2011 Bat Information

Confused About Bats? Here's the Scoop.

February 8, 2011

An already confusing situation was made even more so last week when the American Legion national office announced its ban on all bats containing composite materials for the 2011 season. Here's some information to help our readers find their way through the 2011 bat jungle:

Alphabet Soup

BESR - Ball Exit Speed Ratio. This certification standard has been used for college and high school baseball for the past decade. It will remain the legal standard for NSAA spring season high school baseball and American Legion baseball for the 2011 season.

BBCOR - Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution. This certification standard went into effect for college baseball on January 1, 2011 and will go into effect for high school and Legion baseball on January 1, 2012. Generally, this standard requires a non-wood bat to perform more like wood. The "trampoline effect" that gives BESR-certified bats higher performance than wood has been engineered out of BBCOR bats. The primary reasons given for the new standard are restoring balance between offense and defense, preserving the integrity of the game and reducing risk of injury to players.

ABI - Accelerated Break In. This is a new testing procedure that measures whether a bat will perform better after it has gone through a break-in period. In 2009, the NCAA banned bats with composite barrels because of well-founded concerns that, with use, those bats exceeded certification standards. A form of tampering, known as "bat rolling", is known to accelerate break-in, thereby allowing a bat to perform at higher levels than permitted under certification standards. ABI testing actually involves rolling the barrel repeatedly and taking bat performance measurements after each rolling until the bat finally breaks. To pass ABI testing, bats must not exceed the applicable standard (BESR or BBCOR) at any time prior to breaking. The BBCOR test protocol includes ABI testing. Thus, any BBCOR bat is ABI-compliant and deemed tamper proof.

NSAA - Nebraska School Activities Association. This organization, composed of more than 300 public and private high schools in Nebraska, governs Nebraska high school baseball played between mid-March and late May.

NFHS - National Federation of High School Associations. The NFHS is an umbrella organization composed of various state activities associations, such as the Nebraska School Activities Association. The NFHS promulgates various rules that are binding on its member associations, including bat standards for high school baseball. Following the lead of the NCAA, the NFHS banned the use of bats with composite barrels in July 2010, but shortly thereafter, it provided a waiver for composite barrel bats that passed ABI testing. There are only a handful of ABI-compliant, BESR-certified bats that may be used during the 2011 high school season. (See link to approved bat list below.)

2011 NSAA Spring Season Baseball

What you may use:

BESR-certified bats

Wood

Aluminum barrel - can be one-piece, all-metal construction or can have composite handle and taper

Composite barrel - limited to those bats included on NFHS List of Approved BESR-ABI Composite Baseball Bats

BBCOR-certified bats

Wood

Aluminum barrel - can be one-piece, all-metal construction or can have composite handle and taper

Composite barrel - composite bats that have BBCOR certification; label will say "BBCOR" and "Tamper Proof or Tamper Resistant" to indicate ABI testing and lists the barrel type (alumimum or composite)

Additional requirements for ALL bats:

In addition to the BESR and BBCOR certification requirements, there are a number of other NFHS requirements that apply, most notably, that the difference between the bat's length and its weight may not be greater than three (e.g., 33 inch bat may not weigh less than 30 ounces), and may not exceed a maximum diameter (2 5/8" for non-wood, 2 3/4" for wood).

See full text of NFHS bat rule below.

What you may not use:

BESR-certified bats

Composite barrel - any composite-barrel bat NOT on NFHS List of Approved BESR-ABI Composite Baseball Bats

Additional requirements for ALL bats

ANY bat that does not meet all NFHS Bat Rule requirements (i.e., excessive length / weight differential, excessive diameter, etc.)

Comments: We know how ballplayers (and their dads) like to rush out and get the latest, greatest new bat. This is not the year to do that. The new BBCOR bats, unlike new bat models in prior years, do not offer greater performance. In fact, the performance has been rated at approximately five to six percent below BESR bats. A ballplayer using a BBCOR bat in 2011 will be at a competitive disadvantage compared to a ballplayer using a BESR bat. See article from Collegiate Baseball Newsletter. Wait until 2012 to get your BBCOR bat when everyone will be required to use them. Besides, there is likely to be a negative outcry about the BBCOR's during the college season, raising the possibility that performance could be dialed up a bit for next year.

2011 American Legion Summer Season Baseball

What you may use:

BESR-certified bats

Wood

Aluminum barrel - bat must be one-piece, all-metal construction. No composite material may be used in handle.

BBCOR-certified bats

Wood

Aluminum barrel - must be one-piece, all-metal construction. No composite material may be used in handle.

Additional requirements for ALL bats:

In addition to the BESR and BBCOR certification requirements, there are a number of other American Legion requirements that apply, most notably, that the difference between the bat's length and its weight may not be greater than three (e.g., 33 inch bat may not weigh less than 30 ounces), and the bat may not measure more than 2 5/8" in diameter.

See full text of American Legion bat rule below.

What you may not use:

BESR-certified bats

Bat that has any composite material, whether in the barrel or in the handle

BBCOR-certified bats

Bat that has any composite material, whether in the barrel or in the handle

Additional requirements for ALL bats:

ANY bat that does not meet all American Legion Bat Rule requirements (i.e., excessive length / weight differential, excessive diameter, etc.)

See full text of American Legion bat rule below.

Comments: no comment

NEBRASKA RESERVE BASEBALL LEAGUE

The Nebraska Reserve Baseball League will follow the NFHS rules, except that a maximum height-weight differential of five (-5) is allowed.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Type of Bat	HS	Legion	NRBL	Pro	Con
Wood				Demands good hitting technique; legal for all uses	Less power; Breakage
BESR Aluminum Barrel (metal handle)				Highest-performing bat standard available for 2011, can use for Legion	Can't use for HS or Legion beyond 2011
BESR Aluminum Barrel (composite handle)				Highest-performing bat standard available for 2011, less hand sting	Can't use for Legion in 2011 or for HS beyond 2011
BESR Composite Barrel	Note 1		Note 1	Highest-performing bat standard available for 2011	Can't use for Legion
BBCOR Aluminum Barrel (metal handle)				Legal now and beyond 2011	Wood-like performance, competitive disadvantage comp. to BESR
BBCOR Aluminum Barrel (composite handle)				Legal now and beyond 2011	Wood-like performance, can't use for Legion
BBCOR Composite Barrel				Legal now and beyond 2011	Wood-like performance, can't use for Legion
Note 1: bat must be on approved NFHS List of Approved BESR-ABI Composite Baseball Bats

RELATED ARTICLES

| National Federation Restricts Use of Composite-Barrel Bats for 2011 Season |

| Less Lively Bats Will Bring Changes to College Baseball in 2011; Coming to High School Baseball in 2012 |

| The Long and Winding Road: Regulating the Performance of Non-Wood Bats |

NFHS Bat Rule

Effective beginning the 2010-11 school year, composite bats shall be illegal until meeting the standards of 1-3-2(e). (BN Note: The reference to 1-3-2(e) pertains to the new BBCOR standard that will go into effect on January 1, 2012. Subsequent to the adoption of this rule, a waiver was approved for BESR-certified, composite-barrel bats that pass ABI testing)

ART. 2 . . . The bat shall have the following characteristics and components.

a. Each legal wood, aluminum or composite bat shall:

1. Be one piece, multi-pieces and permanently assembled, or two pieces with interchangeable barrel construction.

2. Not have exposed rivets, pins, rough or sharp edges or any form of exterior fastener that would present a hazard.

3. Be free of rattles, dents, burrs, cracks and sharp edges. Bats that are broken, altered or that deface the ball are illegal. Materials inside the bat or treatments/devices used to alter the bat specifications and/or enhance performance are prohibited and render the bat illegal.

b. Each legal wood, aluminum or composite bat shall have the following components:

1. Knob. The bat knob shall protrude from the handle. The knob may be molded, lathed, welded or permanently fastened. Devices, attachments or wrappings are permitted except those that cause the knob to become flush with the handle. A one-piece rubber knob and bat grip combination is illegal.

2. Handle. The bat handle is the area of the bat that begins at, but does not include, the knob and ends where the taper begins.

3. Barrel. The barrel is the area intended for contact with the pitch. The barrel shall be round, cylindrically symmetric and smooth. The barrel may be aluminum, wood or composite (made of two or more materials). The type of bat (wood, aluminum or composite) shall be determined by the composition of the barrel.

4. Taper. The taper is an optional transition area which connects the narrower handle to the wider barrel portion of the bat. Its length and material may vary but may not extend more than 18 inches from the base of the knob.

5. End Cap. The end cap is made of rubber, vinyl, plastic or other approved material. It shall be firmly secured and permanently affixed to the end of the bat so that it cannot be removed by anyone other than the manufacturer, without damaging or destroying it. By definition, a one-piece construction bat does not have an end cap.

c. Each bat not made of a single piece of wood shall:

1. Have a safety grip made of cork, tape (no smooth, plastic tape) or commercially manufactured composition material. The grip must extend a minimum of 10 inches, but not more than 18 inches, from the base of the knob. Slippery tape or similar material shall be prohibited. Resin, pine tar or any drying agent to enhance the hold are permitted only on the grip. Molded grips are illegal.

2. Be 2 5/8” or less in diameter at thickest part and 36 inches or less in length.

3. Not weigh, numerically, more than three ounces less than the length of the bat (e.g., a 33-inch-long bat cannot be less than 30 ounces).

d. Through December 31, 2011, each aluminum bat shall meet the Ball Exit-Speed Ratio (BESR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark. No BESR label, sticker or decal will be accepted on any non-wood bat.

e. Beginning January 1, 2012, all bats not made of a single piece of wood shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark. The certification mark shall be rectangular, a minimum of a half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color. Aluminum and composite bats shall be labeled as approved tamper evident, and be marked as to being aluminum or composite. This marking shall be silkscreen or other permanent certification mark, a minimum of one-half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.

f. An aluminum bat meeting the standards of 1-3-2(e) is legal immediately.

g. A composite bat shall be illegal until meeting the standards of 1-3-2(e).

ART. 3 . . . A bat made of a single piece of wood may be roughened or wound with tape not more than 18 inches from the handle end of the bat. No foreign substance may be added to the surface of the bat beyond 18 inches from the end of the handle. Each bat made of a single piece of wood shall be:

a. 2¾ inches or less in diameter at the thickest part

b. 36 inches or less in length

ART. 4 . . . Only bats may be used in warming up (including weighted bats used for this purpose) at any location. Only bats and items designed to remain part of the bat, such as weighted bats, batting donuts, and wind-resistant devices are legal at any location.

ART. 5 . . . Bats that are altered from the manufacturer’s original design and production, or that do not meet the rule specifications, are illegal (See 7-4-1a). No foreign substance may be inserted into the bat. Bats that are broken, cracked or dented or that deface the ball, i.e., tear the ball, shall be removed without penalty. A bat that continually discolors the ball may be removed from the game with no penalty at the discretion of the umpire.

Rationale: Recent bat products have circumvented the intent and spirit of the current rule. Improvements in science and technology now allow this change that will require bats to be within performance limits during the life of the bat. In addition, this change will minimize the ability for the bat to be tampered with or altered.

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American Legion Bat Rule

PLAYING REGULATIONS RULE 1

A. Bat Rule. Wood or metal, bats may be used.

1. Wooden bats are permitted under Official Baseball Rules.

2. The maximum length is 36 inches and the maximum diameter is 2 5/8 inches.

3. The knob and end plug (if applicable) must be firmly attached.

4. A bat may not weigh, numerically, more than three units less than the length of the bat (e.g., a 34-inch-long bat cannot weight less than 31 ounces).

5. The American Legion is placing a moratorium on all composite bats for the 2011 season.

6. Non-wood bat (aluminum) must have an approved, coded certification mark on the barrel of the bat signifying the bat is legal with either BESR or BBCOR bats are permitted in competition in 2011.

7. Effective with the 2012 season, non-wood bats with the BBCOR certification will only be permitted.

8. For all games and practice use, all non-wood bats must have leather, rubber or taped grip securely attached to the bat handle.

9. Any bat that fails to meet these specifications or, in the umpire’s judgment, has been altered to affect the distance factor or cause an unusual reaction on the baseball shall be removed from the game. The batter shall be declared out. Base runners shall not advance.

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