# A Finite Element Investigation into the Effect of Slope of Grain on Wood Baseball Bat Durability
## 6 Conclusions  
Finite element models of the popular C243 bat profile, baseball, and a bat durability system were constructed and used to study the effect of SoG on the outcomes of ash, maple, and yellow birch bats for inside and outside pitches. For an inside-pitch impact, bats with a positive SoG exhibited better durability than negative-SoG bats--with the best durability for bats with SoGs in the range of +1\({}^{\circ}\) to +2\({}^{\circ}\). Conversely, negative-SoGs performed best for outside-pitch impacts when compared to results of positive-SoG bats of the same profile and material properties. For both impact locations, sharp drop-offs in performance were observed as the SoG went outside the range of \(\pm\)3\({}^{\circ}\). When comparing the three wood species, the yellow birch bats failed at the lowest velocity thresholds but exhibited the highest velocity range of the single-piece failure. The maple bats exhibited the highest velocity threshold before a single-piece failure occurred but were the most likely to fail multi-piece. The ash bats exhibited a balance of moderate velocity threshold before failure with a smaller range of multi-piece failure.  
[PERSON]-[PERSON]'s contributions to the research were formal analysis of the finite element modeling studies presented in the article, investigation of the effect slope of grain has on the durability of baseball bats comprised of three different wood species, development of a methodology to study the effect of slope of grain on wood baseball bat durability through finite element modeling, validation and visualization of the finite element results, writing the original draft and reviewing and editing the paper. [PERSON]'s author contributions to this work were conceptualization of the project goals, funding acquisition for the project, aiding in the development of the methodology used accomplish the finite element study, acting as a project administrator and supervisor to the project, and reviewing and editing the writing of the article. [PERSON]'s author contributions to the article are conceptualization of the project goals, formal analysis of the finite element modeling results, project administration and supervision of the research goals and tasks to complete the project, providing resources to properly evaluate the finite element modeling results, and reviewing and editing the article. [PERSON]'s author contributions to the research were providing finite element modeling resources and developing the finite element model methodology that served as a guideline to the parametric studies presented in the article. [PERSON]'s author contributions to the article were reviewing and editing the paper. [PERSON]'s author contributions to the article were funding acquisition for the research, serving as a project administrator and supervisor to the project goals, and serving as a crucial resource in regard to wood science and wood behavior.  
This research was funded in part by the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and the MLB Players Association. This material is based upon the work supported by the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and the MLB Players Association. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and the MLB Players Association.  
**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.