Composite Wood Bats

[CougarUmp]

I searched the forum for any posts about wood composite bats and got no responses.    In what league/level are these allowed?   I've worked wood bat seasons and there was no mention of composite wood bats included or excluded.   Just curious.  

[ricka56]

I searched the forum for any posts about wood composite bats and got no responses.    In what league/level are these allowed?   I've worked wood bat seasons and there was no mention of composite wood bats included or excluded.   Just curious.  

A traditional wood bat is made out of one piece of wood.
I believe that a wood composite bat has a barrel made of wood and a non-wood handle.
My understanding is that they are treated as a wood bat...legal in wood bat events unless specifically prohibited..
 

Edited September 3, 2015 by ricka56
added..uness specifically rohiited

[Richvee]

Depends on the rules set/event. For example, the Perfect Game wood bat tourneys do not allow them.

FED I believe the wood/composite handle would need a BBCOR stamp.

d. Bats that are not made of a single piece of wood shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark

Edited September 3, 2015 by Richvee

[Mudisfun]

This can include laminate wood bats, bamboo bats and so on as they are not produced for a single piece of wood. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[noumpere]

I searched the forum for any posts about wood composite bats and got no responses.    In what league/level are these allowed?   I've worked wood bat seasons and there was no mention of composite wood bats included or excluded.   Just curious.  

I've worked leagues where the "composite handle / wood barrel" was allowed, and the Baum bat was not allowed.

I've worked leagues where the opposite was true.

I've worked leagues where both were allowed; and leagues where neither were allowed.

 

So -- before the start of next season I'd suggest you try to get it clarified for the league(s) in which you work.

[Man_In_Black]

I've worked leagues where the "composite handle / wood barrel" was allowed, and the Baum bat was not allowed.

I've worked leagues where the opposite was true.

I've worked leagues where both were allowed; and leagues where neither were allowed.

 

So -- before the start of next season I'd suggest you try to get it clarified for the league(s) in which you work.

^^^^This.

In one of the leagues I work, a list of bats approved for use is published prior to the start of the season. All teams in the league receive the list. So far this has worked out really well and there haven't been any issues with illegal bats. You may want to request that the wood bat leagues you frequently work implement something like this.

[ricka56]

 

I've worked leagues where the "composite handle / wood barrel" was allowed, and the Baum bat was not allowed.

I've worked leagues where the opposite was true.

I've worked leagues where both were allowed; and leagues where neither were allowed.

So -- before the start of next season I'd suggest you try to get it clarified for the league(s) in which you work.

You could also be opening up a can of worms needlessly. If a bat's barrel is made of the same type of wood material as a single piece wood bat, and only the handle is made of a composite, I don't understand how it could have a performance advantage that would need regulation/prohibition.

[noumpere]

 

You could also be opening up a can of worms needlessly. If a bat's barrel is made of the same type of wood material as a single piece wood bat, and only the handle is made of a composite, I don't understand how it could have a performance advantage that would need regulation/prohibition.

I personally agree with that conclusion and is how I vote when asked about bats.  But, I do recognize that different leagues have different goals and can come to different conclusions.

 

I'd rather open the can of worms during the offseason than in the middle of a game.

[Rich Ives]

 

You could also be opening up a can of worms needlessly. If a bat's barrel is made of the same type of wood material as a single piece wood bat, and only the handle is made of a composite, I don't understand how it could have a performance advantage that would need regulation/prohibition.

Possibilities:  Less likely to break;  More whip.

[Richvee]

Possibilities:   More whip.

^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^

[ricka56]

Possibilities:   More whip.

^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^

Has  ^^^^ That ^^^^ been quantified or just suspected ?
Is the difference significant or negligible ?

 

 

[Richvee]

Has  ^^^^ That ^^^^ been quantified or just suspected ?
Is the difference significant or negligible ?

 

 

I'm speculating..why else make it? 

[ricka56]

I'm speculating..why else make it? 

Bats break most often break near the handle. Supposedly wood/composite bats are much harder to break.
I don't consider that a competitive advantage.

[Richvee]

Bats break most often break near the handle. Supposedly wood/composite bats are much harder to break.I don't consider that a competitive advantage.

You might be right. If they're stamped BBCOR, as FED mandates on such bats, then I can't understand why a group like Perfect Game would outlaw them in wood bat tourneys. I've never actually seen one. Is there actually a BBCOR engraved in the wood? on the composite hamndle? 

[noumpere]

You might be right. If they're stamped BBCOR, as FED mandates on such bats, then I can't understand why a group like Perfect Game would outlaw them in wood bat tourneys. I've never actually seen one. Is there actually a BBCOR engraved in the wood? on the composite hamndle? 

Generally, no.  And even if they are so stamped BBCOR does not equal wood.

 

Just like any other organization, PG can adopt any bat rules they like.

[Richvee]

Generally, no.  And even if they are so stamped BBCOR does not equal wood.

 

Just like any other organization, PG can adopt any bat rules they like.

Thanks. Yea, that's true too. BBCOR  is not wood. 

Just to be clear then. Such a bat (wood barrel, composite handle) without a BBCOR stamp would be illegal in FED? 

[noumpere]

Thanks. Yea, that's true too. BBCOR  is not wood. 

Just to be clear then. Such a bat (wood barrel, composite handle) without a BBCOR stamp would be illegal in FED? 

Correct.  It's not a singlew piece of wood.  I think there's a case or interp exactly on this.

[Rich Ives]

Bats break most often break near the handle. Supposedly wood/composite bats are much harder to break.I don't consider that a competitive advantage.

The ball would be hit solidly in a pitch that would normally break a bat. Seems advantageous to me.

[ricka56]

The ball would be hit solidly in a pitch that would normally break a bat. Seems advantageous to me.

So are you in favor of prohibiting them because of their advantageousness or are you just making noise ?

[Mike Walsh]

Thanks. Yea, that's true too. BBCOR  is not wood. 

Just to be clear then. Such a bat (wood barrel, composite handle) without a BBCOR stamp would be illegal in FED? 

 

 

Rule 1, Section 3, Article 2.b.3. Barrel. The barrel is the area intended for contact with the pitch. The barrel shall be round, cylindrically symmetric and smooth. The barrel may be aluminum, wood or composite (made of two or more materials). The type of bat (wood, aluminum or composite) shall be determined by the composition of the barrel.

So a bat with a composite handle and wood barrel is a wood bat.

Rule 1, Section 3, Article 2.d. Bats that are not made of a single piece of wood shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard...

So, yes, a wood bat can require a BBCOR silk screen.

Mike

 

 

[MadMax]

The ball would be hit solidly in a pitch that would normally break a bat. Seems advantageous to me.

This is a weasel statement and conclusion. There are plenty of occasions where a broken bat resulted in a timely, it's-gotta-be-luck base hit, where if the bat didn't break, it would have been a pop-out or fly-out.

Besides, isn't it an advantage to F1's and F5's (and #BC's, which you surely are or were at one time) to be facing wood-based bats – in any form – instead of aluminum? And if composites are less likely to break than pure wood, isn't that safer to infielders and catchers (and umpires, and fans) with less bat shards turned into instant shrapnel?

Give the "devil's advocate" gig a rest.

[Rich Ives]

So are you in favor of prohibiting them because of their advantageousness or are you just making noise ?

Or maybe I was just responding to someone who wondred how it might be advantageous.

[Rich Ives]

This is a weasel statement and conclusion. There are plenty of occasions where a broken bat resulted in a timely, it's-gotta-be-luck base hit, where if the bat didn't break, it would have been a pop-out or fly-out.

Besides, isn't it an advantage to F1's and F5's (and #BC's, which you surely are or were at one time) to be facing wood-based bats – in any form – instead of aluminum? And if composites are less likely to break than pure wood, isn't that safer to infielders and catchers (and umpires, and fans) with less bat shards turned into instant shrapnel?

Give the "devil's advocate" gig a rest.

I didn't start this. A poster said he couldn't see why not breaking would be an advantage.

The breaking action absorbs some of the energy that would otherwise be applied to the ball. If breaking bat was advantageous someone would figure out how to make them break on purpose.

And why would a batter want to give the infielders an advantage.

Give it up yourself.