Bat Legality question

[SoCal_Dad]

The bat must have the 2000 ASA Certification Mark or the 2004 ASA Certification Mark. It must say "OFFICIAL SOFTBALL." If it has a 2013 ASA Certification Mark, it is illegal.

ASA rules changed for 2014 - bats no longer have to say "OFFICIAL SOFTBALL" and 2013 Cert marked bat are legal for Men's FP, Boy's FP and Men's MP. See http://downloads.asasoftball.com/about/pdf/2014 Playing Rule Changes with Comments.pdf.

 

[DiamondDad316]

Where can we find the 2016 list of approved bats for high school?

 

[MTR]

Where can we find the 2016 list of approved bats for high school?

There is no real "approved" list. If the bat has the appropriate certification stamp and is not on the "non-approved" list, it is good to go for NFHS and same as ASA:

ASA Certified Equipment

 

[Umpire]

Yes, I do believe that to be correct, with regard to eliminating "Official Softball" as a requirement.

 

[Longshot]

The bat must have the 2000 ASA Certification Mark or the 2004 ASA Certification Mark. It must say "OFFICIAL SOFTBALL." If it has a 2013 ASA Certification Mark, it is illegal.

Seems odd that the 2000 and 2004 ASA Certification marks would be legal but the more recent 2013 would be illegal. Why is that? I have done some searching but I can't find a good explanation on why this is the case. I did find this document which kind of says the 2013 mark will be for slowpitch only but isn't that the same as saying new slowpitch bats are not legal for use in fastpitch?

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...XDxiXEEsjtrimHxRw&sig2=b5yMPIp_Kp5WdZMKnT5q6Q

 

[DiamondDad316]

There is no real "approved" list. If the bat has the appropriate certification stamp and is not on the "non-approved" list, it is good to go for NFHS and same as ASA:

ASA Certified Equipment

Thanks that's what I was thinking. My DD wants to use her CF3 during high school, when the weather is cooler (just got a new CF8 Insane). There are a couple players on the team who also have CF3's so the parents were asking as well. Will pass along the information. Thanks.

 

[Comocoach]

Seems odd that the 2000 and 2004 ASA Certification marks would be legal but the more recent 2013 would be illegal. Why is that? I have done some searching but I can't find a good explanation on why this is the case. I did find this document which kind of says the 2013 mark will be for slowpitch only but isn't that the same as saying new slowpitch bats are not legal for use in fastpitch?

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...XDxiXEEsjtrimHxRw&sig2=b5yMPIp_Kp5WdZMKnT5q6Q

Bats with the 2013 ASA stamp are designed and tested for use with the 52/300 ball.

 

[Ajaywill]

Seems odd that the 2000 and 2004 ASA Certification marks would be legal but the more recent 2013 would be illegal. Why is that? I have done some searching but I can't find a good explanation on why this is the case. I did find this document which kind of says the 2013 mark will be for slowpitch only but isn't that the same as saying new slowpitch bats are not legal for use in fastpitch?

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...XDxiXEEsjtrimHxRw&sig2=b5yMPIp_Kp5WdZMKnT5q6Q

The ASA standard for a bat is an "exit speed" of the ball off of the bat of no more than 98 mph. This was measured using a calculation that took into account several factors, one of which was the average swing speed of the batter. After several studies and measurements done in the slow pitch game up to 2012, it was determined that the number that was being used for average swing speed was not accurate. At that point ASA revised the average swing speed number in the calculation and this change allowed several bat models that would not previously have met the 98 mph exit speed threshold to now meet that number. These bats were then labeled with the 2013 stamp and legal in the slow pitch game only. The following year these same swing speed studies were conducted in the Men's and Boy's fast pitch game and the delivered similar results. So the bats with the 2013 stamp were legalized for Men's and Boy's FP.

I had heard that there were to be similar studies done in the Women's and Girls FP game, but to date, there have been no results released if these studies have even been done.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

Thanks AJ for the explanation and update on the female FP study results (or lack thereof). Was/is there any basis for settling on 98 mph as the exit speed limit?

Is there really a need for a hotter bat?

 

[MTR]

Thanks AJ for the explanation and update on the female FP study results (or lack thereof). Was/is there any basis for settling on 98 mph as the exit speed limit?

Is there really a need for a hotter bat?

It's been 98 mph for a dozen years. If I remember correctly, 85 was the original published speed, but they realized there was a miscalculation of a formula which was corrected to 98. Not sure exactly where that number originated. Remember, 98 is the maximum a bat is allowed. Odds are most people have never seen a batted ball travel that speed. Many will swear they have, but they were just balls travelling faster than others. Even in the testing, the maximum speed was 83 and that was SP.

They have done studies with FP, SP & MP. View here