An epiphany (bats)
 

I have come to the conclusion that those states that require the bat to have the 2004 stamp and not be on the non-approved list are the only ones actually following the NFHS rule on bats. I think PA falls into the category. Good for them.

I never really paid much attention to the mongo approved list from ASA, taking them at their word that to be included on the list, a bat had to be tested and found to conform to the 2004 BPS. A careful reading of the list, however, shows that is not true. The majority of the bats on that list carry "approval" dates prior to 2004. Either the bat testing lab is contained in a souped up De Lorean or many of the bats on the "approved" list are approved based on the 2000 BPS. :eek:

I'll still follow my state's guidelines for bat inspections (throw out 2000 bats until the coach shows you the model on the approved list), but it is all hooey. :rolleyes:

Whoever said 2000 stamp or 2004 stamp unless banned actually is saying the same thing without the step of requiring the coach to carry around a highlighted list.

I guess the high-sounding NFHS rule is actually a way to say "approved for ASA Championship Play" without having to reference the ASA rule book. :mad:

Wait....is that a portion of Beethoven's Ninth I hear playing....why yes....it is.....Ode to Joy. :D

You apparently don't know your classical music. What is playing is the 4th movement of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony.

Are you preparing to leave us?

WMB

Is it possible that the ASA scientists could interpret a given bat's 2000 test results and ascertain to a reasonable certainty that said bat would meet the 2004 standards if retested?

I read and re-read once Gmoore's post (#23) in the S-B Bats thread (but without following the link to testing standards). Even given all the variables about ball speed and weight distribution, a bat's 2000 test results might be such that it would doubtless not violate the stricter 2004 standards. It would be a certified popless bat. It thus could be kept on the approved list, but without changing the approved date. Maybe it's just an example of a scientific/bureaucratic fubar.

Also, one could argue that by certifiying that their team was legally equipped that the coach was in essence warranting that his 2000-stamped bats met the 2004 standards, just as if he had shown me a list purportedly taken from the ASA website. How hard would it be for a coach to insert a fraudulent entry into his list showing his illegal bat is approved? How easy is it to take the illegal bat out of its bag after the inspection and put it in the bat rack? And what rule says that an ump can delegate his inspection duties to a coach by requiring him to prove his 2000-stamped bats are on the ASA approved list?

Lastly, how much are we discouraging softball players by making them trash perfectly good bats and making them spend $100 for a 2004 stamp? Softball and baseball are having a hard enough time recruiting players.

That is a pretty slow and sad piece. However, the rumors surrounding it and the subsequent demise of the author are quite interesting.

Shows my music knowledge
I kept thinking I was hearing the beer barrel polka:D

Pennsylvania does fall into this group.
And in reading all this stuff on bats, I am grateful, as an ump, that the PIAA took the position they did. We've got this piece of things a heck of a lot easier than many others.

Blame SRW for the bat crap
 

SRW's alma tomater, Washington State University (known up here as Wazoo), is the home of the bat testing lab.

I can assure you there are no DeLoreans in Pullman, WA. Hell, half the vehicles don't even have doors.

For those of you in TX who are NOT Aggies...any Aggie joke is appropriate for Wazoo (Wazoo, like Tx A&M, is a land-grant univesity...as is Penn State...I could probably name the one for each state but don't wanna show off my tremendous knowledge of totally inane trivial BS).

Anyway...the bat cave at Wazoo is actually pretty awesome. Almost as much fun as the ice cream plant just down the road. It's ALMOST as good as Blue Bell. But any school responsible for unleashing SRW, Party Hardy Mike Price, Ryan Leaf and Drew Bledsoe on the world can't be THAT good.:D

I appreciate you for dragging me under the BatMobile. Really, I do.

I am so very sorry for dragging you under the bus and apologize publicly for my sarcasm and ridicule. It was not my intent to offend.

John,
You having a rough night? It's about quarter of 5 here in the east, west coast it's what quarter of 2?

Not any worse than usual. Let's see...Friday night, almost 2 hours of sleep, which was 2 hours more than previous Friday night. Saturday night, 3.5 hours of sleep. Tonight...who knows. Maybe we could do an over under. M.D. says it's the pills...and I don't really want to take Ambien or anything.

Hehe - it's all good! :D