ASA Rule 3-1D

[SBFAMILY]

My fellow coach is a lawyer and this rule is causing some good and interesting conversations in the softball world. Since the local ASA commissioner lives by me I have contacted him to get this advice. Just getting feedback on others opinion of this rule.

1. What is safety tape. Googling it was very interesting.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It is very common in slow pitch for the knob to be taped. I don't think that they really care what type of sports tape that you use, but I use a Tater Grip and I think that men are covering the grip with that, too.

When re-selling the bat, the slow pitch guys do not like for the knob to be all dinged up.

 

[redhotcoach]

Kind of same subject: we play almost exclusively usssa. We played an Asa tourney and umpire made Player take off the shock absorber thing the covers the bat knob. They said " to have that on there it needs to be " safety taped" on.". No big deal, just never been told that before.
Also compared to all the other tourneys, Asa was like going through airport security. No problem with that just an observation. One piece of advice to coaches that don't do many Asa, bring a screwdriver! The umps at every game yanked back and forth on every helmet face guard, if they could get a mm of movement it had to be tightened, or the helmet thrown out.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Thanks Amy. My problem is more of what is safety tape. Many different ideas out there. So does the ASA consider Tater Grip safety tape? I found even Velcro listed as safety tape when you google the term. The term can be used in different ways the bathroom shower floor tape is considered safety tape and I wouldn't put that on a bat. Could you use plain white athletic tape to hold a device on your bat as this rule implies? A Lawyer friend is having a field day with the way this is written.

 

[GI Tom]

Pffft. Lawyers have a field day with the way ANYTHING is written if they didn't wordsmith it and over-lawyer it themselves. I have a great amount of experience in that area listening to that all the time from our in-house counsel and telling him as much. I work in Commercial Finance and it happens daily.

The only issue I have with your post is that your source is outdated rule changes. In the 2011 rulebook, they changed some things and this rule was one of those changes.

Rule 3-1(D) now reads as follows:

"Safety Grip: The Safety Grip can be made of cork, tape or other synthetic material and must be permanently attached and cover the handle region of the bat. No bare metal may be exposed in the area covered by the safety grip. It shall not be less than 10 inches and not more than 15 inches. Any attachment such as a molded finger grip, flare cone, or choke-up device must be attached to the grip with safety tape. Resin, pine tar, or spray substances are permissible on the safety grip only." Page 38-39

It still doesn't address your question about what is the definition of safety tape (I agree with Amy's assessment that it probably doesn't matter), but I wanted you to at least provide your lawyer friend with the corrected rule language as of this year so he can have a field day with the right rule language. Heh.

 

[MTR]

Safety tape is tape applied to the bat for the purpose of of making it "safer" by allowing the player to keep a grip on the bat. It is whatever ASA says it is and AFA they are concerned it is any type of tape that does not have a slick, plastic-type coating (i.e., smooth electrical tape).

Hey, you asked.

 

[SBFAMILY]

I do have a ASA 2011 rule book. So if a device is attached to a bat let's say with velcro and will not come off or move during the use would that cover the ASA rule. Just as info I sent an e mail to the ASA to clarify the rule on what is considered attached to the bat and what tape is covered.

 

[starsnuffer]

I do have a ASA 2011 rule book. So if a device is attached to a bat let's say with velcro and will not come off or move during the use would that cover the ASA rule. Just as info I sent an e mail to the ASA to clarify the rule on what is considered attached to the bat and what tape is covered.

No. You have to tape OVER the device. You can't just velcro a bat jack on a bat and say it's legal. If you wanted to use velcro (which would probably get in you in trouble with some umps), then you have to use it like tape and put it over the device, which defeats the purpose of velcro, really.

-W

 

[SBFAMILY]

OK, We have played in 3 ASA qualifiers. Went though numerous bat inspections and none have told use to tape the bat jack. One umpire read the 2011 rule book with us looked at it and said OK. So I guess they are a little confused along with many of us. Plus what is kind of funny, velcro is listed as safety tape when you goggle it. But I do have tape just in case. If anyone does tape the device, make sure you move it after each use. Otherwise you will ruin your bat hitting the same spot and void the warranty. Jim still has a very good device , no matter how you end up using it. I have tested more devices than I can think of and I put this at the top of the list.

 

[MTR]

WTF is a bat jack?