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Dented Bats
by Dave
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Rod wrote in with a question regarding what he feels will be a major issue at tournaments this year. The issue very likely could be a hot one as well as a hotly contested one. The rule is one which is, like most rules, subject to umpire interpretation. Rod was seeking advice and I'm not sure I have anything good to tell him aside from the obvious. Here's Rod's question:
"I've been trying to get clarification on the new ASA bat dent rule for 2009. How is it going to affect Anderson bats. These bats generally wave up and even hit better when they do. Anderson came out with a new Techzilla fastpitch and just released a holiday edition purple one for fastpitch. Sites that are selling these holiday editions are stating that Anderson tweaked the alloy to prevent denting in anticipation of the rule change. If this is true and the ring test doesn't have to be used, this will put more confusion out there than ever before. It will be how an umpire interprets a wave to a dent. I believe a wave is not a dent but I've seen umpires rub their hand down a barrel of a bat and they could feel them. At least with a ring test, you knew if your bat passed or had a chance to be thrown out. Most of the girls on my daughters team swing Rocketechs or Techzillas. Quite a few of them are waved up and even have small dents that easily pass the ring test. Most of the local tournaments never even check bats but the qualifying tournaments are stricter. Will we have to start going to composite bats? I have e-mailed Anderson and have not received a reply. Could you give me any feedback on this rule or Anderson bats in general.
Anytime a rule is given to umpires which requires any sort of subjective decision, it is a bad rule. Umpires are guaranteed to interpret this differently. And it doesn't necessarily vary according to what level of play you are engaged in. Every subjective rule gets called differently by different umpires and there is no particular trend for local tournaments vs. qualifiers vs. nationals.
If I were an umpire, I think I would call illegal pitches for either leaping or crow hopping on perhaps as many as half the kids I have seen pitch everywhere from 10U to 18U. I mean that in terms of literally hundreds of games at all of these levels and I mean that with respect to pitchers from all over the country, whether trained by well respected, big name coaches or whomever. Many pitchers do something illegal with their feet or hands and frequently get away with it. That goes for USA Olympians, college pitchers, and many kids at local youth tournaments, qualifiers and even nationals. The rules are applied so subjectively that it defies reason.
At a qualifier or nationals, I have seen pitchers talked to for obvious infractions and not one illegal pitch called during the game though the illegality continues. I have seen numerous illegal pitches called at nominal ASA tournaments - as opposed to qualifiers. At nationals, there does seem to be greater consistency on pitch calls but not always.
I have seen pitchers obviously walk into pitches at national tournaments and when you point this out to an ump, he angrily tells you to go back to your dugout. I have seen pitchers take signs from the back of the circle, walk right up and not bring their hands together or hesitate for even a tenth of a second before throwing. I have seen kids with very, very minor, slight tendencies, which under the letter of the law might be interpreted to be illegal, get called numerous times for illegal pitches at early games in local-yocal tournaments. I have seen so many quick pitches at nationals or qualifiers, I cannot begin to tell you. But these rules are apparently subjective and you get a mixed bag of enforcement at all levels. And it varies from game to game even at the same tournament, perhaps even with the same ump(s).
Several years ago, my older daughter's team attended the PONY national tournament. Bats and other equipment were inspected very closely at our first game. Then at the second game, everything was inspected again, just as closely or more so than it had in the first game. Then in the third game, the umps didn't bother. I chalked this up to everything having been gone over so thoroughly early in the competition that no further inspection was deemed necessary. This made sense to me at the time I thought of it, but in game four, bats were again closely inspected, in game five, nothing, in game six, again a thorough inspection, and finally in game seven, nothing.
The very next year I took a team to the same nationals and this time not one single inspection took place. Not one bat ring was used. Helmets with missing chin straps were not tossed. I should say the umps required us to line up our bats and helmets but they barely glanced at them - not a ring, nothing. The following year we played several qualifiers and it was a mixed bag. At this one, equipment was looked at once. At that one, bats were closely inspected before every game. At this or that one, no umpire ever looked at the equipment. There was no rhyme or reason over several years. And this took place regardless of whether the tournament was PONY, ASA, NSA, USSSA, whether it was nominal, a qualifier, or whatever. At one point, several years after my first experiences, I looked like a complete neophyte to my team as I warned them about equipment inspections several times which never took place. Then we played some friendly and the equipment was inspected for twenty minutes!
I should injuect that the only consistent equipment inspection I have ever seen took place under the Little League International tournament. But that was many years ago and I don't know if they still do this consistently.
I suppose the only thing you can do with this rule is expect it to be enforced every time - bring a second bat if you suspect you have one which might be booted. But each time, also assume the rule will not be enforced. Bring your beat up, dented, waved, seasoned bats and wait until the ump actually kicks them out. Otherwise, just carry on the way you always do.
I do realize that this is not the best answer. Kids get attached to bats. But with such a subjective rule in place, I cannot think of a better way to proceed. Our first year of travel, my oldest daughter started hitting with a Rocketech halfway through the year. She fell in love with that bat and believed it was the reason she was hitting. When the ump threw it out because he could not get the ring through the barrel, I saw tears well up in her eyes and then start to flow like Niagara. Some smart soul with magical hands grabbed the bat, ran his hands over it a few times to smooth it out and then asked the ump to try again. He did and it passed. Weird!
Since that day, I have tried to work psychological games with my kids, having them hit with two different bats at various tournaments. Right now both kids have Rocketechs and one other bat, one a Catalyst, the other a Beast. I have the girls use both bats as often as I can - especially during slumps and hot streaks - so that if one day the RT is booted, they will still have a bat with which they are comfortable.
Right now, we are between Christmas and New Years. Many girls found bats under their trees, received them for Hanukkah, Solstice Presents ;> or for whatever. Obviously those who were handed Anderson bvats may be very interested to read this. I like Anderson bats and so do my kids. I don't want to alarm those who dug deep into their pockets to buy one for the holidays. But I do strongly suggest that anyone who received any kind of expensive bat, take the manufacturers precautions so as to minimize damage.
Many bats tell you the warrantee will not be honored if you use the bat at temperatures below 65 degree Farenheit or use them with machine balls. Some manufacturers suggest turning the bat one quarter or so after every contact. I strongly urge parents to explain this to their daughters. The single most important rule is never use your good bat with machine balls. Always keep an older bat or but a cheap one to use with the machine, Hit-N-Stik, etc. Also, while I don't suggest you keep a thermometer in your bat bag, on cold days, I suggest you use something aside from your good bat. And with any bat, it is always a great idea to give it a twist after making contact - unless of course you have a Mattingly Beast - triangle handle - which doesn't work that way.
I do suggest that you try to have your kids work with two bats since it seems pretty likely that some day one of their bats will be booted out of a game. Unless you like watching crocodile tears, it is prudent to have a back-up plan. And if you bat is heaved out of a game, try it again and see if the umps consistently boot it, before talking to the manufacturer for a replacement. Many times, an ump will hgit a little piece of dirt or have a mental hiccup which causes him or her to think a bat is dented or warped. Just because one ump kicks a bat out doesn't mean it actually no longer passes inspection every time.
I understand where the ASA is coming from with respect to the dented bat rule. But anytime a rule making body leaves wiggle room for umpires to interpret stuff like this, we're all in for spotty,inconsistent enforcement, lots of arguments, and generally an unpredictable time. The nice thing about bat rings is either a bat passes or it doesn't - except in certain very weird circumstances. When we leave it up to the umps to make decisions like this, for which they have received no formal training, there's no tellling what we'll get.Labels: rules
Permanent Link: Dented Bats
 
Holiday Miracle
by Dave
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I'm already in Christmas mode. I want to wish everyone a great holiday season and an even better New Year. I would like to answer one e-mail I received yesterday. Hugh wrote in to ask:
"I wanted to ask if you have any update for Ashley. Although not a very religious family, we do believe in the power of positive thought and our thoughts and "prayers" have gone out for Ashley. It is at this time of the year when reflection reminds us of our successes and shortcomings of the past year and we resolve to be better persons in the year to come. With family and friends near, with some time for reflection, we wish for good things for all people, but especially for those like Ashley."
For those of you unsure of what Hugh is talking about, he is referring to Ashley Runion who was afflicted with AML (leukemia) this year and underwent torturous treatment in an attempt to cure her. AML does not have a high cure rate.
A few short weeks ago, I asked you to:
"I have no idea if Ashley practices any particular religion ... I don't particularly care what religion or lack thereof you practice. But I need, Ashley needs, your prayers ... because she has only one wish this holiday season ... to leave the hospital and go home ... The only way I can see for her to go home is if we all collectively invoke the power of prayer and will her to get better."
Understand that I have no connection to the family at all but her story touched me, as a father, when someone who does know her wrote me an e-mail and told me about her. My wife regularly visits the web site where updates on her condition are posted. I went there and learned that she just wanted to go home but couldn't due to her low counts after a particularly difficult treatment. I figured this young lady had earned some time at home and I asked you all to pray for her, regardless of any particular religious affiliation.
Well, here is an update. All of you contributed to a positive outcome. Recently, Ashley was indeed permitted to go home. Her counts went up just enough. I don't know about you but I need absolutely nothing else for Christmas this year. Thanks for your prayers!
May you and yours have a wonderful holiday season and to all, especially Ashley, a very happy and healthy New Year.
Permanent Link: Holiday Miracle
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