'Torpedo' bat explodes on to the scene
Controversial new shape causes opening weekend stir, but designer says it's more about the player than the lumber
For the MIT-educated physicist behind the torpedo bat, it's more about the talent of the players than their lumber at the plate.
The torpedo model — a striking design in which wood is moved lower down the barrel after the label and shapes the end a little like a bowling pin — became the talk of major league baseball over the weekend.
The New York Yankees hit a team-record nine homers that traveled a combined 3,695 feet on Saturday. Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr all went deep using a torpedo bat. New York's 15 homers through the first three games matched the 2006 Detroit Tigers for the most in major league history.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz used a torpedo bat in a game for the first time on Monday night. He hit his first two homers of the season and finished with a career-high seven RBIs in a 14-3 victory over Texas.
"At the end of the day it's about the batter not the bat," said Aaron Leanhardt, a former physics professor at the University of Michigan who is being credited with the design. "It's about the hitter and their hitting coaches. I'm happy to always help those guys get a little bit better, but ultimately it's up to them to take good swings and grind it out every day. So, credit to those guys."
The 23-year-old De La Cruz said the torpedo bat felt good. Asked if he planned to use it again after his performance, he just laughed in response.
Leanhardt, 48, a field coordinator for the Miami Marlins, said the origin of the bat dates to 2023, when he worked for the Yankees. He said several versions were tested that didn't create the desired effect.
