Baseball bats can be made from many materials, but two of the most popular materials for wooden bats are hard rock maple and northern white ash. Rock maple bats are known for their durability and heavy hitting power but are heavy and can get to be a bit expensive. The white ash bats are more of a lightweight bat but won't stand up to every pitch the way a maple bat will. Each baseball player has his own preference as to which type of bat will help him hit that home run.

A hard rock maple bat is less likely to split when batting. Since maple is a hardwood it is quite dense giving the bat it's holding power. As with anything, however, the way the bat is made has a lot to do with whether or not it will hold up. With a rock maple bat, you want to make sure it is manufactured from wood that has a straight grain. Not all manufacturers adhere to the same quality standards and some may not pick the straightest wood to build their bats from.

While they might not be as durable as a harder wood, many prefer the lighter weight and cheaper price of northern ash. Northern white ash bats are popular because they are not as heavy as the rock maple bats. While the northern ash bats are more cost effective, they are not as durable and probably will not last as long as a hard rock maple bat. Having said that, I will say that you can get good use and longevity out of a northern white ash bat if don't swing at poor pitches. Those foul balls that hit the bat are hitting it on a part that causes vibrations in the bat that can cause it to crack.

Most professional bats are made from white ash. Todays players like a lightweight bat and modern manufacturing methods have come up with methods to make bats even lighter such as scooping wood from the end of the barrel. With a lighter bat, you can swing faster and drive the ball further. Although many prefer the white ash, some are trying out the heavier maple bats as well. You just need to experiment with both to find the bat that is best for you.

Bats are sold in standard sizes and you can buy anything from a light version, to medium even distribution to a heavy head bat. Some dimensions you might find include 29/32 inches, 2 5/8 inch thin; 15/16 inches thin and 2 3/8; 1 inch medium 2 1/2 inch; 13/16 inch thin 2 3/16 inch. Colors include natural, red, black, green, walnut and blue.