I have been saying this for years. Finally the NCAA got smart..... how long will it take the FED to wake up and put the onus on the coaches and the schools?

That would be ideal, but lesson to be learned is if one is going to inspect equipment, to actually pick it up.

Even picking it up, it's possible to not hear a rattling sound.

I check bats and lids because we're expected to, but it's a quick check, not one with a fine tooth comb.

I disagree

-Josh

I fail to see what a rattling sound inside the bat has to do with safety. If it has BESR on it, and no dents or sign of tampering externally then what is justification for not allowing?

It is possible. That isn't the reason I posed the question.

If I have to be so blunt, "How the **** can you inspect a bat while it's in the rack?" If he done what he (as dictated by the powers that be) had done that to which he was supposed, this MAY have been avoided.

Depends how high the bat rack sits. If I can spin the bat and check for dents, etc. and see the BESR label, I may not remove it from the rack.

I toss at least 2 dozen helmets a season, though. Big cracks. I wonder if other umpires check and they just put them back in the bag after -- or the umpires don't check.

Just curious: which provision of the bat rule does a rattle violate?

I'm the OPer, and that is actually something I'm questioning myself on. The only thing that I could find that may be used is part of 1-3-5:
No foreign substance may be inserted into the bat.
I know that rule was put in place to prevent corking wooden bats and adding rubber balls to old aluminum bats. I'm sure the rattling culprit was not placed there intentionally, but I don't see intent as part of the rule.

Enough discussion on this thread to post my post-game follow up: After the game "Dad" caught me in the parking lot and politely asked about my ruling. After explaining what I told the coach, he told me that what they discovered (whoever "they" are) was that a screw had come loose inside the handle. That screw had something to do with keeping the bat from vibrating when hitting the ball. I told him that sounded like it could be a weakness in the bat since a screw is obviously meant to hold something together, and now it is no longer doing so.

1-5-6

Perfect. Thanks!

what does OOO mean?

Overly Officious Official.

Whew. I wondered,:eek: Thanks, SandiegoSteve. :D

Overly Officious Oaf