Rule 3 Section 7 - Warming/Cooling Devices

[RedDirtDad]

This may have already been discussed but I still would like feedback on bat warmers since winter is upon us. Obviously, as parents we want to protect our daughter's equipment, especially since bats aren't cheap...!

Last winter, several girls on my daughter's softball team busted their bats when temperatures dropped below 40*, including my own daughter. Fortunately, DeMarini was kind enough to mail out a replacement as it was still under warranty. This winter, however, I don't want to go through the hassle of returning another busted bat.

I had noticed that PyroFlite Bat Warmer is claiming their bat warmer is ASA approved. It cites the 2010 Playing Rule Changes: Warming sleeves on bats are now approved.

HOWEVER, upon closer review of 2012 ASA Rule 3 Section 7: The characteristics of any approved equipment cannot be unnaturally changed. Examples include icing, cooling or heating of any equipment. Warming devices for bats are NOT approved.
Comment: Science has proven heating of bats with warming devices adds to batted ball speed and are now illegal.

I'm going out on a limb here and say this change now makes PyroFlite Bat Warmer or any kind of bat warmers, illegal. What is your interpretation of Rule 3 Section 7?

[Comp]

In HS ball warmers have always been illegal. ASA did allow them for a couple of years, but then went back and did more testing and as you have indicated in the 2012 rule citing, they are being declared illegal again.

[GIMNEPIWO]

In HS ball warmers have always been illegal. ASA did allow them for a couple of years, but then went back and did more testing and as you have indicated in the 2012 rule citing, they are being declared illegal again.

That is not to say that you can't put your bat back inside the bat bag, out of the wind, wrapped in a towel etc etc ... As long as the towel wasn't in a crock pot or clothes dryer

[AlwaysImprove]

It is a catch 22. The only thing a bat warmer can possibly ever do is change the physical characteristics of the bat. If they are not changing the physical characteristics of the bat, then they would not do anything. Temperature is definitely a physical characteristic. When talking about batted ball speeds temperature is definitely one of the most important characteristics.

I suspect with an aluminum bat, exposed to much of a temperature difference, it will loose the heat in about 1 minute.

I went to a slow pitch game once where they had a 55 gallon drum with a propane burner in it. They put so much heat to their bats they had melted all the grips off their bats.

I was not aware ASA had ever specifically allowed bat warmers. I am curious if anyone knows if the 2010 rule was intentional or a typo?

[Bretman]

The 2010 change was intentional. It's listed as a change in the front of rule book that year. As I recall, when this was changed it was based upon testing ASA had done indicating that when used as intended by the manufacturer bat warming devices did not change the performance of bats significantly.

Additional testing done since then has shown that when not used as intended by the manufactuter, bat warming devices could potentially produce enough heat that they could change the bat's characteristics enough to put it over the maximum batted ball speed spec.

So...bat warmers were illegal...then they were illegal...and now they're illegal again.

[MTR]

The bat warmers were being tested at the same time the ABI issue came about and the priority was shifted away from the effects of warming a bat back to how hot a bat became after break-in period.

I had a conversation with Dr. Smith (in Colo. Springs) about this and he stated that what testing had been done showed that the effects on the bat dissipated so quickly upon removal from the warmer, that there was no advantage gained by the time the batter made contact with the ball. IOW, they would have had to hit the ball in the same motion of removing the bat from the warmer to gain any advantage.

It was strange that the same year ASA decided to allow manufactured bat warmers was the same year the NCAA & NFHS became specific about not allowing them.

Once they returned to testing and found that these warmers were apparently being amped up and some teams were literally using flame and forms of industrial heaters to warm the bats, further testing showed that this heating did create a lasting change in the characteristic of the bat to the level that there was an advantage when hitting the ball, so ASA moved back in line with the NCAA & NFHS in this matter.

[RedDirtDad]

So the ruling is bat warmers are illegal. I guess the only other way to protect an expensive composite bat is to use a cheap one.

[MTR]

So the ruling is bat warmers are illegal. I guess the only other way to protect an expensive composite bat is to use a cheap one.

Or don't play when it is cold.

[SnocatzDad]

I think one of the issues in the winter (especially in the northern states) isn't so much the temperature at the indoor playing field, it's the temperature outside. It may be 60-65 degrees at game time which is marginal for the bats, but if the bat sat in the garage overnight at -20, you have a problem, or if you drove to the game in a vehicle that doesn't have heated trunk space that's a problem too.

Check which rules are being used in the offseason as well, pretty rare for offseason to be run under NFHS rules, not sure if that would even be legal, ASA says no, but USSSA says yes and other orgs may also allow.

IMO anything that keeps the bat between ambient temperature and body temperature shouldn't be looked at as altering unless your going to ban sticking the bat under your armpit in the batters circle, If you can fry an egg on your bat your cheating .

[MTR]

I think one of the issues in the winter (especially in the northern states) isn't so much the temperature at the indoor playing field, it's the temperature outside. It may be 60-65 degrees at game time which is marginal for the bats, but if the bat sat in the garage overnight at -20, you have a problem, or if you drove to the game in a vehicle that doesn't have heated trunk space that's a problem too.

Check which rules are being used in the offseason as well, pretty rare for offseason to be run under NFHS rules, not sure if that would even be legal, ASA says no, but USSSA says yes and other orgs may also allow.

IMO anything that keeps the bat between ambient temperature and body temperature shouldn't be looked at as altering unless your going to ban sticking the bat under your armpit in the batters circle, If you can fry an egg on your bat your cheating .

And my point, and it is a personal opinion and I understand it does not go with the flow, is that you don't play when it is cold, North, South, East or West. Just my preference. Never liked playing when it was cold. Hate umpiring when it is cold. And it isn't the cold. I'm a, well was before the new knee, skier and love standing on the top of mountains in January.

I know how taboo it is to think it is a warm weather game, but that is the way I view it.