Wood-bat debate reaches Brick Little League
Brick National introduces wood bat league for 16-year-olds
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

Bringing wooden bats back to youth programs in Brick has gotten a mixed response from the two Little League programs in the township.

While New Jersey legislators are trying to advance a bill that would ban metal alloy bats in high schools, the New York City Council on Wednesday voted, 40-6, to ban metal bats for high school teams citywide. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has not committed his opinion, and could veto the bill, but that could be overridden if the Legislature approves it by a two-thirds majority.

The debate that is holding up passage of the bill in both states is whether going back to wooden bats from the metal bats would assure player safety. Tests show that baseballs have greater velocity when hit off a metal bat. Youth leagues have not used wooden bats for nearly 30 years, but many older fans who harken back to that era have said they would like to see a return to wood.

The Brick Bulletin examined that issue in interviews with the high school baseball and softball coaches of the two high schools in the township as well as Athletic Director Bill Bruno. Three of the four high school coaches surveyed said they would prefer their players using wooden bats and two of them played with wood bats throughout their baseball careers. Only Brick Township coach Jason Groschel said he would prefer staying with metal bats.

But in the township, the Brick National Little League is joining the Big League travel program that puts wooden bats in the hands of its 16-year-old players. Brick National will play other teams around the Shore in the league that begins a 10-game schedule on April 25. Rich Page is the manager.

Brick American is not joining the league.

Brick National officers look forward to their new team playing with wood bats.

"That's the real fun part of the league," said LuAnn Payne, the league and District 18 secretary.

"It's going to be good," said Brick National President Gary Hulse. "A lot of the kids that age are high school players and this will be interesting for them. The numbers [of players] have been down in the past because some are high school players and some have jobs and girlfriends and other things that take up their time.

"Safety is not the point of this [move]," said Hulse. "Yes, they say the ball flies off the bat faster but it's only a matter of one child [getting seriously hurt in recent years]. The thing is that the ball is flying out and it's not hard to do with metal bats."

Brick American President Tom Nerney feels differently.

"We intended to start a Big League team, but the problem is pitching at that age with kids playing high school ball, and it's hard coming up with kids who can pitch for that," said Nerney. "I think it's better for something like that in the fall when guys aren't playing high school ball."

Brick National manager Page likes the move.

"It's a whole different game. I think it's going to be good," said Page.

"We're playing on a field that is 300 feet deep and this [wooden bats] will keep the ball in play more. Studies show there are more injuries with metal bats but I don't see that. I just like this idea."

Brick National will play in a division with Toms River, Jackson, Jackson-Holbrook and Lakewood. The other division includes Toms River East American, Berkeley, Barnegat I and Barnegat II.

What will make it interesting, said Page, is that the high school players on this team will be in a different environment. He has discussed the league with Brick Township coach Jason Groschel, who approves the ideas. Big League team players who do not pitch for the high school program will pitch for this team. Players on Big League who pitch for the high school team will be position players, some of them at unfamiliar positions.

For example, Jared Page (the manager's son), who is a catcher in the high school program will be a shortstop for the Big League team. As for those pitching for the high school program - F.J. Lucchetti and Ray Johnson will play first base and in the outfield, Chris Sorice will play third base and in the outfield, and John Vitale will play in the outfield.

Ryan Ross will pitch and play in the outfield, and Travis Escalante will pitch and play at second base. Mike Fichera also will play at second base. Mike Winters, Andrew Lombardo and Phil Corde will catch and play in the outfield.

There currently are 11 players on the roster.

Brick American's Nerney said that his league at one time was involved with a league like this some years ago, but withdrew for lack of numbers because many players had conflicting involvement with their high school teams.

Certainly, he and his fellow officers will take a close look to see how things go with the Big League team across town.