What’s The ‘Composite Bat’ Rule In Little League All About
My boyfriends son is playing Little League Majors this year and was in need of a new bat. We head out to buy one and find all these new rules as to what you can and can't use and I can tell you it wasn't easy finding a bat that worked for him that wasn't composite. Seems all the stores ordered nothing but composite bats, which by the way, can run you up to $300. We did eventually find a couple of aluminum bats that worked and he's doing great; almost hit a home run Saturday!! However, I was very confused as to what a composite bat is and why are they even being made if the kids can't use them for league play. Were the bat companies and the little league getting together and working this to their advantage? Well I finally had time to sit down and check it all out.
This is the first season that the Little League Majors fall under the moratorium against composite bats. It had only been placed on the Junior, Senior and Big League Divisions. So why are these bats so bad is my question? Here's what I found out. Composite bats, once broken in, can exceed the standards stated on the bat. Which means I guess you can get more speed off the ball when hit than it says is possible. Oh and as for my question of the league and the manufactures in cahoots with one another this is stated on the Little League website:
“The moratorium is not the result of Little League changing its bat standards, nor was it influenced by any relationships with bat manufacturers,” Patrick W. Wilson, Vice President of Operations at Little League International, said. “The decision to place the moratorium on composite bats in Little League’s baseball divisions is based solely on the fact that scientific research showed that composite-barreled bats may exceed the performance standard that is printed on the bats, after the bats had been broken in. Until that research was in hand there was no data to support an earlier decision.
I know most leagues are already playing but if you are curious as to the new rules and regulations like I was you can check out their web link above. Some new updates have been made as recently as March 14, of this year. Hope you have a great season and I'll see you in the bleachers!!
More From KEAN 105
