USA
Pro Selects are one of our most asked for Sam Bats, but what are they?
A few years ago the Sam Bat Team was brainstorming and I put forth the name Pro Select for one of our bat segments. Now this name has stuck and been copied across the bat industry! This really goes to show you never know what impact you are going to have.
A SAM BAT Pro Select is a bat that was made for an actual Pro order during the year. Pro Orders are very exact. Barry Bonds for example swung a 34 inch 31.8 ounce 2K1 model. No two pieces of wood are exactly the same weight and there can be minor weight density variations along the piece of maple. For larger Pro orders we therefore typically make a few extra, in case an issue comes up in production, or the pro needs more at the last minute. Any extra bats go to the Pro Select section!
This time of year is when we typically produce most of the Pro Selects. The Pro Select models may have slightly different specs than the original model for the Pro for a few reasons: the player may have requested a small change, or we had to make a change to meet professional density regulations.
We often get asked for 32” but unfortunately we do not have any professional players that swing 32”.
90 percent of our Pro Orders are 33.5 and 34 inches. We are now also getting orders at 33.75. 33%, or the majority of our Pros, are also now swinging a Drop 2 (-2). This is a great weight drop as the wood used for the bat is denser and therefore stronger. A few players swing 35”, this year our only 35” order to date is Ryan Braun. Historically Alfonso Soriano and Jose Canseco swung heavy long bats with great results.
If you want to see any new models or colours let us know!
See all Pro Select models here