Finally! Maple bats face ban

March 1, 2010 by Jason@IIATMS

Finally some proactive news out of MLB with regards to the exploding maple bats, even though it’s taking root in the minors:

New regulations will prohibit bats made from ultra-light maple. The low-density wood often is found in bats with big barrels and thin handles, creating a whip-like action when swung. Softer red maple and silver maple — not commonly used — will be completely eliminated by the 30-plus companies approved to make bats.

The bans apply to players who are not on 40-man rosters and have no major league experience. Baseball often tests new rules on minor leaguers, be it drug tests or pace-of-game ideas, because most of them are not in the MLB players’ union and such moves do not require union approval.

Lest you think this is just for the minor leaguers:

As part of the safety initiative, any big leaguer whose bat broke at least 10 times last year must consult with a panel of MLB and union bat experts to determine if there is some extenuating problem.

Baseball also is changing the specifications for all bats, slimming the maximum diameter of the barrel from 2.75 inches — which had been the standard for more than 100 years — to 2.61 inches. Trying to change the geometry of bats, the minimum size of bat handles is being increasing by about 1-50th of an inch.

(click “view full post” to read more, including some of our prior ramblings on maple bats)

We’ve been on this subject for quite a while, as you can see below:

Of course, there is another solution that seems to make some sense to me, and also seems to conform to MLB rules and regulations. It’s called The Bat Glove and according to their site:

Keeping the integrity of a solid wood bat unchanged yet making it less prone to shattering has been a solution that many people have been searching for. The brilliant thing about this invention is that it’s transparent to the eye, lighter than paper, and best of all the players hands never even touch it.

  1. MLB allows any type of adhesive tape or pine tar to be placed on a bat for the purposes of grip. Those items can be applied no more than 18” above the handle of the bat.
  2. The Bat Glove is nothing more than adhesive polymeric film. It was scientifically engineered to be applied to a portion of the lower 18” of a solid wood bat.
  3. The Bat Glove contains flying debris when solid-wood bats shatter thus increasing and maintaining the players grip on the bat even when it breaks into multiple pieces.
  4.  The Bat Glove meets or exceeds MLB Official Rules 1.10

(c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18 inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game.

See?  Doesn’t that make some sense? 

One of the owners of The Bat Glove is a visitor to IIATMS, since we’ve traded emails a while back. I’ll be looking to chat with him again to get his take on the news above and what’s the latest with MLB’s and players’ acceptance or reluctance to use The Bat Glove.

Without trying to sound like a shill for The BatGlove, at least have a watch and see what it’s about:

 
Digg Delicious Mixx StumbleUpon Digg

2 Responses to “Finally! Maple bats face ban”

  1. Marco Danova says:
    March 1, 2010 at 8:41 pm

    Thanks Jason for the article ! We welcome a call from you at 602-524-5630 (Steve Rauso) . As you know,we are the solution to a very big problem,and need all reports and reporters to get MLB to approve and mandate the bat glove, before this season begins!

  2. Phil Rauso says:
    March 2, 2010 at 3:07 am

    What does not make sense is that the BatGlove already passed all the tests MLB required with 100% success yet they refuse to use it. Was told it would be mandated on bats in the MLB for the 2010 season by Dan Halem on December 4, 2009.



Go To Top »
premium wordpress themes