Illegal bat...

[urout17]

NFHS game. I had a HC come to me complaining the other team was using a shaved bat. His catcher had picked up the bat the previous hitter just used and wanted me to look at it, which I did, along with my two partners working that game.  It had the proper BBCOR label, the end cap didn't appear altered in anyway nor did I see any signs of cracking that would happen after repeated use. He was livid and stated "I can't believe you can't hear the sound difference from the other bats used".  I replied..."I'm not a metallurgist nor do I have the ability to cut this bat in half. Also, the sound that's made is different from every manufacturer.  We all checked it out and all agreed it's fine to use."  

Anybody else have issues with bats?

[wolfe_man]

Interesting topic.  Last night, the ball seemed to be jumping a lot more than usual.  No one complained about illegal bats, but had me wondering in my head if there was something going on.  Both pitchers were pretty good, but the ball was just jumping off the bat - line drives going to all fields!

I'm glad we don't have to police it all the time, hardly ever even asked about it, but it had me looking up the rule to be safe.

[urout17]

42 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

but it had me looking up the rule to be safe.

2026 NFHS Rule 7-4-1A.....Also see the "Warnings, Restrictions and Ejection Table #27.

[Velho]

Even when they break, can you be 100% to the point your EJing?

(reminds me I want to ask this PU about this)

 

[MadMax]

7 hours ago, urout17 said:

Anybody else have issues with bats?

In my Metal world, for college, we rely upon stickers of certification that are placed on the bat – "No sticky, no swingy". The only times I've ever had to make an illegal bat ruling were: 1) regarding a white-barreled banshee beater - AKA the Marucci Cat7 all-white. That bat was disallowed for an entire year in NCAA, until Marucci hastily put out black versions (subsequent Cat8's and Cat9's are even white-red, if you notice). Had to call the Batter out for that one (he had reached 1B on a hit) on appeal. 2) regarding stickers, I allowed the Batter to keep his BB, but ruled that the bat could no longer be used (for that game at least), because while the sticker was no longer visible, the opposing team could not prove that the sticker had been intentionally removed and/or never been there. I explained it as the bat did not put the ball into play, so no advantage gained. 🤷‍♂️
I haven't had any illegal bat possibilities in sanctioned HS. Had a few in tournament / travel ball, the usual "drop-infinity!" nonsense. 

In my Wood world, the pro guys haven't introduced any illegal bats that I've been aware of, and the summer league I operate in has a pretty strict and stringent bat rule (5 approved models supplied, that's it), and any unapproved deviation is an Out, and there are fines involved. 

Adult amateur is humorous ... it's pretty much "if it's wood, or wood-esque (as in, wood composite), you can use it". There's some guys who make their own bats. One in particular was like a damned missing telephone pole. The guy who used it was in the 55+ age group, and must have been a ex-pro, his hands were huge. He wouldn't get this full titanic swing; instead, he'd swing it like an axe, and let the mass of the bat propel the ball. It wasn't the CRACK of the bat, it was the DONK of the log!

[The Man in Blue]

I can only think of two bat issues I have ever encountered.  One was a tournament in Mississippi, and we held the game up for 20 minutes while a coach protested a bat with the TD.  TD said do not stop the clock, and it bit the coach in the ass.

A couple of weekends ago, I came close to grounds for an EJ at a weekend tournament.

Kid crushed a foul ball, then asked for time.  He walked back to the dugout, smacking the very colorful bat on the ground.  I don't know exactly what he did, but somebody asked if it broke, and he said yes.  He grabbed another bat and finished the at-bat.

The next time he came up, he came up with . . . yep.  Before he even stepped in, I asked, "Is that the broken one?"  He chuckled and said, "Yes, can't I use it?"

He didn't put up a fuss and told me "I was just trying to finish it off."  I told him he'd have to do that in a batting cage, he couldn't do it here.

Preventative officiating.  

 

[urout17]

13 hours ago, MadMax said:

In my Metal world, for college, we rely upon stickers of certification that are placed on the bat – "No sticky, no swingy"

Yep, I've witnessed that test before a series I've worked begins. Takes all the guess work out of everything.

[JSam21]

16 hours ago, MadMax said:

In my Metal world, for college, we rely upon stickers of certification that are placed on the bat – "No sticky, no swingy". The only times I've ever had to make an illegal bat ruling were: 1) regarding a white-barreled banshee beater - AKA the Marucci Cat7 all-white. That bat was disallowed for an entire year in NCAA, until Marucci hastily put out black versions (subsequent Cat8's and Cat9's are even white-red, if you notice). Had to call the Batter out for that one (he had reached 1B on a hit) on appeal. 2) regarding stickers, I allowed the Batter to keep his BB, but ruled that the bat could no longer be used (for that game at least), because while the sticker was no longer visible, the opposing team could not prove that the sticker had been intentionally removed and/or never been there. I explained it as the bat did not put the ball into play, so no advantage gained. 🤷‍♂️
I haven't had any illegal bat possibilities in sanctioned HS. Had a few in tournament / travel ball, the usual "drop-infinity!" nonsense. 

In my Wood world, the pro guys haven't introduced any illegal bats that I've been aware of, and the summer league I operate in has a pretty strict and stringent bat rule (5 approved models supplied, that's it), and any unapproved deviation is an Out, and there are fines involved. 

Adult amateur is humorous ... it's pretty much "if it's wood, or wood-esque (as in, wood composite), you can use it". There's some guys who make their own bats. One in particular was like a damned missing telephone pole. The guy who used it was in the 55+ age group, and must have been a ex-pro, his hands were huge. He wouldn't get this full titanic swing; instead, he'd swing it like an axe, and let the mass of the bat propel the ball. It wasn't the CRACK of the bat, it was the DONK of the log!

I had a JUCO kid mask off the logos and BBCOR sticker and spray paint the rest of the bat black... Told him it still wasn't allowed.