So how long until someone figures out that CF9s are no longer tested and shaves them?
PGF pulls all cf9's from tourney in CA
- Thread starter 4 girl's dad
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So how long until someone figures out that CF9s are no longer tested and shaves them?
I'll take one... 24/33 -11... $29.99
- Apr 8, 2013
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Ran into someone last night at a workout and their DDs CF8 failed testing at PGF last week. When they went to pick it up at the end of the tournament a Demarini rep was there and gave them a brand new CF9 for their troubles. Apparently Demarini did the same for lots and lots of girls.
He was frustrated with getting the bat tossed, and blamed both PGF and Demarini. On his team he said they had some CF9s pass, some CF8s pass, and some CF9s and CF8s fail, probably 60% fail rate for CF8 and CF9. There didn't seem to be any reasoning behind it. He saw one team get over 3/4ths of their bats taken. His take was that Demarini had issues with bats failing last year at ASA nationals and they should have been working with PGF prior to nationals to either get the right testing equipment and/or the right training. He also said that when he was talking to a PGF rep they said if the machine says you fail, you fail, but then Demarini came in and got an exemption to put all the failed CF9s back in play, but not the CF8s.
All second hand info, but he had the new CF9 there last night and said several girls on his team got free bats.
He was frustrated with getting the bat tossed, and blamed both PGF and Demarini. On his team he said they had some CF9s pass, some CF8s pass, and some CF9s and CF8s fail, probably 60% fail rate for CF8 and CF9. There didn't seem to be any reasoning behind it. He saw one team get over 3/4ths of their bats taken. His take was that Demarini had issues with bats failing last year at ASA nationals and they should have been working with PGF prior to nationals to either get the right testing equipment and/or the right training. He also said that when he was talking to a PGF rep they said if the machine says you fail, you fail, but then Demarini came in and got an exemption to put all the failed CF9s back in play, but not the CF8s.
All second hand info, but he had the new CF9 there last night and said several girls on his team got free bats.
We just arrived home from ASA Eastern Nationals in VA. When our team went through bat inspection, there was a bit of a buzz in the building. Demarini's were failing the compression test. Turned out it was only -11's. I believe they had failed around a dozen bats at that point in the day. DD's cf8 and cf7, -10s, both passed easily. A teammates cf8 -11 failed. Kid was in tears (not uncommon for her). Her father went over to the bat vendor and bought a cf9, -11, took it out of the wrapper and it failed too! I'm not sure how many parents bought new bats that day. Two mornings later(first day of bracket play) the tournament director sent out an email saying that the testing device had not been calibrated properly and that they would re-check the failed bats. DD's teammate's bat passed. Most likely there were a few parents angry about the unplanned and unnecessary purchase of new bats.
I'm kind of in the boat that it's the sanctioning bodies AND the manufacturers at fault here. The manufacturer should be in contact with the sanctioning bodies about their bats and compression testing and the sanctioning bodies to also be aware of bat differences during testing.
- Apr 8, 2013
- 192
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If I'm Demarini I am meeting with the sanctioning bodies at least a month or two in advance of any testing they are planning on doing, and bringing a wide assortment of bats for them to test so I can see what testing equipment and process they use and how trained the people are. Then I am offering to "sponsor" them if need be to pay for proper testing equipment and training.
My concern about the waiver given at PGF, or "re-calibration" at ASA is that someone could slip a shaved bat in there and who knows if it would ever be found out.
EDIT - I will say though that Demarini giving out free bats to those affected at PGF was excellent customer service on their part. Saw a friend post on FB today that his DD got a freebie for her CF8 failing. She's on cloud 9.
