Little League's Bat Ban Puts Safety First

When the season starts for Cheshire Youth Baseball in late April, a piece of equipment will be missing from the dugouts around town: composite bats.

In late December, Little League International, the governing body of Little League Baseball and Softball, issued a moratorium on the use on composite bats in the Little League Majors Division (9-12 years old) and all other younger age divisions.

The organization had already placed a moratorium in September on use of the bats in the older youth divisions: Junior, Senior and Big League. The Cheshire Reds travel team is also under the supervision of CYB.

"It's a great rule for Little League Baseball," Cheshire Youth Baseball (CYB) president Dennis Boucher said. "The ball bounces off those composite bats pretty seriously, so anything that can minimize injuries is great.

"As far as the impact, unfortunately those bats are expensive, people like to hold on to those for a few years. Even though they put out warnings, Little League didn't announce it until around Christmas time, so unfortunately, I personally know of many people who bought bats for Christmas gifts. They're useless now."

Some composite bats made for Little League play can cost as much as $400, and most are in the three-digit range. Retail outlets have stickers on the bats indicating any return must be directed to the manufacturer.

"The manufacturers of the bat are trying to get (buyers) to trade in as a credit toward the legal bats," Boucher said.

Composite bats have an aluminum exterior like standard aluminum bats, but have a woven graphite wall on the inside, which makes them feel lighter and increases the bat's flexibility and the speed of a ball coming off its barrel. They offer a number of advantages over aluminum bats, but also pose a greater safety risk for younger baseball fielders because of that increased velocity that comes from what's called the trampoline effect, where the ball jumps off the bat.

The swing weight, or how a composite bat can feel lighter than an aluminum bat of the same weight, is another advantage. This is achieved by shifting the center of mass closer to the handle and reducing the moment of inertia, both made easier by the lighter graphite content of the bat. The graphite also allows the manufacturer to make the barrel of the bat softer, which produces a greater trampoline effect and a higher BPF, also known as Ball Exit Speed Ratio.

"I don't think it will impact (competition) at all," said Boucher of play in the Majors and younger divisions. "Some of the travel teams that play competitive baseball, the AAU-type teams, that can have more of an impact. Some of the kids have some real pop off the bat. That will minimize some of that long distance and really violent live drives. But it will still be there. The bat doesn't make the hitter, the hitter makes the hitter."

The reasoning behind the decision was based on scientific research data from the University of Massachusetts (Lowell), which was contracted by Little League Baseball to study Bat Performance Factor (BPF). The research found that while composite bats met the standard for non-wood bats in divisions for 12-year-olds and younger with a BPF of 1.15 when the bats were new, "they can exceed that standard after a break-in process," according to the report.

About 15 bats from companies such as Easton, Louisville Slugger and DeMarini, among others, have already received a waiver from Little League Baseball since the moratorium was announced. A list of bats with a waiver for the Majors Division is available at Little League International's web site.

“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."

After the September moratorium, research began on the smaller 2-1/4 inch barrels used in the Majors and younger-age divisions. Before the official announcement in December was made, Little League International contacted each league regarding the testing, as well as through the media, via Facebook, on its web site and through e-mail updates.

Boucher estimated that about 80 percent of bats used in recent years in CYB had some composite content.

"(The companies) are backing off now," Boucher said. "They're individually making the manufacturers test them at (UMass). As long as each individual bat meets the standard, they can use it. Every week, there are more and more bats released from the rule."

Little League recently came out with a sticker program to be used to indicate bats that don't meet the standard. Each team's manager will have to inspect all bats and place stickers on bats that don't meet the standard. The sticker will be non-transferrable.

"Before the season, each manager will have to line up the bats," Boucher said. "You can see the logistic nightmare with each kid. One proposal is to put a sticker that can't be transferred to another bat. If you pull it off, it changes color. Managers are going to have to watch out for it."

CYB has just more than 800 participants in its baseball and softball divisions this season. Boucher said all divisions have had their evaluations and drafts and rosters are set except for the Babe Ruth Division (13-18), which will be determined in the next week. Opening Day is April 25.