Minus 5 Rule for Bats

Quite simply put the -5 differential rule does not go far enough.

Beginning in 2001 all bats used in National Federation High School play will be required to have a differential of -3. Additionally the barrel will be required to be 2-5/8 inches rather than the current 2-3/4 inches

The NCAA has finally taken the lead with this action. For too long now the NCAA pandered to bat manufacturers who threatened lawsuit if the NCAA changed bat standards. Easton, in fact, has tried to sue the NCAA for 267 million dollars over the NCAA's proposal to require an exit speed limit of 93 mph which is near that of a wooden bat.

Bat manufacturers have been supplying over 200 colleges with free bats for quite a few years now. There has always been a cushy relationship between bat manufacturers and the NCAA. This has driven the cost of high performance bats 2-1/2 times in just three years while the quality of these bats have surely declined. Most of us have seen cracked bats in the last two years more than we ever have before. The bat manufacturers have been getting rich off the many moms and dads while putting our children at a higher risk for injury.

Now that the NCAA has finally decided that exit-speed limits will be reduced to 93 mph (exit speeds on most high performance bats are in the 130-145 mph range) as well as identical standards that FED subsequently adopted (2-5/8 inches, -3 differential) bat manufacturers are being forced to comply. Since bats will be required to bear a mark indicating compliance with the new NCAA rule, those same bats will be used in NFHS games as well. This almost endures that high school bats will have an exit speed of 93 mph even though the NFHS rule does not specifically require it.

Once the NCAA adopted the rule change, the rippling effect began. NFHS was the next to require these standards. You can expect all youth leagues to do the same, although finding a bat with higher performance standards than the NCAA and NFHS will be nearly impossible even if your youth league does not require these standards.

-5 is reasonable. Next year -3 will be the standard.

Statistics do show a rise in injury at all levels due to the higher performance bats. Even if you don't believe that you certainly can't dismiss the common sense idea that these bats do put our kids at a higher risk for injury than ever before.

It's a shame that once again moms and dads get shafted by this turn of events. There's not much that can be done since this change was way overdue.

Sincerely,
Jim Porter