Just Something I Noticed RE: Bats
 

Just something odd I noticed the other day...

While checking bats before a game, I saw an Easton composite bat with tape as the grip that was not a "continuous winding". It was "criss crossed" such that some of the handle had no tape and you could see the surface of the bat handle.

The latest ASA rule says that "no bare metal may be exposed in the area covered by the safety grip".

This was, of course, a non-metalic bat!

And what if it is a metal bat, but the metal is painted?

Good to go? Not good to go?

Not good to go.

I believe there has already been talk about clarifying that rule just for the point you are making. Bare metal really only applies to metal bats, which there are few of anymore. I think the wording they were kicking around was "no base material shall be exposed", that would handle metal and composite.

I just revert back to the initial statement that the tape must be continuously spiral.

I don't see where it says that in the rule book (speaking ASA of course). But what I would use is in 3.1D that says the safety grip must be permanently attached and cover the handle region of the bat. Is shall no be less than 10 inches and not more than 15 inches.

This leaves out the part that Bret referenced first, but I don't feel that I need that part :D the first and 3rd lines tell me what I need to know, you have to have a safety grip and it has to cover the are from 0-10" from the safety knob and not be more than 15" from the safety knob. Seems those two will let me enforce that if I see base material of the bat in this region is does not satisfy this part of the bat rule.

You're correct, my mistake.

I think it was an editing oversight that caused them to say "no exposed metal." I would treat a metal bat the same way I would a composite bat.