Not our problem but....

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Steve M
Joel,
While that older bat is not legal for Fed ball, ASA got gutless and backed off their own doggone bat standard. For ASA, your DD's older bat is legal. ASA sez the bat is OK if 1 of 3 conditions is met - 1)embossed seal, 2)on the grandfathered list 3)apparently manufactured prior to 1995 and the umpire(s) thinks it would have met those standards. Now since I do not know what the standards were for those older bats, it is going to be my belief that the bat would not meet those standards, so that bat ain't gonna be used - even though somebody else may just as legally allow it in the next game.

Steve hit this one on the head. ASA folded to the whiners and criers. There was more than enough notice given to accommodate the masses. The problem was the manufacturers saw a potential gold mine and sat back to wait for the money to roll in.

This is one of the main reasons the ASA created the pre-1995 caveat. It seems one manufacturer (H&B/Louisville Slugger) intentionally witheld some of their more popular bats from testing, hoping that the players would pony up to purchase newer, but similar models.

Instead, the players did what they did best, *****ed and moaned that ASA was forcing them to spend money. Remember, the manufacturers had 2 1/2 to 3 years notice that changes were coming. That should have been ample enough time to turn around their stock. When it became apparent what was going on, the ASA backed off on it's rule.

I am hoping to see them drop the older bats clause in the near future. On the other hand, if the players are going to be dumb enough to spend the big bucks on the bats, the manufacturers will never relent.

And please don't give me the, "I have to have that bat if I want to be competitive" crap. If you can hit, a $40 bat will work just as well as a $240 bat.

Last year, Carl Rose suggested that a return to wooden bats would not be as far fetched as many believe. I agree.