Illegal Bat Issue Observed at a Tourney

[2br02b]

Just got an email today from USSSA - stepping into the box with an ASA Ghost will get both player and coach ejected. No warnings.

COURTESY REMINDER: If a player steps into the batter’s box with a bat with no USSSA thumbprint, it is immediate ejection of the coach AND player. No warnings, no exceptions.


Teams coming off of high school seasons, please take note.
NOTE: the EASTON GHOST bat with BLUE GRAPHICS is not allowed in USSSA. This bat makes up 95% of current infractions of this rule. Coaches are responsible to check bats and make sure no bat is in the dugout without the USSSA thumbprint.
The Easton Ghost bat with GOLD GRAPHICS is allowed in USSSA as long as it has the USSSA thumbprint.

 

[marriard]

Marriard- If coach and player are ejected. How would that affect the line up?

If the team is batting the roster, would the batting order be compressed, as if an injury occurred?

If the team is batting a lineup, can the team insert a substitute (if available) to the line up or do they take an out every time that players spot comes up to bat?

If you have an available substitute you can sub them into the spot of the ejected player. If you don't, you are going to have to take the out every time that spot comes up to bat.

There is no rule that compresses the batting order for injury. If there is no sub available, when that spot comes up to bat, it is an out.
Often in pool games this may be overlooked by many people where they allow a Roster Batting order, but it is the actual rule and a risk you take for batting everyone.

You can replace an runner injured while running the bases with another player if no sub is available (USSSA/NFHS and most rule sets) but that doesn't compress the batting order. Still an out if no one available to legally take the spot.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Marriard- If coach and player are ejected. How would that affect the line up?

If the team is batting the roster, would the batting order be compressed, as if an injury occurred?

If the team is batting a lineup, can the team insert a substitute (if available) to the line up or do they take an out every time that players spot comes up to bat?

As always, it depends on your rule set.

In USA Softball ... if you have an eligible sub to replace the ejected player, you may do so. If you do NOT have an eligible sub (either you batted the roster or used all your subs), the game is forfeit.

Marriard’s citation of taking the out applies to injuries, not ejections. Any type of “compression” rules would be house rules, not official rules. I’ll have to check USSSA later to see if it is the same.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I worked a USA tournament Friday and Saturday where they are strict on equipment checks by the umpires.

In 8 games I snagged 15 illegal bats. Mainly dents and “wobblers” (you could feel the barrel flexing separate from the handle). One baseball bat. One USSSA Ghost. One cracked barrel.

 

[MTR]

I hope you all understand an illegal bat and non-approved bat are two different things with different penalties. Makes a big difference.

 

[MadBandit22]

In NFHS:
Rule 7-4-2 PENALTY:
When the illegal bat is an altered or unapproved bat the batter and head coach are also ejected

The USSSA Ghost is an unapproved bat. This is NFHS not USA, but that's how high school handles the issue.

Seems a little harsh to eject player & coach. I know it’s the rule but I would just call batter out and confiscate the bat until game is over. Problem solved.
This issue could have been avoided if Easton wasn’t so greedy and just made one bat that was good for all associations.

 

[MadBandit22]

I worked a USA tournament Friday and Saturday where they are strict on equipment checks by the umpires.

In 8 games I snagged 15 illegal bats. Mainly dents and “wobblers” (you could feel the barrel flexing separate from the handle). One baseball bat. One USSSA Ghost. One cracked barrel.

Baseball bat? That’s definitely an advantage with bigger barrel.

 

[MadBandit22]

ASA rules I guess.

They are strict.

Girls were hitting home runs and nesx time up the other team questioned the bat.

And tried to get the previous home run disallowed.

Our Coach Just didn't know that you can't use an USSSA Ghost bat in an ASA tournament.

Girl even asked Coach if it was okay to use the bat.......

(and we all know the golden ghost is colder than the blue ghost.)

But the penalty for that day was ejection of both player and Coach for the game.

If you want to send a message DQ team. That will make coaches very alert of what bats are being used.

 

[MadBandit22]

I hope you all understand an illegal bat and non-approved bat are two different things with different penalties. Makes a big difference.

Of course illegal has to be altered in some way. Shaved, rolled, corked etc....

 

[softgabby]

I worked a USA tournament Friday and Saturday where they are strict on equipment checks by the umpires.

In 8 games I snagged 15 illegal bats. Mainly dents and “wobblers” (you could feel the barrel flexing separate from the handle). One baseball bat. One USSSA Ghost. One cracked barrel.

Last travel season, I was told I had an illegal bat in my bag. It was an old DeMarini that I had used for the purposes of batting practice as I never used the bat in-game any more. When I was taking batting practice, I cracked the bat. I knew I couldn't use the bat and just had it sitting in the bag from the day before as I was going to take it out that evening before everything got hectic at the house before the tournament. I never removed the bat from my bag and I showed up at the tournament with the bat. When the umpires came around checking every bat in everyone's bag because they didn't know what bat we would be using, discovered my broken, therefore, illegal bat. I was just told not to use it or my Easton Ghost and I'd be okay. I never used it and it never became an issue.