tape on bats

jumpmaster · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 08:57pm

In upper level ball (American Legion and Large HS) I have noticed that about half-way up the bat, at about the area that the barrel begins to swell, a strip of athletic tape about 1/4 inch wide. In addition, while watching the CWS tonight, I have noticed tape up high on quiet a few bats as well.

Originally I thought no big deal, however, after watching a few bunts unfold in front of me, I realized that this tape is in the same vicinity as where the BR places his fingers for a bunt and could, if the ball strikes that area, absorb some of the impact on the ball upon the bat.

My question - guys that are calling upper levels - is making batters remove this tape considered booger pickin' or is it one of those "let it go"? My thinking is OBR Rule 1.10c states that any material beyond 18 inches from the end of the bat causes the bat to be removed from the game.

What say you?

DG · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 10:23pm

Quote:

Originally posted by jumpmaster
In upper level ball (American Legion and Large HS) I have noticed that about half-way up the bat, at about the area that the barrel begins to swell, a strip of athletic tape about 1/4 inch wide. In addition, while watching the CWS tonight, I have noticed tape up high on quiet a few bats as well.

Originally I thought no big deal, however, after watching a few bunts unfold in front of me, I realized that this tape is in the same vicinity as where the BR places his fingers for a bunt and could, if the ball strikes that area, absorb some of the impact on the ball upon the bat.

My question - guys that are calling upper levels - is making batters remove this tape considered booger pickin' or is it one of those "let it go"? My thinking is OBR Rule 1.10c states that any material beyond 18 inches from the end of the bat causes the bat to be removed from the game.

What say you?

Booger picking. The tape should mark the 18 inch point, and help the batters keep the tar off the fat end. A piece of tap adds no advantage to a bunt, IMO, and if the other team complains and it is above 18 inches I treat it the same as a pitcher's glove that is black with some tan laces (ie multicolor) and that is to remove it before it is used again, but no penalty.

LDUB · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 11:48pm

Quote:

Originally posted by DG

Quote:

Originally posted by jumpmaster
In upper level ball (American Legion and Large HS) I have noticed that about half-way up the bat, at about the area that the barrel begins to swell, a strip of athletic tape about 1/4 inch wide. In addition, while watching the CWS tonight, I have noticed tape up high on quiet a few bats as well.

Originally I thought no big deal, however, after watching a few bunts unfold in front of me, I realized that this tape is in the same vicinity as where the BR places his fingers for a bunt and could, if the ball strikes that area, absorb some of the impact on the ball upon the bat.

My question - guys that are calling upper levels - is making batters remove this tape considered booger pickin' or is it one of those "let it go"? My thinking is OBR Rule 1.10c states that any material beyond 18 inches from the end of the bat causes the bat to be removed from the game.

What say you?

Booger picking. The tape should mark the 18 inch point, and help the batters keep the tar off the fat end. A piece of tap adds no advantage to a bunt, IMO, and if the other team complains and it is above 18 inches I treat it the same as a pitcher's glove that is black with some tan laces (ie multicolor) and that is to remove it before it is used again, but no penalty.

If the tape is 18.5 inches up the bat I say let it go, but if it is at 22 or 23 inches, then I am going to have him pull it off. There is no reason for him to have tape on his bat, except if he is trying to gain an unfair advantage in some way. DG says it is so he knows how far up he can put pine tar, but this is legion/HS ball, but who puts pine tar on a metal bat? We all know how often a wood bat shows up in HS.

Why does this guy need tape on his bat? Well if this is where he puts his hand when he bunts, the tape could improve his grip on the bat. What if the tape was wrapped around the bat a few times so it was somewhat thick. Well if the ball were to hit that spot then the ball would not go as far. I just don't see any reason that he needs to have tape on his bat. If the tape is in an illegal spot, and there is no reason to have it there, why would I let him keep it on?

BoomerSooner · #4 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 03:41am

There are worse penalties than the bat being removed from the game. For example imagine hitting the game winning homer with 2 outs only to have your bat challenged because of a strip of tape to far up the bat and instead being called out ending the game.

DG · #5 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 08:10am

Quote:

Originally posted by LDUB

Quote:

Originally posted by DG

Quote:

Originally posted by jumpmaster
In upper level ball (American Legion and Large HS) I have noticed that about half-way up the bat, at about the area that the barrel begins to swell, a strip of athletic tape about 1/4 inch wide. In addition, while watching the CWS tonight, I have noticed tape up high on quiet a few bats as well.

Originally I thought no big deal, however, after watching a few bunts unfold in front of me, I realized that this tape is in the same vicinity as where the BR places his fingers for a bunt and could, if the ball strikes that area, absorb some of the impact on the ball upon the bat.

My question - guys that are calling upper levels - is making batters remove this tape considered booger pickin' or is it one of those "let it go"? My thinking is OBR Rule 1.10c states that any material beyond 18 inches from the end of the bat causes the bat to be removed from the game.

What say you?

Booger picking. The tape should mark the 18 inch point, and help the batters keep the tar off the fat end. A piece of tap adds no advantage to a bunt, IMO, and if the other team complains and it is above 18 inches I treat it the same as a pitcher's glove that is black with some tan laces (ie multicolor) and that is to remove it before it is used again, but no penalty.

If the tape is 18.5 inches up the bat I say let it go, but if it is at 22 or 23 inches, then I am going to have him pull it off. There is no reason for him to have tape on his bat, except if he is trying to gain an unfair advantage in some way. DG says it is so he knows how far up he can put pine tar, but this is legion/HS ball, but who puts pine tar on a metal bat? We all know how often a wood bat shows up in HS.

Why does this guy need tape on his bat? Well if this is where he puts his hand when he bunts, the tape could improve his grip on the bat. What if the tape was wrapped around the bat a few times so it was somewhat thick. Well if the ball were to hit that spot then the ball would not go as far. I just don't see any reason that he needs to have tape on his bat. If the tape is in an illegal spot, and there is no reason to have it there, why would I let him keep it on?

When I coached I put tape on the bats so I could tell the difference in the sizes easily and to identify which ones I owned vs. the kids. I used different colors of electrica tape for different sizes. All that was needed was one turn of tape. When my sons played they put tape on their personal bats so they could easily identify their bat in a crowd of bats, something they learned from me.

DG · #6 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 08:18am

Quote:

Originally posted by BoomerSooner
There are worse penalties than the bat being removed from the game. For example imagine hitting the game winning homer with 2 outs only to have your bat challenged because of a strip of tape to far up the bat and instead being called out ending the game.

See 1.10(c)NOTE:

Remove the bat from the game when discovered but don't call out the batter. And the batter should thank George Brett.

LDUB · #7 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 10:24am

Quote:

Originally posted by DG

Quote:

Originally posted by LDUB

Quote:

Originally posted by DG

Quote:

Originally posted by jumpmaster
In upper level ball (American Legion and Large HS) I have noticed that about half-way up the bat, at about the area that the barrel begins to swell, a strip of athletic tape about 1/4 inch wide. In addition, while watching the CWS tonight, I have noticed tape up high on quiet a few bats as well.

Originally I thought no big deal, however, after watching a few bunts unfold in front of me, I realized that this tape is in the same vicinity as where the BR places his fingers for a bunt and could, if the ball strikes that area, absorb some of the impact on the ball upon the bat.

My question - guys that are calling upper levels - is making batters remove this tape considered booger pickin' or is it one of those "let it go"? My thinking is OBR Rule 1.10c states that any material beyond 18 inches from the end of the bat causes the bat to be removed from the game.

What say you?

Booger picking. The tape should mark the 18 inch point, and help the batters keep the tar off the fat end. A piece of tap adds no advantage to a bunt, IMO, and if the other team complains and it is above 18 inches I treat it the same as a pitcher's glove that is black with some tan laces (ie multicolor) and that is to remove it before it is used again, but no penalty.

If the tape is 18.5 inches up the bat I say let it go, but if it is at 22 or 23 inches, then I am going to have him pull it off. There is no reason for him to have tape on his bat, except if he is trying to gain an unfair advantage in some way. DG says it is so he knows how far up he can put pine tar, but this is legion/HS ball, but who puts pine tar on a metal bat? We all know how often a wood bat shows up in HS.

Why does this guy need tape on his bat? Well if this is where he puts his hand when he bunts, the tape could improve his grip on the bat. What if the tape was wrapped around the bat a few times so it was somewhat thick. Well if the ball were to hit that spot then the ball would not go as far. I just don't see any reason that he needs to have tape on his bat. If the tape is in an illegal spot, and there is no reason to have it there, why would I let him keep it on?

When I coached I put tape on the bats so I could tell the difference in the sizes easily and to identify which ones I owned vs. the kids. I used different colors of electrica tape for different sizes. All that was needed was one turn of tape. When my sons played they put tape on their personal bats so they could easily identify their bat in a crowd of bats, something they learned from me.

Thats fine, but just don't put it past 18 inches.

DG · #8 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 10:44am

And don't pick boogers.

His High Holiness · #9 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 10:52am

Quote:

Originally posted by jumpmaster
In upper level ball (American Legion and Large HS) I have noticed that about half-way up the bat, at about the area that the barrel begins to swell, a strip of athletic tape about 1/4 inch wide. In addition, while watching the CWS tonight, I have noticed tape up high on quiet a few bats as well.

I am looking at an old copy of the NCAA rules because this year's rulebook is in my car. Therefore my rule number may be out of date.

Rule 1-11 requires NCAA bats (both metal and wood) to have a mark 18 inches from the handle. This is so umpires have an easy reference point for legitimate pine tar, etc. Some bats don't come marked from the factory so batters add a piece of tape to make them legal.

Peter

w_sohl · #10 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 11:21am

You might be surprised at the number of kids who put tar on an aluminum bat.

DG · #11 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 12:50pm

I don't think it's pine tar, but it's something sticky. They got it in spray cans these days...

rmstone · #12 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 01:51pm

I'm an student manager for a D1 NCAA team... and yes it is still an NCAA rule that bats must have a mark at 18"... most bats these days have the paint change color there but at the college levels coaches tell the players to put a tape line there or the bat will not be allowed... And the umps do check those bats prior to game to look for the tape line...

They also do use a pine tar type substance, even on metal bats...

LDUB · #13 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 04:15pm

Quote:

Originally posted by DG

Quote:

Originally posted by BoomerSooner
There are worse penalties than the bat being removed from the game. For example imagine hitting the game winning homer with 2 outs only to have your bat challenged because of a strip of tape to far up the bat and instead being called out ending the game.

See 1.10(c)NOTE:

Remove the bat from the game when discovered but don't call out the batter. And the batter should thank George Brett.

If it is FED he is out. 7-4-1a

DG · #14 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 05:35pm

7-4-1a references 1-3-6 to define an illegal bat. 1-3-6 mentions bats that have been altered or do not meet rules specifications are illegal. Rules specifications define length, width, weight and BESR label, but as far as I can find do not mention a piece of tape on the bat making it an illegal bat for purposes of 1-3-6. So remove the bat from play in FED, but don't call an out.

LDUB · #15 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 25, 2004, 10:01pm

Quote:

Originally posted by DG
7-4-1a references 1-3-6 to define an illegal bat. 1-3-6 mentions bats that have been altered or do not meet rules specifications are illegal. Rules specifications define length, width, weight and BESR label, but as far as I can find do not mention a piece of tape on the bat making it an illegal bat for purposes of 1-3-6. So remove the bat from play in FED, but don't call an out.

1-3-6 says the bat is illegal if it does not meet rule specifications. Read 1-3-4. It says "No foreign substance may be added to the surface of the bat beyond 18 inches from the end of the handle."