According to Major League Baseball, 2,232 baseball bats were broken by batters from July through the end of the regular season. 756 of these bats broke into multiple pieces. An MLB investigation team was brought in after several high-profile accidents that seriously injured spectators, a base coach and eventually a plate umpire. In addition, a series of close calls were reported, including one with the team president and another with Bobby Cox, manager of the Atlanta Braves. The researchers found that maple bats were three times more likely to break into multiple pieces than more traditional ash bats.
The researchers’ recommendations were presented to MLB in December. While there are likely numerous reasons for the dramatic breaks fans are seeing with maple, researchers are currently focusing on the wood grain structure for maple bats. In particular, the grain of the maple should be as straight as possible. Unlike ash, maple’s straight grains are more difficult to find. Regardless of the type of wood, the researchers believe bats are much more likely to fail when the so-called “grain slope” is greater than one inch over the bat’s 20-inch length (just under 3 degrees). Also, the face of the bat that hits the ball needs to be reconfigured by moving the trademark a quarter turn for the maple.
To this end, investigators have made a series of recommendations to MLB, and these recommendations have essentially become regulations. Below is a summary of these standards:
- Bats must meet a grain slope requirement of just under 3 degrees for the handle and taper regions.
- Bat makers must place an ink dot on the front grain side of the neck of maple and birch bats to measure the lean angle
- The hitting surface for maple and birch should be the grain of the face, not the rim, which means a quarter turn (90 degrees) for the placement of trademarks on bats.
- Maple and birch bat handles should have a natural or clear finish (to see the grain and ink dot)
- Bat manufacturers need a system to track maple and birch bats leaving their stores
- Bat makers must participate in an MLB-sponsored workshop on wood engineering and grading
- Bat manufacturers will be visited and audited for manufacturing processes and tracking systems.
- Audits will also take place randomly (sound familiar?) at ballparks
- An ongoing third-party certification program needs to be established to deal with any new innovations that emerge in the future.
Additionally, Major League Baseball has doubled its bat certification fee from $5,000 per company to $10,000. They have also doubled the liability insurance requirement from $5 million to $10 million.
Ultimately, these measures are expected to reduce the number of dangerous snapping bat episodes for everyone who enjoys the American pastime. However, these may only be the first steps to be taken. Only time will tell.
