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Recently I attended the ASA Hooters National Championship and had some pretty good conversations with a number of people directly in the mix at the ASA headquarters. We spoke about a number of things including what the plans are in ASA regarding the 2010 bat performance standards. As you can image they are pretty tight lipped right now regarding what their plans are. The current standard was implemented in 2004. The current exist speed standard is 98mph and any by the has this stamp on it must stay at or below this rating for it’s entire life. As I’m sure you know as composite bats get more and more hits on them or put through a Bat Rolling Machines the performance will most likely exceed the 98mph standard. During this years Hooters National Championships they had a bat compression testing device that was being used to make sure bats were below the 98mph standard. From what I could see, they tested the bat in 3-4 random locations along the length/diameter of the barrel in what appeared to be in very finite areas. I spoke to several teams out there and almost every one of them had at least one bat taken. These bats ranged from almost brand new to ones having 700+ hits on them. I’ve read that most people have some real questions about the validity of these results but that’s a whole other issue. The one thing that I know for sure is that Bat Rolling and Altering is definitely on the radar screen for ASA as well the other associations. During my conversations with some ASA people they claim that these machines will be at every World Series location next year and they also claim they can actually tell if a bat has been rolled by using the machine. When rolling your bat you are evenly breaking in the entire barrel. What that means is that you’ll have pretty consistence readings on the bat tested no matter where you are on the barrel. A bat with normal use will most likely have a wide range of readings across the length of the barrel. I found this interesting.

Back to the upcoming potential changes. As I mentioned, ASA will not comment on their plans for the 2010 and beyond seasons but due to contractual issues they are required to give the bat manufacturers time to react to any possible changes. The rumor is, ASA will be adopting a new 93 MPH rating and bats will not be able to exceed this rating (even after they are broken in). Easton has already released their “Reveal” series which I think is a precursor to things that are coming. These bats are rated at the 93 MPH rating and have technology that “supposedly” shows signs of altering. I know from many Bat Rolling Companies that you can still roll them without any signs at all. BatRolling4u.com is one of them and they claim to have done many of these bats. Every manufacturer has bats currently being produced that will not meet this new standard. Back in 2004 when ASA adopted the current 98 MPH standard they gave manufacturers 2 years to comply with the new rating and they most likely will do the same for this new standard. These new potential changes make Bat Rolling an important step to getting your bat to perform. When rolling your bat, you’re gaining about 20-40ft of additional distance which equates to about 5 mph. The new proposed 93 MPH rating now makes sense. ASA knows it’s very difficult to stop the Bat Rolling so if they impose the new standard and you choose to roll your bat the new exit speed with not be more than the current standard of 98 MPH. It all makes sense if you look at it that way.

Bat Rolling companies are definitely going to see an increase in business should this new performance rating actually be implemented. These changes will also drive the price up of the pre 93 MPH bats because after the new rating is in place the manufacturers will not be able to make these bats any longer. A very similar thing happened when they put the 2004 rating in place and offered a 2 year grandfather clause. The price for the original Miken Freaks and Easton Synergy 2’s sky rocketed. I recommend you stay up to date on this new change. There is a good Bat Rolling Blog that has all the up to date information and I’m sure they’ll keep everyone informed of any changes as they occur. Sit tight, the next few months are going to be interesting.



softball rules

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I’m sure every baseball or softball player out there remembers their T-Ball days.  Well it seems that smashing the ball off of a batting tee isn’t just for little kids.  If you are a serious ballplayer or coach this is not news to you.  You probably never stopped using a batting tee for training.  If you don’t use a tee for training you will after you read this article.

Today ball players of all ages have an enormous selection of batting tees available to them.  Of course there is still the option of the standard heavy duty rubber single post tee.  This design is inexpensive, durable and works well but we are not going to feature this model today.  I will assume you have used or at least seen a standard batting tee before.  Today we are going to look at a more exotic model that will offer more training options and convenience than the old standby.

The tee I am going to talk about is a couple of steps up from your everyday batting tee.  It is made of the same durable materials but offers more options for post placement.  The 5 Position Batting Tee has been in use for many years and it is easy to see why.  The model pictured here as purchased from www.morleyathletic.com is made of durable rubber materials with an injection molded plate and steel reinforced tubes.  The tubes adjust from 20 inches to 36 inches and the base plate even features a carry handle.  This is all great but if we don’t look beyond the general description of the tee you will miss it’s true features.  Five positions and two posts.



Kansieo.com

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Softball bats were at one time made chiefly of wood, but advances in technology have introduced materials such as aluminum, graphite, and composites. Each material has its positive and unique features.

Wood: Wood softball bats are very rare but are slowly regaining favor with softball enthusiasts who would rather hear a whack and not a ping when the bat meets ball. A wood softball bat is bottle-shaped and can weigh between 32-35 ounces (around 8 ounces heavier than an aluminum bat). Traditionally, wood bats have been made from ash. However, ash is light and soft and bats made from ash tend to splinter and dent fast. Wood from maple, oak, and bamboo is also used for these bats. Maple is harder and its grain is denser as compared to ash, making it less susceptible to splintering and chafing. Bats made from Chinese bamboo are the closest wood bat equivalent of an aluminum bat. Bamboo is extremely light-weight and ha a tensile strength higher than that of steel.

Aluminum: The increased research and engineering in the science of bat making has resulted in high-tech aluminum softball bats that can cost upward of $300. Aluminum bats are lighter thereby enabling batters to generate greater bat speed and control. They are stronger and more durable than wood bats and they do not break; however, they may dent or crack over a period of time. Aluminum bats are available in different alloy and weight combinations. Light aluminum alloys that are thinner are more resilient and provide a larger hitting zone or “sweet spot”. Aluminum bats are made in single-layer and double-layer combinations; double-layer bats are used by the power-hitters.

Graphite/Titanium lined: Aluminum bats are lined with graphite or titanium. These light, durable, and strong materials are added to aluminum bats with thin walls in order to make the bats lighter. Lighter bats help batters to generate more power in their swing. Bats lined with graphite or titanium have a greater hitting zone or “sweet spot”. These materials are shock-absorbent as well and aid in reducing the shock felt when a stroke is mistimed.

Caffeinated Content

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Of all documented sports, softball might by far be the one with the clearest genesis. Unlike football, soccer or golf, softball’s history is very distinct. This might be due to the sports young age.

Softball originated in a Chicago suburb in 1887. George Hancock is single-handedly credited for creating the popular game. He is said to have drawn a diamond on a floor then used broom’s handle as a batting stick to hit boxing gloves tied together to form an oversize ball.

Softball originally was an indoors game, exclusive to men. With time, the game was modified loosely as a shortened baseball version. Ironically, the game was given a larger ball than that for baseball and yet a smaller playing field. Hancock soon painted some permanent lines in his gymnasium, which helped him derive some playing rules.



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