Taping over the knob (ASA)

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

This has been brought up at a couple of our clinics, and the room was divided.

ASA 3-1-B states:


There are those who believe that tape may be ON the safety knob (ie., the sides), but can't go OVER and completely cover the knob. There are others (and I'm included) who believe that the rule, as written, does not prohibit putting tape over the knob in any particular fashion whatsoever.

The concern is a valid one: bat doctors often go in through the safety knob to remove the safety rod, endload bats, or do other wonderful things to the bat. Taping over the safety knob can hide the signs that a bat has been doctored, potentially putting players at risk.

However, I maintain that with the rule written in its current form, there is nothing that we can do to prohibit taping over the knob.

What say you all?

Taping over the knob has been and still is completely legal. Nothing new here.

Since the knob was one to the two cited primary entrance points to alter a bat, a change in the rule was proposed to eliminate taping the knob two years ago and never made it out of any committee. The author of the change noted that allowing the knob to be taped permitted concealment of unauthorized access to the inside of the bat.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Taping over the knob has been and still is completely legal. Nothing new here.

Since the knob was one to the two cited primary entrance points to alter a bat, a change in the rule was proposed to eliminate taping the knob two years ago and never made it out of any committee. The author of the change noted that allowing the knob to be taped permitted concealment of unauthorized access to the inside of the bat.

I agree, but the frustrating thing is that I'm still hearing that this is illegal from various sources. Even heard an umpire say so at a National. Those who are "on the fence" say that the rule is "vague."

It's not vague. It's in black and white.