I just received an e-mail from Rip-It Sports talking about the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee and their memorandum to bat manufacturers.
What do you think – will softball follow?
TO: College Baseball Bat Manufacturers.
FROM: xxxxx xxxxx, chair
NCAA Baseball Rules Committee.SUBJECT: Composite Bat Moratorium.
This correspondence is being sent on behalf of the Baseball Rules Committee, alerting the college baseball bat manufacturing community to an important action being taken in regard to certain bats that have been used in NCAA competition. After significant dialog and review of research collected during the Division I Baseball Championship, the committee is proposing an immediate and indefinite moratorium on the use of composite barreled bats. The committee believes this action is needed in order to protect the integrity of the game and to enhance the safety of the student-athletes.
Before the committee’s recent meeting, numerous concerns were voiced by the membership with a request for action. After a thorough review of compliance testing and a review of the improved performance of composite bats, often exceeding NCAA acceptable limits, these concerns have proven to be valid. Therefore, the committee has decided to put an immediate and indefinite moratorium on the use of composite bats in NCAA competition.
The research reviewed included compliance testing during the Division I Baseball Championship. During this testing, 80 percent of the composite bats tested failed the current NCAA performance level. Because all bat designs must pass this test before mass production, this research indicates that the performance of such bats changed thereafter, most likely due to repeated, normal use and/or intentional alteration. Offensive statistics at the Division I level also indicate a significant increase in batting averages and home runs the past two seasons.
By proposing a moratorium, the committee is not necessarily discarding the possibility of a return of composite bats to NCAA competition at some point in the future, and looks forward to working with manufacturers in an attempt to find a solution towards that end.
The committee requests your feedback and proposed solutions to this issue. Please send any feedback to xxxxx xxxxx at the NCAA (xxxxx@ncaa.org).
Thank you for your attention to this memorandum.
What do you think?
- How do you feel about this change?
- Do you in favor of it?
- Do you think softball will follow?
- How would you feel about that???
Leave me a comment here and let me know.
NCAA softball still ties itself to the ASA bat performance standard. As we all know, ASA took steps to dampen “used” performance of bats manufactured after June or July of last year, I believe. Apparently NCAA baseball is seeing the need to do a thorough review of its situation. I would guess they will end up with an exit speed standard for “used” bats analogous to what the ASA has done for softball. However, the situation must be pretty dire for them to institute an immediate moratorium on usage of composites.
I grew up playing slow-pitch softball with the church leagues. We used “normal” aluminum bats and hit heavy white 12″ Worth Blue Dot Softballs. You either had to have wickedly fast wrists, tremendous power, or generate incredible bat speed to hit homeruns out of the fields we used.
Now I help coach a 10U Fastpitch team and the girls are hitting very lively 11″ optic yellow softballs and are using double walled bats and some even have the composite bats at this age!! We teach them good form and drills to increase bat speed and the balls come off like rockets (thanks also to some increased pitch speeds) We have 10U girls that can drive the ball halfway through the power-alleys. (not all but some) We also have a bunch of girls who can scorch line-drives and nasty little 3 hoppers through the in-field. THIS IS 10U!!! I can only imagine what its like when you have fully developed strength and conditioned honed athletes!
I enjoy the power game as much as anybody, but for the sake of the game and the jaws and eye-sockets of the young ladies on our team, I hope they “deaden” the bats at least a little or maybe even take some of the rebound out of the softball.
I dont see this happening in softball, at least not anytime soon. In baseball the MLB uses wooden bats. I have even known some high school and college players to prefer wooden bats. I would not be surprised if the switch is made that baseball has to use wooden bats.
The reason I dont think this will be an issue with softball anytime soon is because professional softball players use composite bats. Therefore everyone below professional will start to mold to what the professionals use.
I would agree that all of our players who are really “into” the game want the best equipment and the best results. I also know that I would be reluctant to put a 14 yr old in the cockpit of a F1 car. She is undoubtedly a great athlete but her reaction speed is not as great as that of the 25 yr old with 8 years of experience in a race car. I know! I know! That is a bit of a stretch as far as analogies go, but I also know that physical prowess can be developed far in advance of reflex and knowledge. If we deaden the bat or the ball we have the chance to reduce injuries especially below the age of 16-18.
After losing two girls this year to composites, I support any changes that will insure safety and integrity within any league that allows composites. The old standards aren’t acceptable, any way shape or form. Injuries were both to my pitchers 1. No time to react-direct impact to kneecap.ambulance to hospital. 2. No time to react-ball shattered nose. Bled profusiously, on field for an hour with paramedics before transported. I umpired that game due to a no show and can tell you it wasn’t pretty. If I had a way to field test that bat, I would have. And I check bats before every game to try to keep the girls safe. They are playing closer than slow pitch and are in harms way by these bats exceeding limits and bat rolling for self centered motives. Moms and Dads- DON’T DO IT! And players- take a look at the possible reactions and liabilities. A jacked bat isn’t worth a major lawsuit!Individual leagues need to set standards and enforce them as far as allowed. Not sure about a total ban
but bat checks should be open at any time….Coach 17 under
girls fastpitch.
Composite bats have ruined slowpitch softball and they are now ruining fastpitch and baseball from college all the way down to little league. The whole concept of a bat getting hotter over time after it is manufactured to meet a certain standard is ridiculous. Add in the fact that composite bats can be easily altered by rolling or shaving them and now the playing field has been tilted drastically in favor of those willing to cheat. Not to mention that fielders are in danger of being seriously hurt or even killed (it has happened numerous times in slowpitch already). It’s time to level the playing field, put the game back in the hands of the players, and ban composite bats for good!
Pitching domenates softball ( and umpires that have an extended strike zone) We see low run games all the time because a good(not even domenate) pitcher has all the advantages. So if you want more of the one run games then by all means deaden the ball, weaken the bat but dont cry when no one cares to watch, support or want to play in the boring watch the pitcher pitch games.
Worried about getting hurt put on a mask or go take up nitting.More kids are hurt in car accidents than softball, do we ban cares?
A great batting average in our area is anything over 300. That is I get out 7 out of 10 at bats and now you want to take away the only advantage I as a bat have gotten.
The pitchers have the edge. The batters need one now!
I think bat technology is getting out of control. Bat technology is far exceeding kids reaction times. How many injuries is it going to take before the companies decide to take their bats down a notch?
fine write-up, i certainly love this web site, keep on it
Hi, only discovered your own blog through Google, as well because discovered so that it truly is truly educational. I’m gonna stay attuned for this tool. Quite a large amount of thanks!