RockeTech Innards
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Evidently I was wrong to speculate that the cap was non-replaceable. I followed Greenmonsters' advice and called Anderson, and was quickly given an RA number, no questions asked. The bat came back to me today with a new cap installed, along with a new grip wrap (which I never asked for). With this kind of customer service (on top of having great products), I can completely understand why Anderson has such a loyal following.
Congrats on the good fortune. Sounds like an excellent company to do business with.
DD started playing again this spring after sitting out last summer and fall due to ACL surgery. She still loves her Rocketech, but something weird happened today during the pre-game equipment inspection that puzzled both of us. One of the umpires (big stocky guy) grabbed the handle of the Rocketech with one hand, and the barrel sleeve with the other, then proceeded to turn the sleeve against the inner barrel using a twisting motion. He declared the bat illegal, and DD had to make do with her spare bat the rest of the day.
I've actually never noticed this issue before, because the barrel sleeve isn't loose at all - One has to use quite a bit of force to achieve this feat (or have naturally heavy hands). I don't recall seeing any other equipment inspector doing something remotely similar.
Has anyone here encountered this issue with their Rocketechs? Is it normal for equipment inspectors to run this test? I know that bats aren't supposed to have cracks or loose bits hanging off of them, but as far as I can tell, nothing is actually broken or loose on this Rocketech; the inner barrel and outer barrel sleeve are separate by design, so a tiny amount of play (not at all noticeable unless one forces the issue) between the two components seems inevitable.
Or am I miss something here?
I've actually never noticed this issue before, because the barrel sleeve isn't loose at all - One has to use quite a bit of force to achieve this feat (or have naturally heavy hands). I don't recall seeing any other equipment inspector doing something remotely similar.
Has anyone here encountered this issue with their Rocketechs? Is it normal for equipment inspectors to run this test? I know that bats aren't supposed to have cracks or loose bits hanging off of them, but as far as I can tell, nothing is actually broken or loose on this Rocketech; the inner barrel and outer barrel sleeve are separate by design, so a tiny amount of play (not at all noticeable unless one forces the issue) between the two components seems inevitable.
Or am I miss something here?
- Jul 26, 2010
- 3,553
- 0
Never heard of that particular test, but it's up to the umpires digression. Between listening to Xeno's when you shake them, to squeezing eastons like cantelope at the supermarket, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a blue out there licking bats and announcing, "It tastes dirty, I'm pulling it".
-W
-W
redhotcoach
Out on good behavior
- May 8, 2009
- 4,698
- 38
ASA umpire I would bet.
- Oct 14, 2008
- 665
- 16
DD started playing again this spring after sitting out last summer and fall due to ACL surgery. She still loves her Rocketech, but something weird happened today during the pre-game equipment inspection that puzzled both of us. One of the umpires (big stocky guy) grabbed the handle of the Rocketech with one hand, and the barrel sleeve with the other, then proceeded to turn the sleeve against the inner barrel using a twisting motion. He declared the bat illegal, and DD had to make do with her spare bat the rest of the day.
I've actually never noticed this issue before, because the barrel sleeve isn't loose at all - One has to use quite a bit of force to achieve this feat (or have naturally heavy hands). I don't recall seeing any other equipment inspector doing something remotely similar.
Has anyone here encountered this issue with their Rocketechs? Is it normal for equipment inspectors to run this test? I know that bats aren't supposed to have cracks or loose bits hanging off of them, but as far as I can tell, nothing is actually broken or loose on this Rocketech; the inner barrel and outer barrel sleeve are separate by design, so a tiny amount of play (not at all noticeable unless one forces the issue) between the two components seems inevitable.
Or am I miss something here?
Yes they will twist, tap and run their hands up and down the barrel looking for dents and waves. The outer sleeve should not move at all when twisted. If it does then if its a new bat under warranty send it back. If not new dont sweat it that kind of inspection may never happen again.
Tim
Thanks for the input, everyone!
Yes, it was an ASA umpire.
I don't have the arm strength to tear a phone book in half, but I'm no wimp either. After seeing what that big guy did, I tried the same thing myself - I was in fact able to turn the barrel sleeve, but the amount of torque required is akin to that of re-opening a spaghetti sauce jar that had been 'lost' in the fridge for six months. This hardly qualifies it as a "loose part" in my book.
I should clarify that when I wrote that the umpire "grabbed the handle with one hand", I meant that he grabbed the handle-end of the barrel just beyond the barrel sleeve. It's only when you place your hands close together right at the barrel sleeve joint that you can generate enough torque to turn the sleeve.
As near as I can tell, the barrel sleeve is press-fitted over the inner barrel, then crimped at the cap end to keep it from sliding up and down the inner barrel (the cap itself is attached to the inner barrel, as it does not move when the sleeve is turned). There is no sign of riveting, pinning, welding or other forms of permanent bonding between the two barrel walls. And since the inner barrel has a corrugated wall, the surface area that's actually in contact between the inner and outer walls is likely only a fraction of the total area covered by the barrel sleeve (i.e., only the very top of the "arches" from the inner barrel is in contact with the barrel sleeve). I am willing to bet body parts that the RT barrel sleeve is significantly "easier" to turn using this inspection technique than similarly constructed bats with a smooth walled inner barrel, because less contact = lower friction. And if the barrel sleeve is kept in place by friction only, which it appears to be, then the arm strength of the inspector is a major contributing factor in determining the test outcome (what is "permanently attached" to Pee-wee Herman may very well seem "loosely joined" to the Terminator); this is just recipe for inconsistent ruling!
Not that inconsistent ruling is unknown to this game or anything ...
However, I can also see how average-sized umpires probably wouldn't fail this bat very often if they were to perform this test, so DD will continue to bring it to the field until the sleeve starts to spin around like a Tibetan prayer wheel...
Yes, it was an ASA umpire.
I don't have the arm strength to tear a phone book in half, but I'm no wimp either. After seeing what that big guy did, I tried the same thing myself - I was in fact able to turn the barrel sleeve, but the amount of torque required is akin to that of re-opening a spaghetti sauce jar that had been 'lost' in the fridge for six months. This hardly qualifies it as a "loose part" in my book.
I should clarify that when I wrote that the umpire "grabbed the handle with one hand", I meant that he grabbed the handle-end of the barrel just beyond the barrel sleeve. It's only when you place your hands close together right at the barrel sleeve joint that you can generate enough torque to turn the sleeve.
As near as I can tell, the barrel sleeve is press-fitted over the inner barrel, then crimped at the cap end to keep it from sliding up and down the inner barrel (the cap itself is attached to the inner barrel, as it does not move when the sleeve is turned). There is no sign of riveting, pinning, welding or other forms of permanent bonding between the two barrel walls. And since the inner barrel has a corrugated wall, the surface area that's actually in contact between the inner and outer walls is likely only a fraction of the total area covered by the barrel sleeve (i.e., only the very top of the "arches" from the inner barrel is in contact with the barrel sleeve). I am willing to bet body parts that the RT barrel sleeve is significantly "easier" to turn using this inspection technique than similarly constructed bats with a smooth walled inner barrel, because less contact = lower friction. And if the barrel sleeve is kept in place by friction only, which it appears to be, then the arm strength of the inspector is a major contributing factor in determining the test outcome (what is "permanently attached" to Pee-wee Herman may very well seem "loosely joined" to the Terminator); this is just recipe for inconsistent ruling!
Not that inconsistent ruling is unknown to this game or anything ...
However, I can also see how average-sized umpires probably wouldn't fail this bat very often if they were to perform this test, so DD will continue to bring it to the field until the sleeve starts to spin around like a Tibetan prayer wheel...
redhotcoach
Out on good behavior
- May 8, 2009
- 4,698
- 38
It was probably fine until he cranked on it. They seem to have a thing for helmet cages, twist, smash, and pull looking for that 1 mm of play.
- Oct 14, 2008
- 665
- 16
The older models that had the rivets in the head and not the bullet proof cap were much easier to turn. But in all the years my dd used the R/T since 2003 I saw maybe 3 blues do that. one of those was the same ump that watched me beat the pin back in on a fence post during warm ups lol, And he never said a word about that so you just never know.
Tim
Tim
