Background

• Baseball bats, both aluminum and wood, can be constructed from one piece of material, or two separate pieces that are then attached to one another.
  
  

Construction

• One piece baseball bats use the same piece of material throughout, and there is no distinguishable difference between the bat's barrel and its handle. Two piece baseball bats consist of a separate barrel and handle that are constructed individually, then bonded together.
  
  

Varieties

• Bats can be made of the same type of material throughout, as one piece bats are, or can be constructed of separate components. Some two piece bats might consist of two different materials, such as a metal composite handle with either an aluminum alloy or maple barrel.
  
  

Advantages of Two Piece

• Two piece proponents argue that their design increases the barrel's ability to flex at the point of contact with the baseball. This spring-like effect increases the momentum of a struck baseball.
  
  

Advantages of One Piece

• Advocates of the one piece design claim their bat is stronger, as there are no "hinges" at which momentum could be lost, since the same piece of material is used all the way through.