Would you support a metal bat ban?

[elhector1]

I've bought both wood and metal (the last one being an Exo).  Of course, as luck would have it...my son likes to pitch...no guys, a real traditional "bring in the DH" pitcher...so the bats are moot...

However...

You see the metal bats all over LL and other youth baseball organizations, with the -10, -9, etc drops.  I think this enables a mediocre hitter to not worry about mechanics because he hs swinging a light bat, and getting results, what with all the gases some of these bats hav ein them...

In high school, you have less of an advantage, as the drop is now a rule -3, so it is not an advantage weight wise.  But technology has made the ball come off faster after being hit.  This results in less reaction time for infielders, but not by much.  The thing is, while you can take advantage of the technology, what happens when you get into college, where there is a move away from the metal, back to wood?  And what of the guy who gets into the minors and the bigs, who see his HS stats be percieved with an asterisk * because he never swung a wood bat, and now can't hit as well?  I guess it boils down to...where are you going, and do you know what you will need when you get there?...

As to the expense of wood bats...you can buy 5 wood Noconas for the cost of 1 Exo.  But what of the kid who can't afford $370.  Do we not let him play the game?...

As far as program budgets...I haven't seen a school buy a bat...or a glove...so that wouldn't be a factor...

[WOS95]

this is a very good topic   i wonder if some of the high school baseball coaches on this board have any input on the use of metal bats?

[bronco1]

I checked a few websites, wooden bats range from

$24.99(Rawlings)-$139.99(Sambat), give or take a few dollars.

I could have bought 3-4 wooden bats for what I paid for my sons Liquid Metal bat.

Cost is definitely not a factor and safety is, ban the metal.

[WOS95]

I checked a few websites, wooden bats range from

$24.99(Rawlings)-$139.99(Sambat), give or take a few dollars.

I could have bought 3-4 wooden bats for what I paid for my sons Liquid Metal bat.

Cost is definitely not a factor and safety is, ban the metal.

Liquid Metal?  man i bet that's a fancy bat.

[numbertwo]

I'm not for the ban.  Even with a woodie, a high school kid could hit the ball extremely hard back up the middle and could possibly injure the pitcher.  So if that would happen, would people try to ban baseball?

[EAGLE07]

My vote...w/ Bronco1.....BAN THE METAL !!! It's all about health/safety not cost..

Besides if you happen to make it to the show...you're hittin' wood.

[cardinal81o7]

umm...i guess i got in this a little late but i love metal bats, i dont think i would like to swing wood and about 75% of all players would probably agree with me.  metal bats bring excitement to the game in hs.  i would bet a ton of money that if we went to wood bats, scoring/hrs/avg would all decrease about 50%.  and i've seen a lot of games and never once have i seen a player/pitcher hit with a ball that was serious because of no reaction time.  i've seen a lot of stupid injuries...(throwing bats or getting hit w/ fly balls or not moving your face out of the way of a pitch) but not caused by a line drive, paying attention usually takes care of that

[EDBLU]

I think that most parents would ban metal bats based on safety and cost. HS players wouldn't want a ban because they don't think about safety at this point of their lives and they're not the ones buying the bats. Most of us parents have to work several hours in a week to buy just a bat. They also need gloves, shoes, food to eat after game, also we have to get gas to go to two to three games a week. Don't get me started on the other things we have to buy other than sporting equipment. Don't have a kid playing every sport like I do because you never get a break even during summer because there are football camps, baseball leagues, and basketball leagues to play in! These kids aren't mature enough yet to see the risk of metal bats because most of the time they don't see the risk in other things like driving recklessly. At least one HF kid is on here talking about why not ban baseball! Come on DL settle down ;D we all love baseball too much to ever do that!!

[bronco1]

I think that most parents would ban metal bats based on safety and cost. HS players wouldn't want a ban because they don't think about safety at this point of their lives and they're not the ones buying the bats. Most of us parents have to work several hours in a week to buy just a bat. They also need gloves, shoes, food to eat after game, also we have to get gas to go to two to three games a week. Don't get me started on the other things we have to buy other than sporting equipment. Don't have a kid playing every sport like I do because you never get a break even during summer because there are football camps, baseball leagues, and basketball leagues to play in! These kids aren't mature enough yet to see the risk of metal bats because most of the time they don't see the risk in other things like driving recklessly. At least one HF kid is on here talking about why not ban baseball! Come on DL settle down ;D we all love baseball too much to ever do that!!

Great point...there is a reason they can't vote yet. But, they can vote here. I bet the poll is split for the most part HS players NO, parents YES. GIve or take a few votes. Like I said earlier not many of us have a say, if the UIL wants to ban them, then bye bye metal bats.

[Guest ECBucFan]

A "ban" is a knee-jerk reaction, by people who might not have even played the game before. A bad idea. A much better idea would be to tune the metal bats down, by manufacturing them with more weight in the handel and less in the barrel. Easily done, everyone happy.

[cardinal81o7]

so this whole thing is about parents having to pay for them?? i know a lot of guys that buy their own bats...and if that happened they would find a way to find a top-of-the-line wood bat that costs just as much

[The Voice]

My sons juco team used wood this fall. They couldnot compete with the teams that used alumn. bats. A pitcher can jam you if your using wood and result in a ground ball or a pop up, with alumn. bats those jam shots are base hits. My son is a pitcher, we like the wood. As far as batters, you seperate the men from the boys with wood. The price, lets see, a set of 24" rims for your kids truck will run you about 25 to 30 nice maple bats.

[falcolnfanatic]

This is bull#@$% metal bats are no more dangerous than wood bats you are just messing up the kid because he has to go back to metal bats in the NCAA BAD CALL >

[bronco1]

This is bull#@$% metal bats are no more dangerous than wood bats you are just messing up the kid because he has to go back to metal bats in the NCAA BAD CALL >

Maybe so but, if they make it past college they have to transition back to wood.

[HJ-Hawks25]

My Opinion. When I see a varsity game, i don't see near as many people hitting homeruns in varsity level as i do in minor or major leagues. Therefore i think the metal should should stay just so the ball will go to the outfield more often.

Second Opinion. Minor & Major leagues HAVE to use wood bats. So anyone wanting to go up to that level would be used to using a metal bat. Then when they get to that level it will be a change for them to adjust to. Therefore i would like the bats to change to wood.

Personally i would like the metal to stay but if someone feels more comfortalbe using a wooden bat it is allowed so just let the players decide if they want to use a metal bat or not.

[bronco1]

Some accident information links FYI

Staten Island Advancehttp://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1173961822184620.xml&coll=1

Herald Review

http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2007/03/14/sports/h_r_preps/baseball/1021832.txt

The Valdosta Daily Times

http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/sports/local_story_073001537.html?keyword=secondarystory

Star Telegram

http://www.star-telegram.com/229/story/27872.html

[Gilflirted]

Leave the bats alone....What about change the balls?

[Silsbee92]

Is there a rule for a high school player wanting to use Wood?? Can he use wood?? or does that have to be voted in???? Just wondering  ??? ??? ???

Wood bats are allowed in HIgh School as long as they meet the specifications:

"Each bat shall be:

          In diameter at thickest part: (wood) 2 3/4 inches or less

          In length:  36 inches or less

          In weight:  A bat shall not weigh, numerically, more than three ounces

                          less than the length of the bat."

[Silsbee92]

A "ban" is a knee-jerk reaction, by people who might not have even played the game before. A bad idea. A much better idea would be to tune the metal bats down, by manufacturing them with more weight in the handel and less in the barrel. Easily done, everyone happy.

Nothing is a "knee Jerk" reaction when it comes to the safety of our kids.  We all know the

standard that kids are getting bigger and stronger and starting to utilize their talents earlier in their careers.  That leads to injuries whether it be from a bat or from poor conditioning and overuse.

We have a large number of kids that come out of this area with "true" talent.  The bat will not effect their skills.  Only improve them.  And who knows?  It could even lead to a more generalized standard of talent and allow even more kids who may not get the "coaching" attention that the early talent gets.

Baseball is a game of skill.  I love the small ball atmosphere and just because the home run numbers will diminish "slightly" the game of baseball will still be exciting and great.

[ggr]

I would like to see wood bats only at ALL levels of baseball. Tee ball thru the pros.

I used to make our pitchers wear a helmet in coach pitch.

[falcolnfanatic]

I bet that if you look at the number of accidents involving wood bats they are very close to the number involving metal bats.  You people who support the ban just do not want to pay the money.  If you think metal bats are so dangerous make your kid use wood in highschool.

[bearfan]

[bet that if you look at the number of accidents involving wood bats they are very close to the number involving metal bats.  You people who support the ban just do not want to pay the money.  If you think metal bats are so dangerous make your kid use wood in highschool.]

What a ridiculous post!

[Silsbee92]

You beat me to the punch.  Missed the whole point of my statement.

[bronco1]

It is not about money, it's about safety. I agree with ggr, all wood, all the time, from T-Ball to MLB. If they use wood at the highest level let's train our talented kids for the future.

I bet it would decrease the average MLB players time they have to spend in the farm system.

[WOS95]

I would like to see wood bats only at ALL levels of baseball. Tee ball thru the pros.

i did use a wood bat when i was in T-ball, all the kids made fun of me   i had an aluminum bat but i got comfortable with the wood bat so i used it all the time.  once i got in little league though i change to the aluminum bats like everyone else.  ahhh i miss those care-free days of youth. ;D