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Online now: 2 members: TABLE SETTER 11, softball4b; 93 anonymousDiscussion: bat break in
| Posted | Discussion |
| Feb. 7, 2017 tc4whlr 34 posts | bat break in has anybody tried the new process of bat break in offered by Kelly's (heating it up ) and is it legal by ssusa standards |
| Feb. 7, 2017 marcster13 102 posts | Not sure what that heat process is but i remember before rollers came out. People used to boil water and dunk the barrel into a bucket. Soak the bat in it, and pound the bat into a bowling ball, pole or even a hammer. Re-dunk the bat and continue until they thought they did some good. |
| Feb. 8, 2017 Fred S Men's 85 297 posts | It is illegal but who is going to know. Any alteration to a bat not in it's normal use is illegal last I knew. |
| Feb. 8, 2017 yellowjacket95 Men's 55 36 posts | Fred... agreed. Hit the bat to break it in... rolling it in your hands between every swing. |
| Feb. 9, 2017 fennellwg Men's 60 97 posts | Based on the few times that SSUSA staff has been willing to comment it would seem like : 1) Kelly's heat process would be deemed to alter a legal bat if " the physical characteristics " have been changed 2) the penalty for using an altered bat appears to be contingent on altering the bat to "enhance performance " No examples listed specifically address this flavor of bat heating. But, I'd be willing to bet that leaving your bat in the trunk of your car on a hot summer day would not raise any objections from league officials. If you believe Kelly's marketing hype I would agree with others that the process is illegal if it actually improves performance. If you are skeptical of Kelly's claims ( like me) you're just wasting money. Either way it's lose - lose. IMO |
| Feb. 10, 2017 fennellwg Men's 60 97 posts | Im sure their "proprietary" heat process is an important part of the marketing hype. However, I'm not sure how relevant it is to the original question. Particularly when they also claim to uniformly " stretch " the carbon fibers along the length of the barrel. They claim this is not done by "rolling" But it would seem a bit naïve to think that whatever they do is not intended achieve the same goal. That would be to alter the physical characteristics of the composite for the purpose of enhanced performance. It's encouraging that they claim their process in legal in all leagues. I would recommend anyone thinking about having this done get approval from SSUSA staff if you have doubts. IMO Bill |
| Feb. 10, 2017 PoollShark Men's 50 90 posts | On their site it reads: "Unlike the rolling of a baseball bat which is literally just crushing the fibers and doing long term damage to the bat, our process will not damage the bat nor will it void the manufactures warranty nor would it make the bat illegal in any leagues or tournaments." This is the part that makes me think it's illegal: "Due to Proprietary information concerns, we are only going to say that heat and a stretching of the carbon fiber's all the way up and down and around the barrel is a part of this treatment." Sounds like they're rolling it while it's heated? Heating it will make the fibers less brittle and more likely to stretch than break? Just a guess. This would appear to the average person that not only are they not buying an altered bat but that it is OKAY with all sanctioning bodies. I am hoping that SSUSA staff will post here if that is in fact true or a misrepresentation by Kellys. |
| Feb. 23, 2017 fennellwg Men's 60 97 posts | https://www.clubrollers.com/services/heated-bat-rolling-services-with-compression-testing.html Just found this site. Description of rolling process, bats offered and comments regarding manufacturers warranty are so similar to Kelly's that it's not likely to be just coincidence. Still would like to hear what SSUSA staff thinks of the above. |
| Feb. 23, 2017 DieselDan Men's 75 602 posts | A smooth barked tree works well. |
| Feb. 23, 2017 PoollShark Men's 50 90 posts | SSUSA...........comment please |
| Feb. 23, 2017 SSUSA Staff 3490 posts | We do not have an opinion on what process(es) may be used by commercial outlets or individuals, but here is the complete SSUSA policy regarding breaking in a bat: The ONLY acceptable and LEGAL method for breaking in a bat is the use of that bat, as intended by the manufacturer, to strike regulation softballs ... ANY other break in methodology, whether or not easily determined, is considered ALTERING A BAT ... See Rulebook §3.4(6) on page 16 for the penalty provisions for using an altered bat ... Hopefully, the foregoing statement is clear and concise ... |
| Feb. 23, 2017 dug8 Men's 55 25 posts | Pretty clear already, but to be clearer(IMO)....unless it comes directly from the manufacturer with this process already in place, it is an illegal, altered bat. |
| Feb. 24, 2017 SSUSA Staff 3490 posts | At the risk of needlessly "picking at nits", an illegal and an altered bat are two different concepts ... An example of an illegal bat is the original Miken Ultra (sometimes known as the Ultra I) or any other non-approved bat that does not meet the BPF 1.21/1.20 criteria ... An altered bat is an otherwise legal bat (as manufactured) that has been altered to enhance performance beyond what the performance was when the bat left the manufacturer's factory unwrapped, as changed over time by normal wear and tear ... "Normal wear and tear" is defined as using the bat in the intended manner to strike regulation softballs ... |
| Feb. 24, 2017 yellowjacket95 Men's 55 36 posts | You aren't picking SSUSA Staff! A lot of guys are playing with shaved and rolled bats that are delivered to them while still in the wrapper. I personally have never used a shaved bat and think that those that do should be banned for lengthy periods. The issue senior softball has is in proving that someone has a shaved bat and until something can be established to help determine that, it's going to continue. Whatever happened to honor, integrity, and sportsmanship? |
| March 16, 2017 stphillips 1 posts | If you need to alter a senior bat to hit farther, it's probably not the bat. Maybe you should do a little strength training. |
| March 16, 2017 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | or tweaking mechanics. |
| March 16, 2017 DOERBAUM Men's 55 86 posts | .... OR NOT BE A PUSSY!! TRIED A BAT THAT WAS SHAVED AT B.P. LAST WEEK TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE. IT FELT LIKE CRAP. ALMOST LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BREAK ON EVERY SWING. GOT TO BE A WAY TO CIRCUMVENT THE CHEATING. I BROKE MY NEWEST BAT AT 450+- SWINGS. CANT SEE WHY SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO REDUCE LIFESPAN EVEN MORE....? |
| April 23, 2017 Doug60 9 posts | My $.02: The best way to break in a bat is by hitting it. Using an illegal bat could make you criminally and financially liable if you hurt someone with it. However, I'm not convinced that the so-called "advanced break-in" offered is anything more than making extra profit on an otherwise completely stock bat with the wrapper removed. |
