How to Roll a Softball Bat

Rolling a softball bat gives it the effect of breaking it in without the wear and tear of hitting as many balls. For the average softball bat, it takes about 500 hits to be broken in. Rolling a bat, which involves rotating the bat while compressing it, can give the same advantage immediately. There are questions, however, as to its legality.

Things You'll Need

  • Industrial roller
  • Tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Adjust the roller to the width of your bat. Rollers are essentially a combination of a vise and a lathe, which rotate an object while applying strong pressure. They compress the bat by fractions of an inch, usually hundredths of an inch.

    • 2

      Apply strong enough pressure to break down the fibers that attach the layers of the bat, which increases the bat's flexibility. The more flexible a bat is, the more it will bounce against the ball, imparting greater impact velocity. The amount of pressure may vary from bat to bat, which is one reason bat rolling can be risky.

    • 3

      Insert the bat between the rollers and roll along the length of the bat, compressing the barrel across the entire hitting length encompassing the sweet spot.

    • 4

      Rotate your bat and roll it at multiple angles, at least six different angles, to squeeze the barrel along many axes. This ensures that the face will be broken in evenly all around the bat.

    • 5

      Exercise caution. Many who choose to roll bats cover the rollers with tape to reduce the marks left on the bat. Some consider rolling bats to be a form of cheating. Choose carefully.