ASA speculation put to rest

[Nate@Anderson]

I know there has been much talk on this board about what ASA is and isn't going to do. I'm sure some of this has been posted before in previous posts. I just wanted to make it 100% clear what ASA has decided with regards to composite bats. The sad part is 90% of the concern is coming from the slow pitch side of things. Most fast pitch players dont flex the walls of a composite bat enough to fully break them in anyway. You guys get stuck with the rule changes for a problem that's not really yours. If you have any questions please feel free to fire away!

***ASA’s Policy Regarding Composite Bats***


ASA has recognized the performance increase of composite bats as they are broken in. This performance increase takes current 98MPH rated bats over their tested MPH rating, thus negating any data obtained during testing. In an effort to spearhead this, ASA has introduced a new procedure called ABI (Advanced Break In) that they will be including in their BBS testing. The new ABI technique will insure that NO bat, no matter how many times it’s been hit, can reach a performance level that exceeds 98MPH.

Along with this new testing procedure come some rules as to how the manufacturers are to handle their current stock of ASA bats that have not been ABI tested and approved. These non-ABI bats can be manufactured and shipped to the dealers until July 1st, 2008. After July 1st, 2008 the manufacturers must stop production and sales of these non-ABI bats. The second rule allows manufacturers to ship non-ABI warranty bats until October 1st, 2008. After October 1st, 2008 ALL non-ABI bats must be donated or destroyed.

Currently approved non-ABI bats can be used by players until they break or until they appear on the banned list (whichever comes first).

Recap of dates and rules:

- July 1st, 2008 – Manufacturers have to stop producing and shipping non-ABI bats to dealers
- October 1st, 2008 – Manufacturers have to stop shipping non-ABI bats to customers for warranty returns
- Players can use currently approved non-ABI bats until they break or are no longer approved by ASA
- After October 1st, 2008 – any non-ABI bat in the manufacturer’s possession must be donated or destroyed.

[Sftbll4ever]

Don't stock up too much, they may be banned before she can use them up.

[Nate@Anderson]

be careful of stocking up on non-ABI composites. You'll basically be buying a bat with no warranty. sure, you'll get another bat if they break but it wont be anything compared to the original one you bought.

[Cookie]

Nate,

Thanks for the up date. So I guess this will not effect the Rocket Tech, just composite bats right?
If the new composite bats cannot reach the 98 MPH limit and they are 90 MPH off the shelf most of the bats for girls will never be broken in enough to hit the 98 MPH limit. Maybe at the older levels girls can swing the bat hard enough to break them in all the way but the younger girls will never be able to do this. Is this correct?
If 90% of this pertains to those 300 pound slow pitch gorillas who break in bats in 3 swings these young girls aren't going to be to happy with this new bat rule. I bet the pitchers will be happy..

[whatever]

So then every single bat currently being manufactured will be ABI tested by the ASA by July 1st?

[Nate@Anderson]

no current models will be retested. the current models will be allowed to phase themselves out. After Oct 1st, any non ABI bat you send back will be replaced with an ABI bat. Eventually all the non-ABI bats will be broken and the only composite bats you can buy will have been ABI tested.

[jofus]

"Currently approved non-ABI bats can be used by players until they break or until they appear on the banned list (whichever comes first)."

So, theoretically, I could order a non-ABI bat for my daughter and they could ban it next month before she ever uses it in a game? Or, is there a certain date that they add to this list, like the end of each year or something?'

Oh, and is this ONLY for composites? Rocket tech's (for example) are fine with no danger of being banned for this rule?

[Nate@Anderson]

"Eventually all the non-ABI bats will be broken"

Hey Nate that is quite the statement

I don't think there is much of a breakage problem with the majority of composite bats, stealth excluded. No beef with RT but sounds a little like screaming FIRE.

sorry if it sounded like that... i meant many months from now, hence the word "eventually"

[Nate@Anderson]

"Currently approved non-ABI bats can be used by players until they break or until they appear on the banned list (whichever comes first)."

So, theoretically, I could order a non-ABI bat for my daughter and they could ban it next month before she ever uses it in a game? Or, is there a certain date that they add to this list, like the end of each year or something?'

Oh, and is this ONLY for composites? Rocket tech's (for example) are fine with no danger of being banned for this rule?

anything is possible, but the chances of any bats being banned right now are slim to none. At least not any more likely than it was before the rule change.

only composites are being looked at by ASA. anything aluminum is good to go!

[Nate@Anderson]

here's an example...

let's say a certain manufacturer gets a 5% return rate on their composite bats. After October 1st, 5% of the softball population that purchased a non-ABI bat will be stuck with a bat that's not close to as hot as the one they originally purchased. Obviously that leaves 95% of the population with a great composite stick for over a year... but it still leaves that other 5% high and dry.

I'm not screaming "FIRE"... but i am saying be careful.