From Bombas to Bamboo in the Absence of Baseball

[Patrick Wozniak]

What does bamboo have to do with baseball or the Minnesota Twins? I thought you’d never ask!The short and boring answer would be “not much.” While that would free me up to spend more actual time with bamboo it probably wouldn’t suffice for an article.

Where am I going with all this? I’m not entirely sure, but the current state of the world and lack of baseball has meant that many of us have more time on our hands and have acquired new hobbies. I’m settling on bamboo.

 

It all started a few years back when my wife and I bought the land we’re currently building our new house on and I decided to plant some golden bamboo. Most bamboo is green but I fell in love when I stumbled upon a small pond surrounded by the golden variety while I was hiking in the jungle. I found some for sale and currently have three clusters growing (It grows really tall really fast).

 

Anyway, I’ve been spending more time at the land as our house is nearing completion and recently planted more bamboo (and I have some seeds of the giant bamboo variety currently burning a hole in my pocket). I decided I should learn more about bamboo, specifically how to make my own cuttings so I could plant even more golden bamboo. It’s a pretty simple yet interesting process that I quickly learned about through the miracle of YouTube (where I also discovered black bamboo!).

 

So I’ve found my new hobby (along with planting trees), but I have yet to tie it to baseball or better yet the Twins. A quick google search didn’t lead to any interesting stories about bamboo and baseball but it did lead to bamboo baseball bats!

 

Bamboo is not only flexible but also really strong, which makes it ideal for bats. Although bamboo is technically a grass it sure acts and feels like a wood and is cut into strips and then formed together to make a bat. Bamboo bats are much stronger than traditional wooden bats so they are less prone to break and are relatively inexpensive. They’re also light-weight so they can help to quicken a swing.

 

Unfortunately we’re unlikely to see Nelson Cruz (or any other big leaguers) swinging bamboo anytime soon. They’re fine for practice but are not allowed in games as all bats must be made from a single piece of wood. I’m not even sure if a solid bamboo culm would be allowed since it’s technically grass but it definitely seems like something Detroit should try come September.

 

Bamboo bats are allowed by the NCAA and most high school leagues but are mostly used for practice as they are cost-efficient and rarely break.

 

Baseball-related bamboo products don’t end with the bat. You can truly be the coolest kid in school with your very own bamboo baseball cap! Players Weekend 2020? Make it happen Manfred.

 

That brings us to the Twins. While I would love nothing more than to be able to relate a story about Tony Oliva swinging bamboo poles as a kid, no such luck (maybe Dick Bremer has fished with a bamboo rod?). However, if you happen to be looking for Twins-themed bamboo products the list is endless: Bathroom sets, salt & pepper grinders, coaster sets, phone cases, even unisex serving trays!

 

While I’d love to understand what exactly makes a serving tray unisex, my next bamboo related purchase will not be licensed by the MLB. Black bamboo here I come!

 

What non-baseball related hobbies have you picked up while at home? Do you have an affinity for bamboo? Have you ever owned or operated a unisex serving tray? Please leave your comments below!

 

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[Sielk]

You really made me laugh with this article, Patrick. It's surprising what connections you can discover between two seemingly unrelated topics if you really look into it. Thanks for the fun read!

 

And have fun with your black bamboo!

[ashbury]

Bamboo bats. Thanks to this article, I went from "not a thing," to "huh, I guess it's a thing." Might be the best article I'll read all day, although that probably says more about the day than about bamboo.

[Trov]

If they can make the bamboo "pop" more similar to the traditional wood bats, I think they should be adopted by NCAA and High School.  I know NCAA has changed the "pop" of the bats they use to be similar to wood bats, but if you can still the feel of a wood bat but the durability of composite bat that would be great.  So often the question teams have is how will the power transition to wood bats, or how will the player transition to wood bats.  This would lift that question in evaluations.

 

Also, it would appear the bats would be safer for all involved.  Lucky it is not a common situation where someone is hurt by a broken bat, but every time I see a bat splinter and go flying into a crowd, something that is much less likely now with extended netting, but sometimes it could go into dug out or batting circle. 

 

I know the fear of baseball would be the ability to make sure the "pop" is not altered by players.  That is how the rule of one solid piece comes in, we know, there one solid piece and can be tested.  In composite bats they are certified by the maker and sold to people in stores, which mitigates the risk because the company would not want to lose possible sales by not having proper bats.  However, when the sale is directly to the player like bats are, that increases the risk of not following the rules.  

 

I doubt the MLB will ever adopt it, unless there is some extreme environmental concerns for traditional bats.  However, for non professional baseball it may be a good option.  I know I have thought of wood bat leagues but worried of breaking the bat and the recurring cost, but having a durable light bat may make me rethink that. 

[Patrick Wozniak]

 

You really made me laugh with this article, Patrick. It's surprising what connections you can discover between two seemingly unrelated topics if you really look into it. Thanks for the fun read!

And have fun with your black bamboo!

Thanks so much for the kind words! I went back and forth wondering if this was worth publishing so it means a lot to me that someone found enjoyment in it. I tend to expect the worst with all my articles and am constantly surprised by the kindness of Twins Daily readers. It really makes it all worthwhile. Thanks again!

[Teflon]

Perhaps Twins minor leaguer Akil Badoo can be an early adopter  - then you can go from Bombas to bamboo to Badoo.

[ashbury]

Perhaps Twins minor leaguer Akil Badoo can be an early adopter  - then you can go from Bombas to bamboo to Badoo.

Boo!

 

(No, I liked it.)