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Composite bat longevity

What's on your mind?

by wadeintothem » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:00 pm

I know what ASA has to say about it. Its in the rule book.

Visible cracks= illegal. Those cracks in the composit bats are pretty much why the rule was added to the book and I've seen many taken out over them and have been advised to watch for it at Clinics.

I dont think those are cracks in paint and finish, those are mini cracks of the composit bat where the handle meets the barrel. Those bats crack in half just like a wood bat and so that is the rule. Maybe i'm wrong about what the cracks are - I'm far from a bat expert - its my experience that many of these bats get tossed and no matter what gets said here, you could run into it. It was just a word to the wise.

The arguments being made in this thread are the fruitless daddy/coach pleadings that fall on deaf ears.
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by dittoz » Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:34 pm

I can definitely understand what you're saying, although these cracks I'm citing are more often out at the end of the barrel rather than at the handle. They're all pretty much right at the sweet spot and occur as the bat breaks in. They started at prob around hit #100 or so...

Anyway, we're going to keep an unblemished one around for games and nothing more!


...especially in July !
Being from NorCal, what do I know anyway???
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by weekend4trvl » Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:53 pm

wadeintothem wrote:I know what ASA has to say about it. Its in the rule book.

Visible cracks= illegal. Those cracks in the composit bats are pretty much why the rule was added to the book and I've seen many taken out over them and have been advised to watch for it at Clinics.

I dont think those are cracks in paint and finish, those are mini cracks of the composit bat where the handle meets the barrel. Those bats crack in half just like a wood bat and so that is the rule. Maybe i'm wrong about what the cracks are - I'm far from a bat expert - its my experience that many of these bats get tossed and no matter what gets said here, you could run into it. It was just a word to the wise.

The arguments being made in this thread are the fruitless daddy/coach pleadings that fall on deaf ears.

Can't we just ask the girls if they see any microcracks. Their vision is probably ten times better than ours and they don't have the built in prejustice about certain bat manufacturers. JMO
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by 3Bsnag » Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:11 pm

wadeintothem wrote:I know what ASA has to say about it. Its in the rule book.

Visible cracks= illegal. Those cracks in the composit bats are pretty much why the rule was added to the book and I've seen many taken out over them and have been advised to watch for it at Clinics.....


I hear what you are saying too. You are right, we are talking about different cracks. LOL! You're referring to cracks, we are referring to splintering/web designs in the barrel (which unfortunately is a sign of both normal break in AND rolling).

But let me ask you point blank since you are one of our resident blues...
You are umpiring a regional qualifying tournament this summer with no testing device on site. Batter walks up with a Clarity Stealth/Synergy that the barrel has completely changed over color. What are you going to do? What if half of it has turned color?
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by rbi » Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:03 pm

wadeintothem wrote:I'd have to see it, but consider this...

Just speaking reality, and the way things are: you could go the entire upcoming HS and TB season with this bat only to have it yanked at nationals over those microcracks. Thats just the way things are.

Visible Cracks = illegal bat in ASA.

Those microcracks that form at the handle-barrel section and certain other areas = bat will be sitting in the tourneys UIC storage area.

I am quite sure you could get away with this bat in 95% of the games played.. but if Nationals are in the picture, start warming up a new bat and save your self some serious heartache. At nationals, your bat gets checked by umpires who want to work Sunday. And that means your bat goes. And you wont get it back until the tourney is over.

It could get pulled before that. One things for sure, it will not be at a convenient time when this bat gets noticed as illegal.



So, just for reference ANY sign of ANY crack of ANY size, can result of removal of bat from play?
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by wadeintothem » Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:56 pm

3Bsnag wrote:
wadeintothem wrote:I know what ASA has to say about it. Its in the rule book.

Visible cracks= illegal. Those cracks in the composit bats are pretty much why the rule was added to the book and I've seen many taken out over them and have been advised to watch for it at Clinics.....


I hear what you are saying too. You are right, we are talking about different cracks. LOL! You're referring to cracks, we are referring to splintering/web designs in the barrel (which unfortunately is a sign of both normal break in AND rolling).

But let me ask you point blank since you are one of our resident blues...
You are umpiring a regional qualifying tournament this summer with no testing device on site. Batter walks up with a Clarity Stealth/Synergy that the barrel has completely changed over color. What are you going to do? What if half of it has turned color?


I am aware of the clarity and have looked at it real close more than once (last year when they first came out)

Until it is addressed in ASA rules I will not address issues involving the changing colors of this bat.
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by wadeintothem » Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:09 pm

rbi wrote:
So, just for reference ANY sign of ANY crack of ANY size, can result of removal of bat from play?


ASA 3-1
The official bat shall be smooth. It shall be free of dentsburrs and visible cracks, and shall
not have exposed rivets, pins, rough or sharp edges or any form of exterior fastener that would present a hazard.

No cracks... at all.

I highlighted dents because it is a change this year. It used to be we had a bat ring and if it would fit over a dented bat, the bat is good to go.

Now, ANY dent = its done.

So any dents or cracks and that bat is in a shed. It is not legal.

Now this is where your bat goes to die when you and little suzie get it confiscated at nats by trying to read into that language that is not there ... I could get deblued for showing this top secret photo...but much like the masked magician, I think you need to know..

Image
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by Itjustcomesnatural » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:05 am

I have seen these so called cracks and imo it's the clearcoat on paint that's causing these spider or stress cracks, kinda like fiberglass does. It's not the actual bat that is cracked and in no way compromises the bats integrity, but these do look like cracks and most likley will be treated as illegal. I have seen this effect on rolled bats & non rolled bats alike, no difference between the two. It just happens after so many hits. Composite material itself does not splinter like that or spider crack, it's all in the paint & clearcoat they use. And I have only really noticed this on the stealths & demarinis. The synergys just seem to have a problem with the paint chipping off but no stress cracks.
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by dittoz » Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:28 am

I agree that these are almost definitely a surface cracking issue, but rules are rules - right or wrong.

Little Susie (or little someone-else in our family) isn't going to have this happen in July, so we're on the prowl for a game-only bat. Unfortunate and an odd situation , because when it breaks in, it too will have those cracks!

Funny too, that every bat I see in that picture is an Easton Stealth. Or is that just an isolated shot of the Easton Department of the bat graveyard?
Being from NorCal, what do I know anyway???
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by Sftbll4ever » Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:09 am

wadeintothem wrote:
3Bsnag wrote:
wadeintothem wrote:I know what ASA has to say about it. Its in the rule book.

Visible cracks= illegal. Those cracks in the composit bats are pretty much why the rule was added to the book and I've seen many taken out over them and have been advised to watch for it at Clinics.....


I hear what you are saying too. You are right, we are talking about different cracks. LOL! You're referring to cracks, we are referring to splintering/web designs in the barrel (which unfortunately is a sign of both normal break in AND rolling).

But let me ask you point blank since you are one of our resident blues...
You are umpiring a regional qualifying tournament this summer with no testing device on site. Batter walks up with a Clarity Stealth/Synergy that the barrel has completely changed over color. What are you going to do? What if half of it has turned color?


I am aware of the clarity and have looked at it real close more than once (last year when they first came out)

Until it is addressed in ASA rules I will not address issues involving the changing colors of this bat.


You know, it is interesting that you say that. I hadn't even thought about the fact that ASA did not put this into their rules. A person could actually argue that. At the Gold Qualifier, I had seen 2 bats go to the cornfield. It was easily visible that the color had changed.
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