batwarmer

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by MikeStrybel

I have a couple of governing agencies with rules supporting my opinion - artificially warming bats creates an unfair advantage.

Taking a cold bat and heating it artificially weakens the bonds in the composite material. Heating the barrel leaves the handle vulnerable. Bat manufacturers and the aformentioned agencies cite this as a hazard.

I find it funny that so many on this forum consider coaches to be 'rats' for seeking any advantage they can, yet consider bat warming to be tolerable. No Rich, I wasn't referring to you, my friend. A2D. Enjoy the time left before we hit the fields again.

I'm not saying whether or not it's legal or should be acceptable - just that it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that a bat at 90 Degrees F "knows" whether it got there artifically or naturally and thus responds differently.

BTW - some bats used to (maybe still do) say the warranty is invalid if used below certain temps. That would seem to me to suggest there is a concern over using cold bats.