It's a different game: aluminum bat performance vs. wood bat performance.

Jeff Bagwell, Mike Bordick, Pie Traynor, Carlton Fisk, Mickey Cochrane, Tino Martinez, Eric Milton, Mark Mulder, Frank Thomas, and Mo Vaughn all have something in common. They are just a few who competed in the Cape Cod League, the premier amateur baseball program in the nation since 1885. In 2002 there were over 180 former Cape Cod League players on major league rosters, including American League Cy Young winner Barry Zito, AL Rookie of the Year Erie Hinske, and All-Stars Nomar Garciaparra, Todd Helton, and Lance Berkman.

In 1967, Thurman Munson led the league in hitting and was named the Cape's Most Valuable Player. A few other well-known MVPs over the years include Nat Showalter (better known as "Buck"), Steve Balboni, Ron Darling, Terry Steinbach, Greg Vaughn, Jason Varitek, and Darin Erstad. The award for the league's batting champion is named in Munson's honor, and among the recent winners are Bobby Kielty (1998), Lance Berkman (1996), Josh Paul (1995), and Lou Merloni (1992). The league established a Hall of Fame in 2000, and members include Mike Flanagan, Chuck Knoblauch, and Robin Ventura.

The nonprofit league was reorganized in 1963 with help from the NCAA and remains an NCAA-approved summer league, one of a growing number around the country, most of which use wooden bats. In 2003, the teams included the Bourne Braves, Brewster Whitecaps, Cotuit Kettleers, Falmouth Commodores, Harwich Mariners, Hyannis Mets, Orleans Cardinals, Wareham Gatemen, and Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

The league is important to professional scouts because it doesn't allow the use of aluminum bats, though metal was used from 1975 to 1985. But the league returned to wood in 1986, and it has not looked back. The opportunity for collegiate players to prove they can make the switch from aluminum to wood makes the league more attractive and one reason it is much sought after by the best college prospects.

For the past six years I have been analyzing wood bat performance in the league compared to the high-tech aluminum bats used during the players' collegiate season. What follows is the results of that study. The parameters are: (1) only Division I hitters and pitchers were included; (2) hitters needed a minimum of 70 at-bats in the Cape Cod League to be included; (3) pitchers needed a minimum of 25 innings pitched. This means only regular players were considered.

In 2002, there were a total of 94 Division I hitters and 74 Division I pitchers who met the criteria. NCAA spring statistics (aluminum bat) of the players were compared to their summer Cape Cod League statistics (wood bats). Thus, the comparison is for the same players during the same year. While the level of players, both hitters and pitchers, is better in the Cape Cod League, the major variable is the bat.

The difference in offensive performance in 2002 from the aluminum to the wood bat is dramatic. Using 94 Division I hitters, comparisons were made in the following offensive categories: