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goyard
217 Posts |
 Posted - 05/13/2010 : 11:47:38
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| Been hearing rumblings on composite bats being banned sometime in the future... anyone know definitively if this is true or false and if true, what levels of play and/or all? |
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Hurricane
351 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2010 : 12:17:06
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| I heard 2012 can no longer be used at the high school level. College it is already in effect. Youth I hope soon to follow. |
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bambino_dad
119 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2010 : 15:41:16
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NCAA has banned them: http://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=967868
NFHS has not: http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=2772
From a pure safety standpoint, this group evaluates the research and says don't eliminate the aluminum bat. The NFHS baseball meetings are in June. Who knows what, if anything, will be finalized?
My guess is that composite bats will be "tuned" down to acceptable specs so everybody's happy. When that will happen - not next year, nor the next I'm thinking. The 2011 stock is RFS. Eastbay and Baseball Express catalogs are out. The 2012's are under contract now. Bat manufacturers have too much $$ invested in HS baseball to fathom an outright ban. Since college bats aren't purchased as retail items, most mfgs can absorbs the loss. Easy call for the NCAA. For NFHS and Travel ball associations, not so much. |
Edited by - bambino_dad on 05/13/2010 18:56:23 |
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goyard
217 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2010 : 08:08:24
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| Good info guys and thanks |
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A-Dad
9 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2010 : 10:19:38
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Easton has come out with a composite that is approved for NCAA play. It has been tuned down and, I think, pre-rolled so it will not break in further to exceed BESR specs.
The problem with the composites is that they get hotter as they break in - to the point where they exceed BESR.
Unless you are playing college ball, and want to use a composite, I don't see any reason why you would purchase this bat. It is their BSS3. It is the only 2011 Easton composite with a black grip.
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bambino_dad
119 Posts |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2010 : 09:30:33
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I watched the video and while I am a fan of wood bats, I didn't hear any facts stated that metal or composite bats are actually more dangerous. I heard the attorney who is against them say that the studies that show them as being no more dangerous than wood are tainted because the reseachers have ties to the bat manufacturers. But they provided no evidence that they are more dangerous. Due to restrictions on ball reactivity off the bat, I believe the main difference is the size of the sweet spot. Much bigger sweet spots on the metal or composite meaning your chances of hitting the ball hard are higher. I am not convinced that if you hit it hard on the sweet spot of a wood bat, it will be much different than hitting it with metal or composite.
JMHO.
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Whitlow
211 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2010 : 22:06:13
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Composite bats are hotter but composite bats just don't last. I've seen many break in just one season, but if you want performance at the cost of longevity get full composite. If you want to save money buy a metal bat or half-n-half bat. I would think that Metal bats are hotter than wood as well. Yes technology will continue to make bats better/hotter.
Originally metal bats were made to last longer without breaking like wood to reduce costs over a season not necessarily to improve performance. Composite bats were made in order to make bats lighter so that youth baseball players would be able to swing them faster so I guess in that sense to improve performance.
I don't like players getting injured, but demanding bats go back to wood is like demanding tennis rackets go back to wood. Wood tennis rackets warped and just didn't last, but they did decrease performance, head size, etc. Why not save the trees and force the bat manufacturers to de-tune the bats by meeting real world testing standards that work.
I don't think it would be near as fun for the kids if they had swing heavy wood bats at the younger age groups. There is also nothing to keep people from illegally modifying bats even wood. Wood bats split and crack and can cause injuries as well when the pieces go flying though the air.
There will always be new technological advances that will increase performance. I imagine they may even one day make a faux wood with higher performance that maybe almost undetectable from real wood. |
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Whitlow
211 Posts |
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3sondad
220 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2010 : 08:02:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Whitlow
I don't think it would be near as fun for the kids if they had swing heavy wood bats at the younger age groups. There is also nothing to keep people from illegally modifying bats even wood. Wood bats split and crack and can cause injuries as well when the pieces go flying though the air.
There will always be new technological advances that will increase performance. I imagine they may even one day make a faux wood with higher performance that maybe almost undetectable from real wood.
For high school players there are many options to "traditional" wood bats. Bamboo bats perform like wood bats, are almost unbreakable and are BESR rated. Composite wood bats are a lot harder to break than Ash or Maple and are BESR rated. The same goes with a bat with a composite handle and an Ash or a Maple head. The technology for stronger (safer) wood bats are there without giving performance increases.
Youth wood bats are available in the same composite materials and are -6 to even -8 in size. My boys have always train with these bats. Over the winter in the cold a composite handle wood bat is less forgiving than an Ash or Maple.
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adumdad
3 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2010 : 13:56:31
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| I guess this is why they still use persimmon head drivers on the PGA to hit it square and go as far as metal and composite head drivers? Don't think so, however I definitely respect your opinion JMHO but have seen way too many baseballs hit by 13 year old kids that are moon shots! At first I thought it was the "stuff they are putting in food these days" but then couldn't find an argument with the equipment! Follow the money, the mfgs will go down fighting. Change will be coming but it will be later than sooner. They have changed softball bats for fastpitch due to same issue. But then again, what do I know I'm just a-dumb-dad! Whew, I love this game! |
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Composite?
