Popular Science: Why is an axe-
handle bat better than a good ol’
round-handle bat?
Chili Davis: Visualise some guy
chopping a tree. The last thing
he wants is to lose his grip on
that handle. This thing allows
you to lock grip and never lose
it. With a rounded-knob bat,
there are times, through the
swing, where you make contact
and the bat is vibrating and the
knob is spinning. You can miss-
hit balls because of that. You
don’t get the full force
of contact as you do with an
axe handle.
PS: So the upshot is players get
more-consistent hits?
CD: Yes. Look at our right fielder,
Mookie Betts. He’s having a
tremendous year using it. He’s
surpassed his career high in
home runs, and he’s hitting over
.300. Our second baseman, Dustin
Pedroia, was a good hitter, but
with this bat, he has more pop. He
has been driving the ball to the
opposite field nicely.
PS: We’ve played with round
bats for a hundred years. Are
they really so bad?
CD: With the round knob, you
get big calluses on your hand,
big blisters because of that knob
moving around in your hand. I
know you get used to that; it’s
what you’ve grown up with. But
it can cause a hamate bone (the
tiny bones at the base of our
hands) injury. You never know
when you’re getting it. It just
happens as a consequence of
the pounding in your hand. This
bat minimises the risk of injury.
PS: So it’s all upside.
CD: I don’t see a downside.
This bat has the possibility
to become something special
in the future. Hitters are very
superstitious. If they’re doing
well with a bat, they’ll keep
using it until it breaks.RECREATION
Bat Like a
Lumberjack
SOMEOF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL’SBEST HITTERSHAVE TOSSED ASIDEtheir
old sluggersfor something called the Axe Bat. As the name implies,
it’s part axe—thanks to a contoured oval handle and an angled
knob—and promises players a more naturalgrip,betterbatcon-
trol, more-powerful swings, and a reduced risk of hand injuries.
Chili Davis, the Boston Red Sox hitting coach—whose own 18-year
MLB career netted 350 homers and three World Series rings—set
the shift in motion when he brought one to spring training last year.
When Chili swings, players take note, and two Sox are now swatting
full-time with the axe. Davis tells us the new lumber has a strong
future in the batter’s box.
CHILI DAVISRED SOX HITTING COACHEdited + condensed by JOE DELESSIO Illustration by KYLE HILTON46 POPULAR SCIENCE