Legal Safety Grip?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Received an e-mail today from member NUS concerning my question.

He agrees that over the past couple of reworking of the rule defining the bat the wording which would require one end of the safety tape/grip to abut the portion of the bat defined as the safety knob.

He suggested this would be addressed next November.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Received an e-mail today from member NUS concerning my question.

He agrees that over the past couple of reworking of the rule defining the bat the wording which would require one end of the safety tape/grip to abut the portion of the bat defined as the safety knob.

He suggested this would be addressed next November.

So, in other words, not legal?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

So, in other words, not legal?

Correct, just that if challenged, we (umpires) have nothing to back up that position at this moment.

[EsqUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Correct, just that if challenged, we (umpires) have nothing to back up that position at this moment.

Actually we have the rule that empowers umpires to rule on anything no specifically addressed in the rule book. No one seems to ever read that rule.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

Actually we have the rule that empowers umpires to rule on anything no specifically addressed in the rule book. No one seems to ever read that rule.

That would be true if the location of the safety grip were NOT mentioned in the rules. But it is, so that option would not apply. Hopefully, now that the NUS is aware of the wording lost over the past couple years, there will be a clarification.

[EsqUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

That would be true if the location of the safety grip were NOT mentioned in the rules. But it is, so that option would not apply. Hopefully, now that the NUS is aware of the wording lost over the past couple years, there will be a clarification.

Does the rule specifically address the location of the grip? I bet if it did, this discussion would have died a long time ago. If it didn't, then I guess the umpires can make a ruling. I'd hate to see an umpire make a decision that wasn't fed to him by the rule book.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

Does the rule specifically address the location of the grip? I bet if it did, this discussion would have died a long time ago. If it didn't, then I guess the umpires can make a ruling. I'd hate to see an umpire make a decision that wasn't fed to him by the rule book.

While it is true there are some, not every umpire is a complete idiot and needs every little thing to be pointed out in the rule book. If that was necessary, we would need a cart to transport the tome to clinics and tournaments.

The rule involving the grip tape is specific, you must apply it to the handle of the bat. There you go, the rule offers the size and location to which it must be attached.

Let me take this another step. What are you going to do if a batter presents a bat with multiple Grip-N-Rip type of bat attachments attached with legally applied grip tape at various points on the handle?

While it seems obvious to us and most of the world that it SHOULD abut the knob, the rule does not support such a requirement. And since the rule DOES offer the mandated size restrictions and locations, IT is covered in the rule book which negates any perceived authority to rule otherwise without further direction. And I only raised the question to the NUS asking for clarification. Personally, I don't really care and I'm not sure ASA does or should. They've dropped the word "safety" from the portion of the bat description and there really isn't any wording requiring the batter to actually grip the bat on the grip, never has been.

And for someone who stands on "intent" of the rule over the wording, you seem to be approaching the OOO side on this one.