Louisville Slugger/ Powerized now a Sticker

[Swoboda4]

This week I received from MLB Auctions a Michael Cuddyer C360, used last month while the Mets played San Francisco. This is the first time I've noticed that a Major League bat has the Louisville Slugger, and the "Powerized" label joined together in a decal applied to the bat.

[Swoboda4]

I put two threads because when I was done and posted the first one (pine tar and Sticker), I realized the sticker issue was very important and deserved its own thread. Would a player want to hit the ball off the sticker and have the ball I believe possibly "slide" off the bat. The other important issue is for the collector. As time goes by and the sticker peels off I feel it impacts the hobby of collecting bats, that the bat is cheapened by not being branded. I felt it important enough to post with just the sticker issue, and the initial post would drop down. Also you cant delete posts.

[Swoboda4]

If this is the future of game used bats (decals) it is a concern for me as a collector, as it is for players who should not want a ball to be hit off the plastic label.

[godwulf]

In the last couple of years, I've gotten a couple of Zinger bats and recently a Phoenix bat that all had the decal knocked or worn off. I'm surprised LS would go in that particular direction.

Speaking of LS, I've been meaning to ask...has anyone heard from BMH since the big bat order records debacle? The last post I recall reading, he was anticipating a meeting with his bosses about it.

[Sioux4Ever]

I received a game used bat at an Indy league game in Fargo, ND when our RedHawks were playing the St. Paul Saints. After the game I asked one of the Saints players for his bat I thought he had broken earlier during the game. Turns out the bat wasn't broken but the thing that caught my attention was exactly this. That the Slugger logo and Powerized were all one and a decal that stucka few millimeters off the bat.

[Swoboda4]

Yea, for the past couple of years I've started collecting game used bats mostly. But with deadwood/dried out bats posing a large problem in preserving (Thinking bat tube with humidifier pack for cigar humidors to prevent bat from drying and separating) I now have this problem on the other side of the bat: A decal from the biggest company in the business instead of a branding logo. Again a problem for collectors and a problem for players (a ball hit on the plastic decal is not preferred). Cuddyer's BBQ sauce pine tar will keep this decal from going anywhere, but I'm going to think twice before I buy another.

[TigersCubs84]

I guess I'm missing your point. Why would players not want to hit the ball where the decal is, other than it's not the sweet spot of the barrel. What other difference would there be making contact on the Powerized decal vs. burned in the wood? Thanks.

[Swoboda4]

The "Louisville Slugger/Powerized' decal is plastic. I would rather have the ball hit wood than the plastic decal which is more slippery.

[STLHAMMER32]

The "Louisville Slugger/Powerized' decal is plastic. I would rather have the ball hit wood than the plastic decal which is more slippery.


If you are hitting the ball that low on the barrel whether the ball is "slipping" or not will be the least of your concerns......

[Swoboda4]

You're right, that's true.

[STLHAMMER32]

I'm guessing due to the type of wood, branding the bat compromises it's integrity...that's my understanding as to why this application started to be applied to the maple bats initially. From a marketing standpoint players have the option of removing the sticker because it's not permanent thus getting rid of the brand recognition watching the game but other than that it shouldn't affect game play in any way.

[Sabresfreak]

The Cuddyer bat is ash but the LVS M9 bats had decals. They were around from 2004ish up until they changed the LVS logo a couple of years ago. Never had an issue with a decal on a bat.

[metsbats]

This is a very educational post. Honestly I've not kept up with the current bat labeling changes and brands because I stopped buying current player gamed used years ago.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

I don't think LS burn brands anymore bats now. When I went on the tour I think they mentioned the switch to the new label vs. burning. Can't remember if there was an actual reason regarding integrity of the bat or just something they decided to do.

There must be two types of stickers though. Yours looks like a thicker plastic while some I have seen is a very thin sticker.

[Swoboda4]

For the hobby, if decal/stickers on bats (instead of branding) becomes the norm, it's a monumental change. For the player who may occasionally hit a ball off the label I don't know, but I rather have the ball strike the wood. Interesting that at the end of the barrel with the players name and bat type is still branded.

[metsbats]

Would stickers be more cost effective than branding?

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the type of branding other manufacturers have and the name branding on LS bats is not burned in. That's just pressed or something right?

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Also I don't think hitting it off a sticker means anything. That is like saying the ball will stick to pine tar and not go as far.