A couple weeks ago I was walking through Walmart when I spotted an aluminum t-ball bat that would be perfect for Charlie when he is 4. So I bought it. I don't think he would even be able to swing it yet.
Then I read this article just now. It's about aluminum bats and the fact that many want to ban them because you can hit a ball 10% harder with an aluminum bat than with a wooden bat. That makes life as a pitcher 10% scarier than it would be with wooden bats. I don't have to worry about things like this with Charlie or Max for at least another 9 or 10 years. But when it comes time, will I be a parent lobbying for wooden bats? I don't think so. I see a couple of problems with banning aluminum bats.
- As a hitter it is so much more fun to hit a ball with an aluminum bat. I loved the sound and the extra distance when I was younger.
- There's not much evidence that it would dramatically reduce injuries. It's actually not that often that a pitcher takes a line drive in the head, and even less frequent that it does lasting damage. Can we be sure that a wooden bat wouldn't also do damage? I suppose it would do 10% less damage than the aluminum bat, but that doesn't seem very compelling.
- If you were to ban aluminum bats you would stiffle a pretty stable aluminum bat making industry. I suppose it would likewise revive an all but lost wooden bat making industry, so maybe the net effect would be positive. But I'm not a huge fan of disrupting an entire industry for changes that probably wouldn't amount to much at all.
- The most compelling reason I can think of however to avoid banning aluminum bats is that it is completely unecessary. Why don't you just start making light-weight helmets for pitchers? If the parents or the pitchers are concered with safety, have the pitcher wear a helmet. Case closed. And if they started doing that we wouldn't be disrupting the bat making market, we would be creating a new market for pitchers helmets. It would be a win, win situation.
7 comments:
I am glad that you buy sporting equip. to save for the boys bc it cancels out me buying their future clothes. Down with over-regulation. This country is supposed to be free, for crying out loud.
When my friends and I play baseball on the weekends, aluminum bats are banned. I'm not sure why...maybe because we're lazy and an extra 10% is a long way to run?? Personally though, since I tend to hit the ball about 50% as far as the guys I play with, I think I should be allowed to use the aluminum!
Funny thing is, I really don't think I'd mind if they adopted wooden bats across the board. I just don't like the reasoning in this case. If they bring back wooden bats let it be to preserve the history of the game, not because aluminum bats are too dangerous.
It's the same with golf. Part of me wants to bring back the old persimmon woods. I appreciate the new equipment, but I think it would be kinda cool if we all had to play with technology that was available in the 19th century. At least then you wouldn't have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to make sure you had the latest equipment. Then again that would kill off golf as we know it because noone would by equipment, manufacturers wouldn't sponsor athletes, athletes would realize a desk job was a better career and I'd have nothing to watch on Saturdays.
I like your logic too. Do you know how much $ the hitters spend to protect themselves against the balls the pitchers pitch? Batting face guards, shin guards, elbow pads, special batting gloves just to name a few. They all protect the batter from the baseball or fast pitch softball... why can't the pitcher do the same thing? Actually, in my Mt. View softball league, I just played against a pitcher that wore a face guard.
I think a light weight helmet is a great invention... do it!
I still remember when Nolan Ryan got hit in the face on a line drive... the guy made it to safe at first... but the next guy definitely got out... check out the picture... http://www.tristarproductions.com/Sales/Images/Baseball/RyanN-8x10-BloodyLip.jpg
If they're going to ban those bats because they make the ball go 10% farther or faster, why don't they ban all the kids who are just stronger and can hit the ball 10% farther or faster with a wooden bat? Seems kind of silly, don't you think? I say just get rid of the strong kids and keep the bats that make the cool sound.
by the way... did you see Bobby Abreu (Yankees) hit a line drive back to the pitcher's nose the other day?
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