That weird-looking baseball bat at Royals games? We’re glad you axed

As simple as a baseball bat might seem to be, people are forever tinkering with its design.

Bats have gotten shorter and lighter, handles have gotten thinner; some bats have a hollowed-out cup at the end, others feature wraps that improve a player’s grip. And lots of players have made the switch from ash to maple.

At times, even the best hitters find hitting a mystery. If you have a product that makes that task easier, someone in Major League Baseball is bound to give it a try.

And the latest example is the axe-handled bat.

Instead of utilizing the traditional handle and round knob, the axe-handled bat, originated by a company called AXE, flattens out and ends in an oblong knob, angled to fit the hand. Unsurprisingly, it looks like what it sounds like: an axe handle.

Brett Phillips, one of the newest Royals, sometimes uses an axe-handled bat during games. He cites swing mechanics and “rollover” grounders as the main reasons why.

When a hitter starts his swing, his bottom hand pulls the bat while his top hand pushes. Which hand is dominant is the subject of some debate in baseball, but all hitters want to make contact with the ball before the wrists roll over.

If a hitter makes contact as the rollover process begins, he’s more likely to cast the barrel away from his body, come around the outside of the ball, top it, and hit a grounder to the pull-side of the field.

Since that usually results in an out, pitchers have a variety of tricks to induce what are called “rollover” grounders. Take a few miles an hour off a fastball or throw a changeup and a hitter might reach for the ball and start to roll over before he makes contact.

Phillips believes the axe-handle design allows him to extend his swing before rolling over, and that in turn makes it easier for him to get the barrel to an inside pitch.

Online videos of the axe-handled bat also suggest the shape of the handle improves grip strength and allows some hitters with a history of wrist or hand injuries to swing a bat without discomfort.

When a hitter is hitting well, he might not know exactly why he’s hitting well. So he probably won’t change a thing. When a hitter is scuffling, he might not know exactly why he’s scuffling, so he’ll try something different.

Phillips admits that he’s going to use whatever seems to be working. And if his axe-handle bat isn’t getting the job done, he’ll switch to a bat with a traditional, round knob.

At least now the next time you see Phillips or Mookie Betts or George Springer or any other hitter at the plate with an odd-looking bat, you’ll know what it is.

This story was originally published August 15, 2018 at 5:30 AM with the headline "That weird-looking baseball bat at Royals games? We’re glad you axed."