m i s - h i t t i n g

Does this make it past the filter?

Yup.

If the bat-warmer didn't do anything, than I conclude the following:

1. It wouldn't be called a bat warmer.

2. No one would buy this $50+ bat bag.

3. No one would sell it.

4. If it didn't do anything, why would we have them?

There's a reason the word "gullible" is in the dictionary.

Actually, it isn't. ;)

On a cold night, I'd have no trouble with a bat being heated up into "operational" temperature. In fact, I'd rather like it.

I saw one metal bat explode into shards on a cold evening years ago. Never want to see that happen again.

My son is a pitcher. I have a problem with a batter gaining an illegal advantage.

Is a bat used in 90 degree F ambient OK but a bat warmed to 90 degrees F on a 40 degree F day not?

If so, why?

You answered your own question. Having to apply an artificial source of heat to the bat is an attempt to gain an advantage. As the father of a young pitcher, I see this as dangerous cheating.

I'm sure your answer would be different if your son were a catcher or umpire, and an ice cold metal bat were be swung in front of their face.

These things came in vogue about 10 years ago when all the bats got so expensive. While a bat will contract or expand slightly in hot and cold weather, it still isn't noticeable to the naked eye. It does however damage the sturdiness of the material it is made of.

The senior softball bats that are made of a carbon shell will show what will look like a little scratch on the "painted" part. A few swings later it will look like the fender of an old Corvette that was slightly bumped into.

I suggest that you always store your umpire or sports equipment at room temperature to protect it from elements like extreme heat or cold.

It's not dangerous because the bat would be at the same temperature it would be on a normal 90 degree day.

Or is playing on a 90 degree day dangerous?

I fully understand Mike's concern, if heating up a bat would make it perform beyond it's ratings, and not just up to it.

Which begs the next question: Do testing facilities ever test at different temperatures? I'm guessing they don't.

Any testing lab that does'nt, certainlly isn't one I would want to certify my product though.

By the way, I did a 12 inning HS scrimmage yesterday and one team used wood bats and the other BBCOR certified alluminum. 75 deg for entire game and one school was State Champions last year and the other was fairly matched in talent. Not sure if it was all bat performance or early season player performance however this was not a slugging contest. Many players commented about getting good contact with BBCOR, seems to be more important with the new bats, rather than any type of contact. Just under 3 hours for entire scrimmage. Three of us rotated 4 innings each on the dish. If this is any indications of the upcoming season. It works for me.

Begs the question is not the same as "makes me wonder" or "raises the question". Begs the question actually begs a specific question, one cannot just make up any old question that is being begged. The question that is being begged is "what is the support for your argument?"

Begs the question is used when an argument is circular and makes no sense or is invalid.

Person 1: "This food is tasty because it is delicious."
Person 2: "That begs the question."

Tasty and delicious basically mean the same thing. Saying that something is tasty because it is delicious is not a valid argument. This begs the question. Person 1 must better support their argument about why the food is tasty.