A reel for engaging and guiding crop plants into an agricultural harvesting head, the reel comprising: a reel mount configured to be mounted on an agricultural harvester; a wheel supported for rotation on the reel mount about a first rotational axis with respect to reel mount; an eccentric wheel supported for rotation on the reel mount about a second rotational axis, wherein said second rotational axis is generally parallel to and spaced away from the first rotational axis, and wherein the eccentric wheel comprises a hub and a plurality of arms that are coupled to the hub; a plurality of bat extension links distributed about the periphery of the wheel, wherein said plurality of bat extension links are pivotally coupled to the wheel at a plurality of corresponding first pivot points to pivot with respect to the wheel about axes that are generally parallel to the first rotational axis, wherein said first pivot points are disposed equidistant from the first rotational axis, wherein said first pivot points are spaced equidistantly apart from each other, and further wherein each of said plurality of bat extension links is pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of arms at a second pivot point on said each of said plurality of bat extension links that is disposed away from said first pivot point on said each of said plurality of bat extension links; a plurality of bats; characterized in that the arms are pivotally coupled to the hub, that each of said plurality of bats is pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of bat extension links at a third pivot point on said bat extension link that is disposed away from the second pivot point and the first pivot point, such that each of the plurality of bats pivots with respect to the bat extension link; that a plurality of bat cranks is provided, wherein each of said plurality of bat cranks is fixed to a corresponding one of said plurality of bats to pivot with said one of said plurality of bats with respect to the bat extension link to which said one of said plurality of bats is pivotally mounted; and that a plurality of bat orientation members is provided, wherein each of said plurality of bat orientation members is pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of bat cranks at a fourth pivot point on the bat crank that is spaced away from the bat to which said one of said plurality of bat cranks is fixed, and wherein each of said plurality of bat orientation members is also pivotally coupled to said wheel. a reel mount configured to be mounted on an agricultural harvester; a wheel supported for rotation on the reel mount about a first rotational axis with respect to reel mount; an eccentric wheel supported for rotation on the reel mount about a second rotational axis, wherein said second rotational axis is generally parallel to and spaced away from the first rotational axis, and wherein the eccentric wheel comprises a hub and a plurality of arms that are coupled to the hub; a plurality of bat extension links distributed about the periphery of the wheel, wherein said plurality of bat extension links are pivotally coupled to the wheel at a plurality of corresponding first pivot points to pivot with respect to the wheel about axes that are generally parallel to the first rotational axis, wherein said first pivot points are disposed equidistant from the first rotational axis, wherein said first pivot points are spaced equidistantly apart from each other, and further wherein each of said plurality of bat extension links is pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of arms at a second pivot point on said each of said plurality of bat extension links that is disposed away from said first pivot point on said each of said plurality of bat extension links; a plurality of bats; characterized in that the arms are pivotally coupled to the hub, that each of said plurality of bats is pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of bat extension links at a third pivot point on said bat extension link that is disposed away from the second pivot point and the first pivot point, such that each of the plurality of bats pivots with respect to the bat extension link; that a plurality of bat cranks is provided, wherein each of said plurality of bat cranks is fixed to a corresponding one of said plurality of bats to pivot with said one of said plurality of bats with respect to the bat extension link to which said one of said plurality of bats is pivotally mounted; and that a plurality of bat orientation members is provided, wherein each of said plurality of bat orientation members is pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of bat cranks at a fourth pivot point on the bat crank that is spaced away from the bat to which said one of said plurality of bat cranks is fixed, and wherein each of said plurality of bat orientation members is also pivotally coupled to said wheel.