Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/658783
27 BAYAREANEWSGROUP PLAYBALL THE GAME BillyButler A'S DESIGNATED HITTER Model:Mizuno personal model Vitals:34 inches, 32 ounces, shaves handle only to keep pine tar from building up, maple Whyitfeelsright: "I like the rounded knob because I can put my hand over it, and it has a thinner handle so that it's a little top-heavy. I like the feel with the extra weight down at the end." Uppercuts: "I used a Phoenix B455 bat when I was a kid. It was my only wooden bat. I used it for a long time." Danny Valencia A'S THIRD BASEMAN Model: Marucci model DV Vitals: 34 inches, 32½ ounces. "I use ash and would always use it in a perfect world. But it flakes, so in BP, I use the same model, but maple, which doesn't flake as much." Whyitfeelsright:"Ineedtohavethe batfeelperfectlybalancedwhenIswing. Whentheswingfeelsrightandthebat feelsright,it'slikeyoucan'tevenfeel theballwhenithitsthesweetspot." Uppercuts: "It was an Easton. Those bats were all aluminum, and I loved them. I'd use aluminum now, if they let me." Mark Canha A'S FIRST BASEMAN/LEFT FIELDER Model:Victus MR99. "It's a version of the Louisville Slugger S318 that I like." Vitals:34 inches, 32 ounces, maple Whyitfeelsright:"It feels right when I can't really feel the ball coming off the bat. Maple is hard and doesn't shatter the way ash does. I moved to this one a er I picked up a bat of Josh Phegley's, and it just felt right." Uppercuts: "We had a group of players we called the Neighborhood Children in San Jose. We all used the same metal bat, a white-and- black Louisville TPX. We called it the yardstick. It actually belonged to two brothers, A.J. and Austin Ghiossi, but we all used it. I hit a lot of homers with that thing." Billy Burns A'S CENTER FIELDER Model: Louisville Slugger B427 Vitals: 33½ inches, 31 ounces, maple. "I don't shave the handle, but I put tape around the knob up to 1½ inches. It helps when I choke up on the bat that there's no gap, and my hand can sit right on top of the knob." Whyitfeelsright: "I want to feel a little oomph when I make contact, so there's a little extra weight down at the barrel." Uppercuts:"I had a Louisville Slugger with a big barrel, 28 inches and 20 ounces. I'm telling you, that thing had a lot of pop." Josh Reddick A'S RIGHT FIELDER Model: Old Hickory personalized model Vitals:34 inches, 32 ounces, flared knob, maple Whyitfeelsright:"I've always been a maple guy — never really took to ash because of the way it chips. I like the balance I get with the bat, the way it feels through the zone." Uppercuts:"I never really had my own bat when I was a kid — we couldn't afford it — so I just used whatever bat the team had. It seemed to work OK." Marcus Semien A'S SHORTSTOP Model: Marucci JM Vitals:34 inches, 31½ ounces, shaves the handle a little, maple and ash. "I'll mix it up with a 33½ to 31½ when the 34-inch bat feels too heavy." Whyitfeelsright:"Ash flakes too much, and you go through too many bats. But I like how hard it is, and it feels right when you swing it.It's a good feeling when you make solid contact." Uppercuts: "Every year from the time I was about 7-12 or 13, my grandmother Carol Phillips would take me out shopping and let me pick out a bat for Christmas. I loved to look forward to that. The only thing was that she made me pretend to be surprised for the rest of the family when I opened the package on Christmas." Coco Crisp A'S OUTFIELDER Model: Louisville Slugger M301S Vitals:33½ inches, 31 ounces, doesn't shave handle, maple Whyitfeelsright:"I like the size of the barrel and the balance it has. I use a thinner handle and smaller knob. If it feels like you're not swinging anything heavy, that's when it's right. I will switch size from time to time just to change things up." Uppercuts:"I just used whatever bat my dad bought me. All I remember about them now is that they were all aluminum." Jed Lowrie A'S SECOND BASEMAN Model:Tucci JL-8 Vitals:33½ inches, 31 ounces, maple Whyitfeelsright:"I want my swings from both sides of the plate to be consistent, and for that I need to have the right balance in the bat. This one has it." Uppercuts:"I had an Easton Redline forever when I was a kid. I didn't carry that bat to bed or anything, but it went just about everywhere I went. " NOWBATTINGFORTHEA'S...