Dangerous Composite Bats

Composition

• Composite bats are constructed with a variety of man-made materials. Being man-made, the manufacturer can reliably “tune” the performance to create bats that more efficiently impact a ball. Typical composite materials are carbon fiber, the same family of material used to build high-performance commercial and military aircraft, and Kevlar, which is commonly used in body armor used by police and military. There is ongoing research to develop new materials and construction methods that enhance bat characteristics. The structural materials used in a composite bat are not the sole criteria in determining its safety.

Characteristics of a Dangerous Bat

• Composite bats can be dangerous due to one or both of the following conditions: a bat manufactured exceeding specified performance criteria set by respective rule-making bodies is dangerous and, in an issue that is almost unique to composite bats, a bat is dangerous if it is structurally damaged through use or abuse showing cracks or rough edges that may become hazardous. While damaged bats can be a hazard, the central safety concern with composite bats is the speed of balls hit with them. In tests with composite bats and other bats, similarly pitched balls came off composite bats at least 15 percent faster, greatly decreasing reaction times for fielders.

Regulations

• Different organizations govern the standards for bats at different levels of play. Given the diversity of participants from boys and girls to teenagers, young adults, competitive high school, collegiate, and recreational adult play, it is important to learn the specific standards for the bats used by each organization. Common reference tests are drawn from work done by the American Society for Testing and Materials which developed test standards to gauge the ratio of the speed hit by a bat of a given design to the speed of the pitched ball. Effective Jan. 1, 2011, the NCAA will employ a new test standard designed to regulate how lively the bat to ball impact is. This new standard will make some previously acceptable composite bat designs illegal. Lower-level leagues usually grandfather in older models as long as they are not damaged or altered.

Damage, Cracks or Alteration

• Small structural fractures and obviously ill-fitting pieces in the surface laminate indicate a dangerous bat, one that may completely separate upon contact with a ball. These imperfections point to bats that became dangerous after manufacture due to use or alteration. In 2009, the NCAA imposed a ban on composite baseball bats citing a study that found 20 of 25 tested composite bats used during the 2009 Division I Baseball Championship failed to meet their manufacturing specifications. The NCAA Rules Committee found that since the performance of the bats changed after manufacturing, the cause was either normal use or intentional alteration. Evidence of tampering includes changes to the cap and interior of the barrel of a bat. Composite bats are expensive to replace and even well intentioned alteration/repair to extend the life of a bat such as taping or gluing a crack cannot be tolerated due to decline in the structural integrity of the equipment or the chance that alterations will enhance the performance of the bat.

Continual Inspection

• The way to prevent injuries from a dangerous bat is through the batter, parents, managers, catcher and umpires maintaining constant awareness regarding types of bats used. The condition of the bat needs to be monitored as well. Managers need to ensure that bats meet regulations for construction and condition. The fielding team’s catcher should do a quick inspection of each opponent’s bat, looking for obvious signs of cracking, repair or alterations. Umpires must be aware of all of the above and the location of the logo from the appropriate regulatory body on the barrel of the bat certifying manufacturing to appropriate standards.