Quote:
Originally Posted by briancurtin
Players like them so that certainly won't slip past the players union, competition committee (or whatever they call it in MLB), or any of those groups that have to agree before rules are changed.
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MLB has already taken unilateral action in regards to Mape in the minor leagues and the major league Players Union is a partner in the study MLB began in 2008 in which over 2200 broken bats and every cracked bat from 2009 were collected and studied.
Already results have been seen...there were 30% fewer broken maple bats in 2009 than in 2008.
From MLB:
"This spring, MLB put into place new, more stringent regulations that banned several types of maple bats in the Minor Leagues. As part of the new rules, restrictions have been placed on the density of sugar maple that can be used to manufacture Minor League bats. In addition, bats made out of several types of maple will be completely eliminated by the companies approved to make bats, meaning the bat makers must use North American sugar maple.
"What has been negotiated between MLB and the union and approved for the Majors is the inspection of maple bats, none of which can be painted all black so that the grain can be more easily inspected; bats with a lower density than .0219 pounds per square inch are not allowed, and any new players to the Majors as well as all Minor Leaguers cannot use bats lower than .024 pounds per inch; the barrel of all bats was reduced from 2.75 to 2.61 inches in diameter; any player who breaks 10 bats in a season must meet with a panel of experts to discuss possible reasons; and red and silver maple have been eliminated as materials used to make bats."
Additionally, both MLB and the players union have stated that further limitations on maple bats will be part of the negotiations for the new contract.