Coaches Corner

This is from an article in the Mechanicsville Local newspaper:

Christmas surprise might be on parents

Charlie Leffler/The Local

A recent rule change by the VHSL requires any composite baseball bat used this spring, in the 2011 season, to the BBCOR certified stamp, below, or else it will be illegal and result in a severe penalty.

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Rule change outlaws many composite baseball bats

Published: December 21, 2010

By Charlie Leffler

cleffler@mechlocal.com

This year when presents are unwrapped on Christmas morning a big surprise might not only come to Virginia high school baseball players receiving gifts but their gift-givers as well.

Due to a recent VHSL rule change, a majority of the composite baseball bats currently sold in the state, some costing over $300, will be illegal when high school play begins in the spring of 2011.

The decision was made to switch from the current composite bats because continued technological developments have created an instrument capable of producing dangerous exit speeds for balls hit.

And while the changeover was generally accepted, alterations to the original regulation over the past six months have left coaches, players and parents confused and frustrated.

In 2009, the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) decided to change Baseball Rule 1-3-2 to require that all non-wood bats meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard for the 2012 high school season. As such, high schools would be on the same level as NCAA colleges, which made the switch to BBCOR composite bats this past fall.

Previously, Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) composite and aluminum bats were accepted but safety issues began to arise in recent years when it was discovered that the composite versions actually became more potent the more they were used.

“One of the big problems with the composite bats from years past, as they got older they got better,” said Hanover head baseball coach Charlie Dragum. “As the compound that was in the bat was loosened, it became more of a trampoline effect. It was almost like bouncing a ball on a trampoline. It would give then shoot the ball out.”

Therefore, after the break-in period the ball exceeded the BESR standard.

As such, Dragum understands the need for change. “The composite bats have gotten to where they were just ridiculous as far as the speed of the ball leaving the bat,” he said.

In comparison, the new BBCOR composite bats react much like wood with an exit speed that stays consistent over the life of the bat.

However, problems and confusion began to arise in early July when, for safety reasons, the NFHS made the decision to push up the changeover date to the 2010-2011 season.

As a result, the VHSL immediately followed suit and released the change. “It was announced to us in late June, early July so we started putting it out after that,” said Tom Dolan of the VHSL.

Ironically, the ruling was made prior to BBCOR bats even being available, immediately making the 2010-11 changeover problematic.

Therefore, on July 20, the NFCS Board of Directors altered their own ruling to place a one year moratorium on a specific group of composite bats that were said to produce consistent results over the life of the bat.

“The NFHS is concerned about minimizing the inherent participation risks faced by student-athletes in high school sports, which is why standards have been placed on baseball bats,” Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director said in a press release. “At the same time, our Board is open to discussion with bat manufacturers regarding a waiver for composite bats that can meet the current BESR standard or the new BBCOR standard. We have advised the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association in this regard.”

According to Dolan, the sudden alteration of the ruling left the VHSL caught in the middle. “After we started giving our information out, I guess it was some issues with bat manufactures and they didn’t have time to deal with some of their issues and possibly some potential legal things for them, so the Federation started to waive certain bats,” he said.

Yet, while on a national level the rule changed, the VHSL decide to adhere to the original ruling. “We at the league office, VHSL-wise, just didn’t feel like that was prudent to do that because it was a safety issue,” Dolan said. “So we decided to go with the rule as they have it written.”

As a result, many coaches and players throughout Virginia were left uncertain on when the full changeover would actually take place.

“They keep saying yes, they keep saying no,” said Atlee head baseball coach Kevin Elrod. “They keep going back and forth. I don’t know.”

Until last week, Dragum was also under the assumption that the select group of composite bats would be allowed for the upcoming season.

But along with Kentucky, Virginia is one of three states that will adhere to the original letter of the law and strictly enforce the ban on all non-BBCOR composite bats this spring.

“It’s going to be strictly enforced because it was a safety issue,” Dolan said. “It was implemented as a change for safety reasons and we don’t feel like there’s a whole lot of waver room from our standpoint on something that’s changed because of a safety issue.”

Furthermore, the penalty is stiff. Players caught using an illegal bat will be ejected and then suspended for the next two games.

“It’s obviously something you don’t want to have happen, especially to your better hitters,” said Lee-Davis head coach Kenny Lewis. “We’ve just got to get the word out.”

And when it comes to finding a legal composite bat the options are extremely limited. “There’ a lot more bats not in compliance being sold as NFHS approved, but those bats are not going to be legal in Virginia,” Lewis said.

The legal composite bats will be required to have a BBCOR stamp on their barrel.

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“The outcome is, kids that bought the (illegal) bats are going to have to take them back,” Elrod said. “Or not take them back, they’re going to lose $300 and start all over again.”

Batter’s Choice in Petersburg is one of the few area stores to currently stock even a small variety of the legal bats. According to salesperson Roger Underhill the store obtained the DiMarini Voodoo and Vexxum BBCOR bats in September.  Since that time Louisville Slugger has also released BBCOR version of its TPX bat. “Now with Easton coming out, they’re hopefully, maybe this month, the end of this month, probably, hopefully, everyone will have everything in February just before the Spring season starts.”

Underhill understands the need for change, but he is bothered by how the process has unfolded. “We completely understand where it’s going,” he said. “It’s just it was done very quickly, I can tell you that. It caught a lot of people.”

With the rules change, Underhill says that more than half of Batter’s Choice high school baseball bat stock will be illegal for use in Virginia.

“Little League is doing the same thing,” Underhill said. “Little League has banned all composite bats in the Junior and Majors and are looking at probably doing it in the lower leagues after the beginning of the year. You’ve got a lot of people who have put $200-$300 into a bat that’s now illegal and some people are freaking out.”

Batter’s Choice, whose business is nationwide, is now forced to sell their stock of bats outside Virginia in states where they are not banned. “Yes, it effects us,” Underhill said. “We’re not making the profit margins we made last year on bats, but hopefully we won’t be stuck with too many bats.”

Aluminum BESR bats will remain legal throughout the 2010-11 season but as of December 31, 2011 they too will be placed on the banned list.