rolled bats??

[redhotcoach]

I do think that there should be regulations on bat construction, what you do with it after you buy it shouldn't matter as long as you are not changing construction of the bat. After my dd got a new combat virus, I took it and hit about 200 baseball at 80mph out of a machine to break it in. What's the dif?

 

[RobD]

I do think that there should be regulations on bat construction, what you do with it after you buy it shouldn't matter as long as you are not changing construction of the bat. After my dd got a new combat virus, I took it and hit about 200 baseball at 80mph out of a machine to break it in. What's the dif?

There is no difference between breaking a bat in by hitting softballs and rolling it. Legal or illegal, it does the same thing to the bat. With bats prior to 2009, they would have a very hard time proving a bat was rolled, unless the owner admitted it. It very well probably is illegal to do, but it makes no sense when the bat is not altered by adding or taking away material and is the same as it would be after hitting a few hundred balls. I heard some of the new bats have a color change if it is put under pressure. If it does that when rolled, wouldnt it do the same when you hit a bunch of balls? Anyone have any experience with the new bats that knows how this works?

Bottom line is there are alot of rolled bats out there and I dont think you would be able to prove it. I myself dont care if the opposing teams has a rolled bat or not, you still have to be able to hit the ball hard and well to make it work as advertised. This has to be one of the more active or intense discussions I have read about online, the bat rolling issue.

Rob

 

[Cannonball]

In no uncertain terms, if a child suffered a dibilitating injury due to being hit by a ball off of a bat, be prepared for a parent to ask for that bat to be seized. Then, in a court of law, you will have decisions to make concerning what you testify to. You make that decision on the safety of players concerned. Think about the questioning. Parent A, why did you roll the bat? I wanted to make it "hotter." Did you understand that potentially it could endanger opposing players? NO. Well then, what was the purpose of rolling. To make the ball come off the bat quicker. Would the majority of the softball public consider this cheating? ... Apparently some do not consider this cheating. I do. Each to their own. In the last 3 games, my daughter has hit 3 pitchers. I'll sleep better at night knowing that our stuff has not INTENTIONALLY BEEN ALTERED.

FYI, my daughter is a pitcher. I despise the notion that someone would roll a bat. Last year she was hit in the face 2 times. I believe I posted the video on this site. You bet you $$$ that if she had been seriously injured, I would have asked for those bats. Now, we have a policy that all of our pitchers wear a face mask. However, one shot to the heart and ...

Then again, some people's kids can't get it done without having parents who gain an edge for them.

 

[SBFAMILY]

http://downloads.asasoftball.com/about/pdf/2007Altered-DoctoredBats.pdf
After you read this it will explain the difference between rolling and breaking a bat end. You are going to get caught and as Cannonball explains it is going to cost you a bunch of $$$.

 

[redhotcoach]

I really don't think rolling a bat makes that much difference, I wouldn't do it, it is against the rules!

I do think bat regulations have gone too far and I support a cut back on bounce off speeds.

I played in an adult league baseball about 8 years ago that had minimal bat regulations. Any half swing from a weakling with a composite sent balls over second. Now the over 35 league I play in allows only wood bats. I think we are having more fun and it is definately more defense, not just long fly outs and home runs.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Read the test results in the above article..

 

[redhotcoach]

Read the test results in the above article..

Sorry, I was writing before your post came up, and for some reason I can't open it. I have no knowledge in the matter just in my mind a ball smashing against carbon fibers 100s of times would stretch them just like rolling.

All over the net rollers claim that it is not illegal in the ASA. USSSA does specifically say no rolling...along with no hitting you bat against a pole but I did find the rule clarification from ASA:

Rule 3 Equipment
We have had several questions pertaining to bats and what is legally permissible to do to a bat. One item that appears to keep coming up is the rolling of bats for quicker break in of the fibers. There are those who maintain that rolling of one’s bat is perfectly legal. According to Rule 3 Section 7 NOTE: “The characteristics of any approved equipment can not be changed. Examples….” Therefore, according to our rules, rolling of one’s bat is illegal and would make that bat an altered bat according to Rule 1 Altered Bat: When the physical structure of a legal softball bat has been changed.

Although it does appear that ASA labs are rolling bats themselves before testing them.

 

[redhotcoach]

AH! on the same ASA letter they declare that the Schutt Red and Silver bat has been moved to the non approved list even though they have the ASA stamp. No wonder they were going for so cheap a few months ago.

 

[Mark H]

Take your new bats and go hit a lot with them. Problem solved.

 

[RobD]

In no uncertain terms, if a child suffered a dibilitating injury due to being hit by a ball off of a bat, be prepared for a parent to ask for that bat to be seized. Then, in a court of law, you will have decisions to make concerning what you testify to. You make that decision on the safety of players concerned. Think about the questioning. Parent A, why did you roll the bat? I wanted to make it "hotter." Did you understand that potentially it could endanger opposing players? NO. Well then, what was the purpose of rolling. To make the ball come off the bat quicker. Would the majority of the softball public consider this cheating? ... Apparently some do not consider this cheating. I do. Each to their own. In the last 3 games, my daughter has hit 3 pitchers. I'll sleep better at night knowing that our stuff has not INTENTIONALLY BEEN ALTERED.

FYI, my daughter is a pitcher. I despise the notion that someone would roll a bat. Last year she was hit in the face 2 times. I believe I posted the video on this site. You bet you $$$ that if she had been seriously injured, I would have asked for those bats. Now, we have a policy that all of our pitchers wear a face mask. However, one shot to the heart and ...

Then again, some people's kids can't get it done without having parents who gain an edge for them.

So, then with what you are saying, once you hit a few balls with the bat, it should be illegal also. Rolling a bat does not alter the bat anymore that batting practice or hitting in games does. It just gets it broke in sooner. The only way to eliminate this all together is get rid of composite bats. Since ASA does have a rule saying rolling is illegal, then it is. I or many others may not agree with it, since it does no more than hitting a ball with the bat. There will be bad hops with any bat used where players could get injured. If a bat is rolled right, there would be no way at all to tell if it was rolled or just broke in by hitting balls. I read the link someone else posted and it says to looked for surface cracks, well you may get those from putting it in a vice, but unless you really crank it tight, you wont see anything like that from rolling it. If you are anxious to sue someone because your child got nailed with a ball, then you will do it no matter what bat was used. It is part of the danger of playing a sport. There may be a higher rebound speed off a compostite bat than an aluminum bat, but as I said multiple times, it wont be any faster from being rolled than hitting a bunch of balls with the bat. If you roll it right out of the wrapper, then yes, it will have a higher rebound rate right away. The only "edge" rolling gives, is that you dont have to wait for the bat to get broke in, it is right away.

I am not in any way advocating anyone go out of their way to physically change a bat, such as in shaving, etc to make it perform unaturally. I also dont want to see anyone get hurt playing in any sports. However, it will happen, no matter what you do. As far as composite bats go, rolling them or breaking them in by hitting balls does the same and the bat will perform the same, and in my opinion, the only way to get rid of the injury threat because of high rebound speed, is get rid of the composite bats all together. I would lose no sleep using a rolled bat, since I know it is no different than a broke in bat. I however would feel guilty using one that was shaved or otherwise physically altered to perform unnaturally. A rolled bat is not magic, it still takes alot of work and talent to hit the ball well. If you cant do that, no bat will help.

Rob