Batter Up: The Reason Why Aluminum Bats Aren't Allowed in MLB

By jake rossen | apr 29, 2021.

Aluminum baseball bats change the game.

Throughout baseball diamonds across the country, teams are getting back into the swing of the season. Like their big-league counterparts, Little League and recreational players will sport leather gloves, cleats, and umpire’s gear.

But there’s one piece of equipment some players will opt for that won’t be seen in any Major League Baseball (MLB) game—an aluminum bat. It’s the difference between the crack of a wooden stick and the ping or bink of a baseball colliding with aluminum.

The reason? Pro players are just too good.

Both the major and minor leagues have banned the metal bat because of the skill level of their participants. Thanks to the “trampoline effect,” a metal bat will have a slight give when connecting with the ball, transferring more energy. It becomes easier for hits to travel farther and faster, with their velocity known as bat-exit speed. Some players have even been known to break in a new aluminum bat to allow for greater flex in the material by running over it with a car.

When aluminum bats were first introduced in the 1970s, NCAA teams saw batting averages go up 20 points; home runs doubled. If aluminum and other metal bats were allowed, observers believe the technology would supersede player talent. Records would be shattered, and the game might be diminished.

“We once had a couple aluminum bats around the big-league batting cage,” Cal Ripken Jr. told The Baltimore Sun in 2018. “I remember [fellow Baltimore Orioles player and second baseman] Robbie Alomar picked one up in Oakland, and he was going so far into the bleachers to straightaway center that it was almost ridiculous.”

Little Leaguers and rec leagues don’t typically see that kind of power. In fact, an aluminum bat can make learning the game easier. Wood bats tend to have their weight in the barrel, and connecting without splintering usually means hitting the ball near the label; metal bats are more forgiving when it comes to ball placement. Because they’re hollow, they’re also lighter, making them easier for small hands to grip and swing. (A bat’s weight depends on its length, but generally, aluminum bats are around 5 ounces lighter.)

Because aluminum bats are speeding up the ball, there is potential for injury, although it’s relatively rare. Still, the New York City Council banned metal bats in high school games in 2008. New Mexico also prohibits them. In 2018, USA Baseball, which supervises youth organizations like Little League, mandated a new type of bat that’s aluminum but performs more like wood.

[h/t The Baltimore Sun ]

Editorial: Crack down on kids’ metal baseball…

Share this:.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Today's e-Edition

  • Things to Do
  • Real Estate
  • Marketplace

Breaking News

Trump wins south carolina, easily beating haley in her home state and closing in on gop nomination, editorial: crack down on kids’ metal baseball bats.

Author

Every parent of a young baseball pitcher knows the fear. A line drive explodes off a metal bat back toward the mound. With a fraction of a second to react, the pitcher either tries to catch the ball or ducks. Usually the ball sails into the outfield, but occasionally, inevitably, disaster strikes, and the debate over whether metal bats should be banned from youth baseball is renewed.

It was Gunnar Sandberg this time. The 16-year-old Marin Catholic High School pitcher remains in critical condition after being hit in the head by a line drive March 11. For Assemblyman Jared Huffman of San Rafael, it was the last straw. He proposed a three-year moratorium on the use of metal bats in high school games while safer options can be explored.

Huffman means well, but we shouldn’t need a law. The organizations that govern youth sports should be handling this. They should demand that metal bat manufacturers make their bats react like the wood bats used by major leaguers,

Bat manufacturers already are required to meet a standard known as the “ball exit speed ratio,” which is designed to limit the speed of a ball as it jumps off a bat. But baseball experts for years have questioned the legitimacy of the method. The “sweet spot” of a metal bat is larger than that of a wood bat, increasing the number of line drives that “jump” off a metal bat.

Some experts believe that balls come off metal bats about 5 miles per hour faster than off wood bats. That may not sound like a lot, but in the world of baseball, 5 mph is huge.

The best indicator of the bats’ effect is the players themselves. There’s a reason every kid steps up to the plate these days with a metal bat in his hands. Kids know they can hit the ball harder and farther.

Metal bats are more economical for youth teams, since wood bats break so often. Youth organizations don’t need to ban them. But they can set a standard of performance to match wooden bats. If they get serious about it, manufacturers will comply, and we won’t need a law to make it happen.

  • Report an error
  • Policies and Standards

More in News

Supporters of the A's and other Oakland sports teams and clubs turn out for annual event

Oakland Athletics | Hundreds of fans celebrate Oakland sports clubs during the Fans Fest

Police are investigating the murder of a Pittsburg teenager who was found dead in Antioch.

SUBSCRIBER ONLY

Crime and public safety | antioch police investigate murder of pittsburg teenager.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed Western leaders to Kyiv Saturday to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, as Ukrainian forces run low on ammunition and foreign aid hangs in the balance.

World News | Western leaders rally around Kyiv to mark 2 years since Russia’s full-scale invasion

Tributes poured in Saturday for Flaco, the beloved Eurasian eagle-owl that became a feel-good New York story after escaping its Central Park Zoo enclosure and flying free around Manhattan.

National News | Death of beloved New York City owl, Flaco, in apparent building collision devastates legions of fans

Are metal baseball bats just too dangerous?

Share this:.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Orange County
  • Things to Do

argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

News | John Wooden, legendary UCLA coach, leader and mentor, celebrated with Forever stamp

He compared his legal jeopardy to the historic legacy of anti-Black prejudice in the U.S. legal system.

National Politics | Trump says his criminal indictments boosted his appeal to Black voters

Trump has now swept every contest that counted for Republican delegates.

National Politics | Trump wins South Carolina, beating Haley in her home state and further closing in on GOP nomination

The policy, beginning March 1, says minors will need to bring an adult with them after 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Crime and Public Safety | After brawls at the mall, Del Amo Fashion Center has a new rule: No minors without adults at times

  • Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

As Laws Change, So Does the Baseball Bat

argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

By Brendan I. Koerner

  • July 1, 2007

REGULATION, as some conservative politicians are fond of saying, is the bane of business. But government meddling can create opportunities, too.

Consider recent legislation seeking to ban metal bats in high school baseball games. It’s bad news for makers of aluminum bats, but it’s a boon to Jorge Medina, the chief executive of Controlling the Game, a sporting goods manufacturer based in the Bronx.

Those pushing for bans on aluminum bats contend that baseballs travel too quickly off of them, causing severe injuries to fielders. Early last year, Mr. Medina predicted that several cities and states might prohibit these bats. (New York City banned metal bats in April, and at least three states are considering such moves. Separately, the North Dakota High School Activities Association decided two years ago to change to wooden bats; the move took effect this year.)

So Mr. Medina began developing the 360° Woody, a resilient wood bat intended to offer the same performance as aluminum ones. He and Frank Schrantz, manager of Controlling the Game’s manufacturing plant in Jamestown, N.Y., began by buying and studying dozens of so-called wood composite bats, which use blends of maple, ash and even bamboo.

“We cut open all these types of bats to see what was in there,” said Mr. Medina, who founded Controlling the Game in 2003 and initially ran it from his basement apartment.

Many high schools have preferred aluminum bats for budgetary reasons. High-end aluminum bats can cost upward of $300, compared with $80 to $90 for quality wooden bats, but wooden bats frequently shatter or splinter. Mr. Schrantz said he believed that he could overcome this problem by using hickory, a wood often used by Jamestown’s thriving furniture industry.

“Back when Babe Ruth played, the bats were made of hickory,” Mr. Schrantz said. But hickory, though robust, is relatively heavy. Babe Ruth’s bats weighed as much as 47 ounces, nearly a pound heavier than the 32-ounce ash or maple bats popular among today’s major-league players.

To minimize the weight of the 360° Woody, Mr. Schrantz came up with a novel composite design: he fitted two slats of hickory together in the form of a cross, then filled in the gaps with wedges of ash. A cutaway of the bat’s head resembles a pie that has been cut into four slices of equal size.

The prototype was then coated in a fiberglass shell, to add extra toughness — as well as an intimidating black sheen.

Employees of Controlling the Game tested the 360° Woody the old-fashioned way, by taking five prototypes to a diamond and hitting 1,000 balls per bat. The design was deemed acceptable after none of the bats fractured or splintered.

The company also sent two of the 360° Woodys to the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, where bats are certified for use in N.C.A.A. college baseball games. Among the tests conducted there is the Ball Exit Speed Ratio test, in which a bat is peppered with balls traveling at speeds far higher than any human pitcher can muster. The 360° Woody passed, and so it can be used by college players starting next season.

The bat, priced at $149.99, was introduced at the end of 2006. It is available through BaseballExpress.com and BaseballWarehouse.com. Mr. Medina hopes to sell it in retail stores, too.

The 360° Woody comes with a one-year limited warranty, which promises to replace the bat once should it crack or break during “normal field usage.” The warranty doesn’t cover breakage that might occur in a commercial batting cage. So if you like taking cuts in a coin-operated cage, it’s still best to use an aluminum bat. There are no fielders in such places, so there seems little chance of an intrusive government preventing you from swinging the metal.

Inside the World of Sports

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping professional, collegiate and amateur athletics..

Fixing Manchester United: Jim Ratcliffe spent $1.5 billion for a 25% stake in his boyhood English soccer club. Now, he is setting out to revive it .

Bowing to a Fan Revolt: Germany’s soccer fans protested the specter of a private equity giant taking a stake in the country’s domestic league by raining tennis balls, chocolate coins and marbles onto fields across the country. The strategy worked .

Gone Wild: Most defunct golf courses get paved over. But a number are getting transformed into ecological life rafts for wildlife, plants and people .

The Gift of Soccer: Sheffield, England, gave soccer to the world , according to local amateur historians. Now the English city wants credit.

Discovered at a Pickup Game: Arthur Dukes Jr. had made three false starts at college before becoming the star player  for LaGuardia Community College’s scrappy new team.

Sport World News

Metal Bats in MLB: Permissible Materials?

I n the elite echelons of baseball, particularly within Major League Baseball (MLB), a distinctive feature sets it apart from other levels of the sport: the exclusive use of wooden bats. This rule distinguishes MLB not only from minor league play but also from the collegiate and high school levels, where metal bats are the norm.

The prohibition of metal bats in MLB is rooted in concerns over the game's balance and, more critically, player and spectator safety.

Metal vs. Wooden Bat Physics

The core reason behind MLB's steadfast adherence to wooden bats lies in the potential for increased velocity and distance when using metal bats.

The physics of metal bats allow for a ball to be hit with significantly greater speed and further distance compared to wooden bats. This heightened performance capability raises serious safety concerns, particularly for pitchers and infielders who could face line drives exceeding 115 miles per hour—a common occurrence even with wooden bats.

Consider the implications if power hitters like Aaron Judge, known for leading the league in exit velocity, were to wield metal bats. The resulting increase in ball speed could render defensive play nearly impossible, fundamentally altering the game's dynamics.

MLB's commitment to wooden bats serves to slightly temper hitters' capabilities, maintaining a crucial balance between pitching and hitting while ensuring the game remains safely playable. The safety concerns extend beyond the field to the stands, where fans could face even greater risks from foul balls or home run balls propelled at speeds potentially exceeding 130 miles per hour.

The use of wooden bats, therefore, is not merely a nod to tradition but a vital measure to safeguard all participants and spectators involved in the game. Notable incidents, such as the controversy surrounding Sammy Sosa and his corked bat, underscore the league's stringent enforcement of this rule.

While Sosa was not found guilty, others have faced repercussions for attempting to circumvent the regulation, reinforcing MLB's commitment to preserving the integrity and safety of the sport through the exclusive use of wooden bats.

This adherence to tradition and safety protocols ensures that MLB remains a thrilling yet secure spectacle for all involved.

Want more articles like this? Follow Sport World News on MSN to see more of our exclusive content.

  • What Did 2023 Teach Texas Rangers Pitcher Owen White? Do Mistakes Get Hit?
  • Is Shohei Ohtani's Batting Practice the Strongest Ticket in Town?
  • Rangers' Rising Star Josh Jung Set for MRI Amid Calf Discomfort

The Post Metal Bats in MLB: Permissible Materials? appeared first on Sport World News

Metal Bats in MLB: Permissible Materials?

Watch CBS News

New York City May Ban Metal Bats

March 13, 2007 / 10:44 AM EDT / CBS/AP

New York's City Council is considering a ban on metal bats, with former New York Mets reliever John Franco testifying in support of the proposal.

Franco and the bill's supporters say metal bats hit balls faster and harder.

"I'm speaking from someone who was standing on the mound for 22 years, and I can see the difference," Franco told a council committee on Monday. "And while I'm standing in the stands watching my son play, or some of the other Little Leaguers, I can see the difference."

Franco said afterward he hopes a New York City high school ban would inspire others to follow. The council votes on the bill Wednesday.

Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina and other opponents have said previously there is no evidence to suggest metal bats are more dangerous.

New York would become one of the first cities in the country to prohibit the use of metal bats in high school baseball games, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

According to the Council, the Times reported, it would cost the city's public high schools $253,500 to replace 5,070 metal or metal-composite bats used by 169 baseball teams with wood bats, and $67,600 a year thereafter to replace broken wood bats. The bill's sponsors said they would ask donors to defray the costs for private and parochial schools.

Similar measures have been proposed by youth leagues and lawmakers in other states, including New Jersey, where a batted ball struck a 12-year-old boy in the chest, sending him into cardiac arrest. He was revived by spectators but was in a coma for months.

His father, Joseph Domalewski, told the committee on Monday his son sustained brain damage and still cannot walk.

"My son is doing a sentence, and to me the only thing he did wrong is to pitch to a guy holding a metal bat," he said.

Mussina and the ban's opponents believe the anti-metal movement relies on emotional anecdotes, but no scientific data. In 2005, an American Legion Baseball study found no substantial scientific evidence to support the argument that wooden bats are safer than metal, which has been in use since the early 1970s.

"I don't think it matters whether it's aluminum or wood or whatever the material is," Mussina said last fall. "I've been hit in the face. It's just part of it. I can understand they're emotional about it. But I don't see there's any more danger playing with aluminum or some other material."

Mussina is a member of the board of Little League Baseball, which also opposes the council's ban, along with sporting goods makers such as Easton Sports.

David Ettinger, an attorney for Easton, called the proposal "utterly irrational" on Monday. He indicated that the dispute might end up in court if it passes on Wednesday and is signed into law.

More from CBS News

The New York Times

City room | judge silences the ‘ping,’ upholding a ban on metal bats, judge silences the ‘ping,’ upholding a ban on metal bats.

bat

Updated, 4:47 p.m. | A federal judge today upheld a new city law that bans the use of metal bats in high school baseball games, clearing the way for the law to take effect on Saturday.

According to The Associated Press, the judge, John G. Koeltl, of United States District Court in Manhattan, said the new law — enacted in April over the objections of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg — represents a proper use of the City Council’s authority to protect public health and safety. “The protection of the health and safety of high school-age students is entitled to great weight,” Judge Koeltl wrote. “While the record does not include clear empirical evidence showing that more serious injuries would occur without the ordinance, it is the city’s legislative assessment that the risk is too great.”

The City Council overwhelmingly approved the ban in March. The mayor vetoed the bill, but the Council overrode the veto in April. The bill divided even major league baseball players, who use only wood bats. Mike Mussina, a Yankees pitcher, spoke against the ban; John Franco, a former Mets relief pitcher, came out in favor of it.

Most players believe it is easier to hit balls with metal bats than with wood ones; the aluminum bats have a larger “sweet spot.” Proponents of the law assert that balls hit off metal bats fly faster and farther.

Opponents of the law, including Little League International and other youth sports leagues, had asserted that metal bats were no more dangerous than wood ones. An organization representing national high school baseball coaches and several makers of metal bats filed a federal lawsuit. The opponents also hired Ari Fleischer , the former White House spokesman, as an advocate for their cause.

In a statement, Councilman James S. Oddo, a Staten Island Republican and the main proponent of the new law, applauded the ruling:

This effort always has been about the safety of our kids and eliminating an unnecessary and unreasonable risk from their baseball games. Parents, organizations, leagues of all ages, municipalities and state governments should take this Federal Court’s ruling as a green light to return the game to its roots by enacting similar laws to prohibit the use of metal bats so that kids can enjoy a better, purer and safer brand of baseball. Somewhere, be it a random Iowa cornfield or the celestial Fenway Park in the sky, the soul of Ted Williams is smiling today.

Councilman Lewis A. Fidler, the chairman of the Council’s Youth Services Committee, said in a statement, “This is a victory for children. This is a victory for student athletes. This is a victory for concerned parents. The child whose life and health we have saved may never know it, but what we have done here may well have saved lives.”

Stephen D. Keener, the president and chief executive of Little League International, expressed dismay at the judge’s decision, but asserted that the judge had agreed with their argument that the law is not supported by scientific research. He said in a statement:

As the safety of Little Leaguers is our primary concern, we are gratified that the Judge agrees there is no evidence that metal bats are more dangerous than wooden bats. This has been our view all along. Although we are disappointed with Judge Koeltl’s final decision, we do agree with his assessment that the legislation is not supported by factual data. Simply, there is no evidence to support the position that the game of baseball would be safer if played with wood bats. We enthusiastically support the government’s obligation to protect its citizens, but in this case, the judge has said that the New York City Council made its decision without any factual basis, and we agree.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

Talk about Too Much Government — even for a moderate liberal this is hard to stomach. Put all the ball players in helmets and get on with life.

So whose ox is being gored or saved with this one? It’s hard to believe that this has even 1 degree of priority for the New York City Legislators. Come on guys and gals — get a life and worry about the uninsured, the crime, the new jobs — almost anything is more important than whether kids use metal or wooden bats.

Let’s also enact a law to only allow bunts or check swings. That would reduce any risk of injury. We could also put a ban on weight lifting since larger muscles also cause the ball to leave the bat with a greater velocity. Maybe we could even make a rule that if someone hits a homerun, instead of getting a run, they would get an out because any ball hit that hard could be highly dangerous.

This law is ridiculous.

No concrete evidence or data means you can’t prove a thing. Metal bats have been used for years, and if you can’t find meaningful differences with all that data, maybe it’s because there aren’t any.

Maybe there would be even fewer injuries if we played baseball using a tennis ball instead.

How about that? (groan.) :-(

Barb, I’m considerably left of moderate liberal and I cannot for the life of me figure how this one got on the agenda of a city as screwed up as New York. Personally, I hate those metal bats but that is not a government issue save some overwhelming evidence of a safety issue. I played Little League baseball (many years ago) and I was a pitcher. I got nailed by hit balls several times. So what? Like 2% slower wouldn’t have hurt as much? This is just silly.

Let’s get real. It’s all about the “ping.”

The game is meant to be played with wood bats, its also meant to be played during the day, not under lights, but sun, and a strike is only a strike if the ball actually crosses the plate, not three inches off the corner, (yes, that means you too Greg Maddox and umpire Hirschbeck) and that plate, it was orginally made of metal, catchers should not wear masks, and players should not use gloves, and you get 8 strikes. Thats the way the game used to be played, and oh yeah, pitching inside was not such a big deal either. The game has evolved, metal bats are a part of that, they are cheaper for a team to buy because they don’t break, but they also take away the inside pitch because while a wood bat will frequently break when trying to hit an inside pitch, a metal one will not. Advantage hitter. Oh, and these metal bats are not made out of “metal” they are made out of space age alloys like scadnium and titanium, and yes the ball does go further. Those bats are lighter and generate higer bat speeds, which means more power, and more hits. Some leagues have 4 outfielders, some mandate a certain amount of women must play on the team, some outlaw bunting, some outlaw homeruns because the ball will fly into a river if it goes over the fence. Different leagues need different rules, and it should be the league who decides what rules should be in place. My guess though is that this judge is a former pitcher with a high E.R.A. who just hates batters. -Tostada

I read somewhere years that the aluminum bat manufacturers say they can make metal bats act like wooden bats by limiting the sweet spot. Perhaps they should do that.

The issue is about the fielders, particularly the pitcher, not the batters. We are not going to put pitchers in protective armor.

What should be done is this…the raising of the pitcher’s mound. It’s was lowered because it was thought that there wasn’t enough offense in bacseball games and pitchers’ ERAs were too low. So they lowered the mound to give the hitters a more level playing field.

Now it’s time to raise the mound again; give the pitchers a bit more of an advantage by letting them toe a higher rubber. That will help on injuries on baclls hit back up the middle.

The game is supposed to be played with wooden bats, Aluminum makes more kids hit better because they can swing faster.

Having worked in Sports TV for a time, I can Say the Majors would like to see them banned in college too. I was once told by a MLB Coach and Batting Coach it takes two seasons to retrain a guy that grew up on Aluminum to use a Wooden Bat. They suddenly find out how hard and far they can’t hit.

Why not just ban Baseball and play slowpitch softball. I can not believe the city of New York and this so called Federal Judge. Get Real.

Judge Koeltl (paraphrase): “We have no good evidence that metal bats pose a greater risk – and I admit it – but I’m going to continue the ban anyway because of the greater risk.”

How reassuring a man of such sound reasoning powers sits in a position where people count on his good judgment.

I am happy to see that the government is protecting the children in some way. Clearly the “war on drugs” and the “war on terror” are not taking up enough of their time. Because everyone knows that drugs and terror are only a slight edge to metal baseball bats.

What would we do without government?!

Wood bats break very inconveniently and have to be constantly replaced. There is no reason Little League or even High School ball can’t be played with a slightly softer ball that still “feels” and acts like a hardball for all intents and purposes. Youth programs for Little League age players are already using them. Adult softball leagues use balls of varying hardness based on what part of the country they are in. And the metal bats still go “ping”.

Tostada – Titanium is metal

For everyone else – I too played little league ball well into my teen years. Many of us were hit by batted balls but we all recovered. This ban surprised me even for “there is no such thing as too much government” New York. Of course they ignored the simple solution – that kids should keep their eyes and hands up to protect themselves and the coaches should make extra effort to teach this. And if your reaction times aren’t quick enough maybe you should take up golf.

Until you’ve been standing on the pitcher’s mound and seen a line drive up the middle heading for your head off of a metal bat your opinion is hard to take.

It may be my opinion but the metal bats seem to add speed to every ball hit and the bats seem much more forgiving to a batters swing. If these bats didn’t provide an advantage wouldn’t we have seen major leaguers using them by now?

I agree w/ first two comments…. we kids used metal 35-40 years ago… all of a sudden it’s unsafe?!!?!

Just read from the moron judge’s own declaration:

“While the record does not include clear empirical evidence showing that more serious injuries would occur without the ordinance…”

Next on their likely agenda will probably be nixing baseballs for softballs, or even nerfballs… and male bicycles for female-type(in case of sudden stop, feet slip off brakes, fanny off seat).

We as a country have lost most collective common sense in the name of safety & combatting narcos/pedos/terros….

There were no mettal/composition/spaceage bats when I played many years ago. If the wood bat broke we would fix it with nails, glue and or tape and just keep playing.

If little league doesnt ban the space age bats they will have to move their fences out another 200 feet.

P.S. I pitty the judge on the ruling because the first child to loose an eye to the splintering of the bat will win and win big!

The “ping” is classic of little league and high school base ball.

Jeez the government must be bored in the big apple!

Ed, we could put pitchers in armor, many little league pitchers already wear heart guards under their jersey, and catchers are covered in gear. As for the pitchers mound height, that was only in the majors, and we are talking about highschool ball and other leagues, so that argument really does not apply here, unless you are arguing that we raise the level of mounds in the highschool game even higher, which then of course will start an agrument about what to do then when the players hit college, or the minors, which have a different height mound, and they have to learn how to pitch all over again. Max and Tony, the judge was merely deferring to the legislature (I.E. the city) on this matter since he found no compelling evidence one way or the other to disturb what your elected officals voted for(assuming you live in NYC and not some other place) go read the actual decision for yourself. If you don’t like this rule, blame the elected officals and vote them out of office, turn it into a campaign issue, don’t blame or disrespect the judge because he respected the legislature’s decision when no one could offer him any compelling evidence not to. The city runs the department of education, they run the highschool leagues, and they set the rules, and that is proper. Do you complain about your softball league that allows four outfielders to play, or for that matter the existance of softabll in general, which 80% of the people who play it are not good enough to play hardball? No, you don’t. As fun as it is to talk about baseball, the fact that certain people are outraged over this, and are complaing about the government and judges is really sad, and reminds me of badly behaved parents at games running onto a field and getting in the umpires face. How dare you try to politicalize my religion. Learn some sportsmanship. John, you are right, hitters have to re-learn to hit using wood bats, and one of the things they find out, beside not being able to hit as far, is that they no longer own the inside of the plate, that advantage goes back to the pitcher cause if he tries to hit an inside fastball off the handle, his bat will shatter. -tostada

I think the judge should pay for all the new wood bats, and their frequent replacements. Absurd.

First, the new law only applies to public high schools, not all youth games city wide, as some comments infer. Second, I’m always amused by the “in my day we didn’t care about safety, so we still shouldn’t” grumps. Buddy, in your day they didn’t make high tech bats that allowed a 15 year old to hit the ball 400 feet! Those of us who coach youth sports don’t have the luxury of off-hand tough guy comments. Parents expect us to be as safe as possible.

Finally, you folks might be interested to know that at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, where dozens of MLB players learned the game (and where I coach 5-6 yr old baseball), leagues are moving to wood. Its not because of mandate, but because we believe wood is safer, we prefer the sound of a “crack” to a “ping,” and because we like the wood bat game better. Also, using wood bats is fairer to kids without means, as it ends the problem of rich kids showing up with their own personal $300 bats.

Just curious: Have any of the antis ever actually played or watched a HS or other youth baseball game in NYC, or do they even live here? Or do they live elsewhere and like griping about our gov’t on our local paper’s website?

“Let’s also enact a law to only allow bunts or check swings. That would reduce any risk of injury.”

Well that would be silly. But anyone who has ever pitched or played third base against metal bats – as I have and still do – knows that the ball comes off of the metal bat way harder and faster than a wood bat. There’s a reason golf drivers are all now metal instead of wood. So let’s not deny the truth of the matter.

Whether government should be involved or not is another story. As Little League games are played on public fields the city can potentially be sued in case of an injury. As to why the Little League is against it, the reason is obvious. Wooden bats cost more to replace than metal bats.

The only reason there are aluminum bat’s is they don’t break. I played little league baseball when I was a kid back in the 60’S & early 70’s. There were all kinds of different materials being used. There was one kid who had a bat made out of some kind of high density plastic. I never liked the aluminum bat’s didn’t like the way they felt when you hit a ball. The league provided bat’s for us but I always brought my own wood bat’s to the game. Call me old school but the game should be played with wood bat’s.

Thomas Paine must be rolling over in his grave (along with both Thoreau and Emerson).

Bring back the wooden bats and lets finally see who the real players are!! There is nothing better than the sound of a ball hitting the swet spot of the wooden bat. The only issue I see is the price for the teams and the individual players as the wooden bats will break easier. Give the schools more $$ for the wooden bats and let the good times role.

KJ, you are correct that titanium is a metal, however, when used in bats it is combined with other materails into a titanium alloy, and not pure titanium metal. -Tostada

What's Next

  • Account Profile
  • Newsletters

Today's Daily Herald ePaper

  • Today’s Stories
  • Entertainment
  • Classifieds

Suburban teen, coaches testify in Chicago hearing to ban metal bats

argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

First foie gras, now metal baseball bats.

Yet this time, the Chicago City Council might have a point in banning a widely accepted specialty product, as attested by a couple of Barrington residents who spoke at a public committee hearing downtown at City Hall Wednesday.

"I'm here to represent all the people who have been affected by metal bats," said Tony Russo, a 16-year-old sophomore at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein. "My face was shattered by a ball off a metal-alloy bat."

A slight teen with a classic pitcher's build, Russo had his nose and cheekbones broken by a line drive in a Barrington Youth Baseball game two years ago this spring. It's taken two rounds of plastic surgery to return him to good health. "I consider myself lucky to be able to stand before you and talk," he said.

He testified with calm composure before a joint hearing of the Education and Parks & Recreation committees, stating that to his mind there was a clear difference in the pace and force of a batted ball off a metal bat compared with a traditional wooden bat, and that even with restrictions on how juiced those bats can be, there is no enforcement to keep dangerous bats out of games.

"Please, please pass this ordinance," he said, "so we can return to baseball the way it was meant to be played."

He and other supporters of the ban clearly hoped that a Chicago ban could lead to an expanded movement affecting other communities. Chicago's proposed ordinance, sponsored by Alderman Robert Fioretti, is modeled on a New York City ban on the use of metal bats in high-school games - passed two years ago and which went into effect last year after surviving a court challenge - but would extend it to all competitive games of organized baseball within the city limits for players age 8 to 18.

Barrington's Marc Brignola, director of the Sports Academy-Northwest and its Student Athlete Foundation in Buffalo Grove, also testified in support of the ban. "My belief is today's metal-composite bats are simply wood bats on steroids," he said. "They have no other purpose than to help young players add bat speed and power to their hits. From what I have seen as a coach and baseball director, like steroids, the performance-enhancing characteristics are similar with today's metal bats.

"I applaud you all for taking this proposal seriously," he added. "You have the unique opportunity to lead by example. Your decision has the potential to accelerate the debate and encourage more communities and leagues to take the bold move to take a stand against performance-enhancing equipment and return youth baseball to better days."

Yet it's no cut-and-dried, one, two, three strikes you're out debate, as supporters of metal bats - a group Fioretti dismissed as "the metal-bat cartel" - testified there is no hard data showing that metal bats are more dangerous than wooden bats. The supporters ranged from sporting-goods companies to Little League International President and CEO Stephen Keener, who said legislators should not be swayed by "emotional" and "anecdotal" information. Chicago Public Schools Director of Sports Administration Calvin Davis added that the cost of replacing wooden bats would be four times what schools pay for metal bats.

"It would cause a hardship on our already resource-challenged schools," he said.

Palatine's Jerry Balcer, brother of Chicago Alderman James Balcer, also testified on the lack of statistical proof. "I at one time actually supported banning metal bats," he said.

Yet his own examination of studies on the Internet, and experiments having his travel team for 14-year-olds play with wooden bats, made him question it.

"We saw that there was no difference between the exiting speed," he said. "Everything I looked at, every study, completely switched my way of thinking."

The joint committee couldn't arrive at a conclusion whether to kill the measure or pass it on to the city council, and the ordinance was tabled for more study. Yet those in favor of the ordinance were clearly hoping that Chicago joins New York City in starting a nationwide movement to ban metal bats. Russo said there has been no formal measure proposed in Barrington, but that the Pony League-level division he played in for young teens now uses wooden bats.

"If Chicago were to pass this, it would make it easier for other villages around Chicago to do the exact same," Russo said afterward. "I wanted to let my story be known, especially in front of all the aldermen, so they'd take it into consideration in voting. It's been very important to me, and it was quite an ordeal, so I would really feel better if nobody ever had to go through that again."

Russo also handled the media scrutiny like a big-leaguer.

Asked if he'd attempted a pitching comeback, he said, "I tried it again, but it was different. You kind of relive it when you get back on the mound."

He quit playing soon into a fall league just over a year ago. One tactful TV reporter asked if it was like post-traumatic stress disorder.

"It wasn't that debilitating," Russo said with a smile. "At this point, I know the risks, and having that knowledge changes it."

argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=9&type=video&item=50">Aluminum bats vs. wood bats</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>

  • Daily Herald Events
  • Daily Herald Media Group News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Advertising/Marketing
  • Jobs at Paddock Publications
  • Share Article or Event
  • About our Ads
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Business Directory
  • Email Newsletters

The Baseball Lifestyle

Home » Why are Metal Bats Banned in MLB?

Why are Metal Bats Banned in MLB?

Major League Baseball (MLB) is considered one of the most popular sports leagues in the world. It is also known for its stringent rules and regulations, especially when it comes to safety. One of the most important safety regulations in MLB is the ban on metal bats. In this article, we will explore why metal bats are banned in MLB, the potential dangers associated with them, and the controversy surrounding their use.

What is a Metal Bat?

A metal bat is a type of baseball bat that is made from an aluminum alloy, or sometimes a combination of aluminum and titanium. These bats are designed to be lighter than traditional wooden bats, and they can create a trampoline effect when the ball is hit, resulting in a ball that travels farther and faster than it would with a wooden bat.

Metal bats are banned in MLB for a number of reasons, the most important of which is safety. MLB has found that metal bats can cause significantly more injury than wooden bats due to their increased speed and distance when hitting a ball. This can cause severe injuries to pitchers and other players on the field, and it can even result in death in extreme cases.

Additionally, MLB has found that metal bats are more likely to break and cause shrapnel-like objects to fly off the bat, endangering players and spectators. And finally, metal bats can produce a much louder noise than wooden bats, which can be disruptive to the game.

Potential Dangers of Metal Bats

There are a number of potential dangers associated with metal bats. The most serious of these is the increased speed and distance that the ball travels when it is hit with a metal bat. This can cause serious injuries to pitchers, as the ball can travel at speeds of up to 100 mph or more. It can also result in intense concussions, broken bones, and even death.

In addition, metal bats are more likely to break than wooden bats. This can result in shrapnel-like objects flying off the bat, which can cause serious injury and even death. And finally, metal bats produce a louder noise than wooden bats, which can be disruptive to the game.

Controversy Surrounding the Ban on Metal Bats

The ban on metal bats in MLB has been a source of controversy for some time, with many arguing that it is unfair to players who use metal bats. Proponents of metal bats argue that they are essential for players who rely on the extra speed and distance that metal bats provide. They also argue that metal bats are safer than wooden bats, as they are less likely to break and cause shrapnel-like objects to fly off the bat.

However, MLB has held firm to its position that metal bats are too dangerous, and that the potential risks associated with them outweigh any potential benefits.

As we can see, metal bats are banned in MLB for a number of reasons, the most important of which is safety. Metal bats can cause significantly more injury than wooden bats, due to their increased speed and distance when hitting a ball, and they are more likely to break and cause shrapnel-like objects to fly off the bat. Furthermore, metal bats produce a much louder noise than wooden bats, which can be disruptive to the game. Despite the controversy surrounding the ban on metal bats, MLB has held firm to its position that metal bats are too dangerous, and that the potential risks associated with them outweigh any potential benefits.

IMAGES

  1. Should Metal Bats be Banned in Youth Baseball

    argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

  2. PPT

    argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

  3. Why Are Metal Bats Banned in MLB?

    argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

  4. The Reason Why Aluminum Bats Aren't Allowed in MLB

    argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

  5. Wooden Bats versus Metal Bats in Baseball Essay

    argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

  6. Metal Bats Banned In Prep Baseball?

    argument essay example should metal bats be banned in youth baseball

VIDEO

  1. That's why they don't allow metal bats in MLB 🥶🥶🥶

  2. Why can't they use aluminum bats in professional baseball leagues?

  3. Warstic BBCOR Metal Baseball Bat Lineup

  4. Little Book of Baseball Law

  5. BANNED Accessories In The MLB

  6. Metal Bat vs Garou Animation (STICK Nodes)

COMMENTS

  1. Argumentative essay writing guide

    Metal bats are dangerous and should be banned by youth sport leagues for ####### several reasons. ####### Baseballs hit with metal bats travel at a higher rate of speed than those hit with wooden bats. ####### Researcher J. Crisco studied aluminum bats and found that they produced a "trampoline" effect, which

  2. PDF Argumentative Essay Writing A Step-by-Step Guide

    Should Metal Bats be Banned in Youth Baseball? On March 11, 2010, a high school pitcher in California was facing a player using a metal bat, when he was hit in the temple by a line drive traveling 100 mph. His skull was crushed, and he spent weeks in a coma. Fortunately, after surgery and months of rehabilitation, he survived.

  3. The Reason Why Aluminum Bats Aren't Allowed in MLB

    Both the major and minor leagues have banned the metal bat because of the skill level of their participants. Thanks to the "trampoline effect," a metal bat will have a slight give when...

  4. Take Me out on a Stretcher: The Dangers of Aluminum Bats in Baseball

    "With the rate of colleges cutting (baseball) programs around the country, I think college baseball really has no choice but to stick with aluminum bats," said former Moraine Valley head...

  5. Metal Bats Are an Issue of Life and Death

    In Trenton, Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., a Democrat from Middlesex County, introduced a bill last month to prohibit the use of metal bats in youth and high school baseball leagues....

  6. For young players, light bats don't hit too fast

    The use of non-wood bats in youth baseball has spurred decades of controversy about whether they propel the ball too fast, in part because of their higher bat-to-ball energy transfer — the "trampoline effect." A study at Brown University finds that in some cases non-wood bats do not hit the ball any faster. In the hands of young teen players, for example, lighter non-wood bats hit the ...

  7. PDF Fear Drives Non-wood Baseball Bat Controversy

    Co. (H&B), alleging metal baseball bats are inherently unsafe for youth games because the ball comes off them faster than from wooden bats. According to the AP report, in June 2006, Steven Domalewski, age 12, was pitching in a youth baseball game in Wayne, New Jersey when he was struck in the chest by a line drive hit off a bat manufactured by H&B.

  8. PPT Argumentative Essay

    Metal bats are dangerous and should be banned by youth sport leagues for several reasons Concluding paragraph: Find the restated thesis statement and challenge/benefit to the reader Metal bats endanger the lives of young baseball players. First they make the baseball travel at high rates of speed making it difficult to catch.

  9. Bill to Ban Use of Metal Bats By Youths Is Hotly Debated

    Jack MacKay, a former metal bat engineer for Hillerich & Bradsby, which makes Louisville Slugger bats, told the committee that the metal bats had maximum exit velocities well beyond that...

  10. New Steps Aim to Ease Sting of Metal Baseball Bats

    Stephen D. Keener, president of Little League Baseball since 1994, said the ease of swinging metal bats, which are lighter than wood models, encourages participation in youth baseball,...

  11. Editorial: Crack down on kids' metal baseball bats

    Every parent of a young baseball pitcher knows the fear. A line drive explodes off a metal bat back toward the mound. With a fraction of a second to react, the pitcher either tries to catch the ...

  12. USSSA Baseball Bat Standard

    The USSSA Baseball Bat standards have not changed since 2005. They continue to require a 1.15 BPF certified thumbprint stamp of approval on the taper of all eligible bats. There can be exceptions that we will touch on, however as a general rule-of-thumb if you are allowed to use a USSSA bat - use it. A change did occur on January 1, 2018, with ...

  13. Ball Field Injury Spurs Push to Limit Metal Bats in New Jersey

    The bill would ban metal, titanium and composite bats from league baseball and softball games played by children 17 and younger, including those on high school teams.

  14. Are metal baseball bats just too dangerous?

    Adding to the debate over metal baseball bats vs. wood bats, a lawmaker in northern California is proposing a bill that would impose a three-year moratorium on the use of metal or composite basebal…

  15. As Laws Change, So Does the Baseball Bat

    (New York City banned metal bats in April, and at least three states are considering such moves. Separately, the North Dakota High School Activities Association decided two years ago to change to ...

  16. Metal Bats in MLB: Permissible Materials?

    In the elite echelons of baseball, particularly within Major League Baseball (MLB), a distinctive feature sets it apart from other levels of the sport: the exclusive use of wooden bats. This rule ...

  17. New York City May Ban Metal Bats

    March 13, 2007 / 10:44 AM EDT / CBS/AP New York's City Council is considering a ban on metal bats, with former New York Mets reliever John Franco testifying in support of the proposal. Franco...

  18. Judge Silences the 'Ping,' Upholding a Ban on Metal Bats

    Updated, 4:47 p.m. | A federal judge today upheld a new city law that bans the use of metal bats in high school baseball games, clearing the way for the law to take effect on Saturday. According to The Associated Press, the judge, John G. Koeltl, of United States District Court in Manhattan, said the new law — enacted in April over the objections of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg — represents ...

  19. Pa. pol: Ban aluminum bats in youth baseball games

    Aluminum bats would be banned from youth baseball games under a proposal by a Pennsylvania lawmaker who contends such a move would make the sport safer. Skip to content. Thursday, July 27, 2023. Today's Paper.

  20. Wood or Metal? Pick Your Bat

    One of the more unusual proposals in the Pennsylvania legislature is a bill that would ban the use of metal bats in youth baseball and softball, in other words, from high school on down. Skip to content. Sunday, October 29, 2023. Today's Paper.

  21. Suburban teen, coaches testify in Chicago hearing to ban metal bats

    Chicago's proposed ordinance, sponsored by Alderman Robert Fioretti, is modeled on a New York City ban on the use of metal bats in high-school games - passed two years ago and which went into ...

  22. Why are Metal Bats Banned in MLB?

    1. What is a Metal Bat? 2. Why are Metal Bats Banned in MLB? 3. Potential Dangers of Metal Bats 4. Controversy Surrounding the Ban on Metal Bats 5. Conclusion What is a Metal Bat? A metal bat is a type of baseball bat that is made from an aluminum alloy, or sometimes a combination of aluminum and titanium.

  23. NYC council considering ban on metal bats for HS varsity baseball

    New York (AP) -- City Councilmembers on Monday called for a ban on metal baseball bats in high schools during a hearing that featured emotional testimony from the family of a Montana teenager who was killed in 2003 after getting hit by a ball ricocheting off an aluminum bat.