistically over all other variables, which contributions are peripheral to the batter’s performance. In this respect; the StickMetrix MPS paired with the BM sensor provide the fitter with powerful tools to set baseline, diagnose and set improvement goals that are realistically achievable and commensurate with the batter’s physiological limitations and the only caveat that would still justify static fitting methods for bat selection…

The fitting process / Bat Fitting

-Have the batter warm up properly without exhausting himself in the process.
-The batter should swing his/her favorite bat fitted with the BM sensor installed.

Procedure:

-Tabulate the results for 5 swings paced few minutes apart. Medium to slow pitch speed is a pre-requisite. Consistency is key.
-When done place the bat on the StickMetrix scale and retrieve the metrics as computed.
-Compare the results with the BM sensor. Mainly;
Bat Speed: Value agree to withing 1~2 mph
Hand Speed: Convert hand speed to angular velocity using me to impact. the result is radiant /second like 9.96 m/s /0.143 =distance/(pi)=22
Player body weight (athletic build) Power output: Kw x1000/35.4= 127 Kg*

Analysis:

-Compare and review the result. If the numbers are more or less in agreement, select a bat that would maximize the batter’s ability. Consistency is always first and foremost and should always be the primary goal of a fitting session. Speed should not come at the detriment of the later, because speed is evolutive and changes are incremental.

• • Underperform: If the results do not agree with the BM sensor output; The values obtained are much lower than suggested by the StickMetrix MPS; The bat is probably heavy (angular Speed/ hand speed); the Bat velocity is low (the bat is knob heavy). If so Select a bat that has a swing weight / MOI about 10% smaller than the players favorite bat. Repeat as needed.
    
    On par / Overperform: If the results are on the high end of the projected performance; If the player feels good and swings consistently during fitting session;
    -Select a bat within the Swing weight range of the test bat with an eye on optimizing length, balance point, effective bat weight and strike zone. The bat to be selected should have an MOI range within +/- 2.5% of the bat used for the test.
    
    Dealing with swing inconsistencies: If the player is achieving fast bat speeds but shows inconsistencies (Swing pattern, ball strike, poor timing etc.)
    
    -The bat is probably too light. (fast, consistent swing) increase MOI while keeping bat weight within the same weight range as the test bat.
    
    -The bat is too long (fast, inconsistent swing/strike) shorter bat provides a bit more control and is gentler on the player’s wrists. The selected bat should be within the same weight and MOI range, just shorter.
    
    Note, A bat that’s knob heavy will have tendency to “calm” the wrists which is factor in swing consistency but would affect the head on bat/ball collision efficiency and therefore the quality of the strike.
    
    If both strategies don’t work; Increase swing weight by 10%. Here we are dealing with a player with above average strength and could do with a little bit more resistance from the bat to achieve be er consistency.

-Dealing with outliers & StickMetrix fitting limitations

There will be instances when the StickMetrix System fitting recommendations do not correlate well with the MB outputs. While both systems are anchored in first principles, proprietary algorithms and coefficients are used to overcome some of the limitations in driving generalized swing models. The principles remain the same however and dealing with outliers is fairly straight forward and as follows:

• • -Swing the bat to get bat speed as computed by the BM sensor
    -Run the StickMetrix app to get a bat speed prediction.
    -Compute player’s fitness index. Range between 1.20~1.50
    -Compare computer player weight with the player’s actual body weight.
    -Compare bat speed with computed bat speed. Diagnostic:
    Lower bat speeds are always indicative of the batter’s physical limitations. In this case select a bat that’s rated for the batter’s actual swing speed and observe a pick up in speed adjust to optimize.
    
    Higher bat speeds ware invariably associated with a player whose fitness index is at the upper end of the scale. This is a good problem to have as it offers the fitter with a range of options to further optimize performance. Here the player’s body weight becomes “irrelevant” to what the batter can achieve in terms of power output.

Bottom-Up approach / Retail fitting

In a retail setting with hundreds if not thousands of bats to choose from the StickMetrix System. The method is driven by the StickMetrix database, or an assortment of bats that have been already documented and pre-selected based on a specific set of criteria. The use of a BM sensor is recommended during physical testing but not necessary. The bat selection process through the database can be carried out remotely and the bat suitability validated during physical testing on location.

• • -Prospective bats are selected from the database using the player’s weight as a criterion within a +/- 10% range.
    
    -Bats are sorted using the BMR (Bat MOI Rating) to optimize the factor or goal the batter is interested in improving. The BMR is a composite index that represents the bat’s potential. Here, the fitter can focus on those bats that have specific attributes like weight, length, balance point position etc.
    
    -The selected bats are tested 5 swings at a time over a short time interval as to not exhaust the batter. If a BM senor is available, have it fitted to the bat so results can be compared. Some testing facilities have radar guns to check swing speeds and ball speeds. The radar gun may provide good speed readings if the batter can swing consistently through the ball.
    
    -Compare results and discuss impressions with the batter. The fitter should not rule out the batter’s preferences unless there is a “fundamental” reason for doing so.
    
    Fitness index and power output:
    The fitness index is in essence the single fitness measure; the fitter needs to know beforehand. The fitness measure determines the available muscle mass to drive the bat at speed. Individuals falling outside and below range, are generally less active and who’s BMI would be considered “overweight. Individuals whose fitness index would be above and outside the range would be a small portion of the population with “extraordinary” athletic ability. In both cases, the fitter’s expertise is crucial at pursuing a satisfactory outcome.

Special note on youth fitting

The fitness index is age and gender blind, in that athletic ability is driven by muscle power for the most part and the slight difference that may exist between the genders and age groups is minimal from that perspective and any differences in performance (acceleration) can be attributed for the most part to agility and overall fitness, noting that skeletal muscle and bones are not as dense in the younger adults which effect reduces “hands and arm inertia”. Less weight, more power drives the incidence of injury and must be taken account of during the fitting process.

To calculate the fitness index which range is between 1.20~1.50,
-Divide body (weight (grams)/Body height (cm))*100
-For imperial ((Lbs*453.5)/(Inches*2.54))*100

Summary

The StickMetrix concept revolutionizes bat fitting and selection by integrating advanced measurement technologies with player-specific metrics to optimize batting performance. Here's a summary:

1. **Introduction to Bat Fitting**: The process begins by emphasizing the critical role of timing and acceleration in achieving the perfect strike in baseball or so ball. Swing weight, a fundamental design variable of bats, is highlighted as crucial for optimal performance.

2. **StickMetrix Overview**: StickMetrix is introduced as a mass property measurement scale designed to capture essential bat measurements. It analyzes dynamic properties such as maximum angular speed, kinetic energy, and intrinsic effective power to optimize bat performance based on a player's muscular build and athletic ability.

3. **Key Measurements**: StickMetrix measures various bat properties, including weight, length, mass distribution, and moment of inertia, which collectively define swing weight. It also computes maximum angular speed and effective intrinsic power transferable to the incoming pitch.

4. **Benefits of StickMetrix**: The system's proprietary algorithm correlates body mass and athletic ability to select bats that enhance swing consistency, speed, power, and control, thereby improving batting scores.

5. **How to Use StickMetrix**: Users simply place their bat on the StickMetrix scale to obtain swing weight measurements. Data can be scanned directly to a mobile device for further analysis and comparison with other bats.

6. **Applications**: StickMetrix benefits coaches, custom bat makers, retailers, and players. Coaches can track bat usage and identify optimal swing weight ranges for players. Bat makers can clone and replicate preferred bat performances. Retailers can enhance customer service and satisfaction with in-store fitting solutions, leading to improved sales and fewer returns.

7. **StickMetrix Product Range**: StickMetrix offers four distinct MPS scales tailored to different needs, from lab-grade instruments for R&D teams to compact devices for fitting environments.

8. **Integration with BlastMotion™ Sensor**: The StickMetrix system can be complemented by the BlastMotion Sensor, which provides dynamic feedback on swing metrics such as rotational acceleration, peak hand speed, and me to impact.

9. **Fitting Process**: StickMetrix offers a top-down approach for fitting, starting with player characteristics and focusing on swing weight optimization. It also supports a bottom-up retail fitting method, leveraging a database to select bats based on player weight and performance goals.

10. **Youth Fitting Considerations**: StickMetrix accounts for youth players' unique physiological characteristics, ensuring safe and effective bat selection based on their fitness index and power output.

Overall, StickMetrix revolutionizes bat fitting by providing players, coaches, and retailers with data-driven insights to optimize bat selection and improve batting performance.

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