[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Reading up on Ferguson, the stat I saw was 4 people died in the last 10 years. I know there have been many injuries.. and I've seen my share as well. Not to be harsh, but more kids died just dropping dead for no reason while playing sports in the last 10 years. Sports are dangerous.

Playing a sport is dangerous. After all, can you imagine all the cuts those poker players get on their fingers constantly handling those cards?

Certain sports do have certain levels of danger involved for the participants.

The bat list is not manageable and we are liable. Most umpires used to pretty much have the list memorized and you could spot a hot bat pretty quickly.

And why is the non-approved bat list not manageable? Is it because ASA is overzealous or that, as previously stated, the bat companies want to make money? Well, I don't know of anyone who doesn't want to make money. The question is, at what cost.

It has become obvious that the manufacturers' have no conscience in this matter. These same companies freely admitted making balls hotter than permitted by the specs for one reason, because they could! That is why you saw ASA add a zero to the end of any specs.

So, the players and parents demand ASA take the responsibility for insuring safe equipment in the game of softball and now they are the bad guys. Why is that?

Add to that, so many bats that are now illegal, have virtually the same name as a legal bat. Youre going to see synergies and rocket techs and on and on.. is it the legal one? the illegal one?

That is why a model number is included on the list. Is it harder to identify? Sure is, but doesn't that give you one more piece of evidence that the manufacturers couldn't give a damn about the welfare of the players and the game, as long as there is money in their pocket after the sale.

Do you REALLY know? Could you for SURE spot a shaved or modified
bat?

Absolutely sure? No, but I am aware of the signs that could be an indication that a bat has been altered.

Could you spot the Synergy 2 in a group of 20 legal synergies?

Yeah. Just pick them up and find the difference. An umpire should handle every bat prior to a game, not just walk through the dugout and take a quick scan.

I would imagine that at the top level in terms of legal risk to an umpire is bats. Are we really trained? We look at some little picture and Regional and National staff talk about them for 5 mins, then off we go.. wandering around dugout pregame scratching our heads wondering WTF.

There is a presentation on the ASA umpire's page under the 2007 UIC clinic on bats. Unfortunately, it is better with narration, but your UIC should be able to handle that. If not, you commissioner should

I dont know the answer and ASA is in a tough spot. Obviously manufacturers know and hold a big part of the blame in the overall picture.. but there is only one dude in blue out there on the field saying its cool to play.. and thats the umpire. The scientists and engineers and ASA cert guys are no where to be found on game day.. only us schmucks.

Well, maybe you're a schmuck, I wouldn't know. However, you check the bats, you get rid of the ones that are on the non-approved list and any others that IN YOUR JUDGMENT may have been altered or do not meet the requirements set forth in Rule 3.1 It is the umpires that don't want to upset the players and coaches and don't perform due dillegence on equipment that are the schmucks.

Do I like how long the list has become? Hell, no. But if I'm going to take the money for umpiring a game, I'm going to do everything I can to keep my *** out of the soup.