Like everything else in society, buying a baseball bat today is a lot more complicated than it used to be. When bats were made exclusively out of wood, one simply needed to get a bat that was the right weight and the right length. Nowadays, bats can be made out of aluminum, wood, or composite materials. Different bats will have different properties, and each bat may feel different to the hitter because of what it is made out of. [Read more...]
Bat Rule Change for 2012 Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Baseball
Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken players, coaches and families need to be aware of important BAT rule changes announced by Babe Ruth National for the 2012 Cal Ripken (12 and under) and the Babe Ruth 13-15 baseball divisions.
Cal Ripken Baseball Division 12 and Under
The bat may not exceed 33”in length, and the bat barrel may not exceed 2 ¼” in diameter. Only 2 ¼” barrel non-wood bats marked BPF 1.15 will be allowed. Wood 2 ¼” barrel bats are allowed.
Babe Ruth Baseball Division 13-15
The bat may not exceed 34” in length, and the bat barrel may not exceed 2 5/8” in diameter. All aluminum/alloy barrel bats and all composite handle (only) aluminum/alloy barrels are allowed. Only composite barrel bats certified and marked BBCOR .50 will be allowed. Wood barrel bats conforming to the specifications of Official Baseball Rule 1.10 are allowed.
While rule changes for Babe Ruth 16-18 division have also been announced by Babe Ruth National, the Willamette Valley Babe Ruth league which Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth is part of does not field teams in the 16-18 division.
Update applies as of 11/14/2011
WVBR states the following should you need further clarification of the Babe Ruth National batting rules.
Cal Ripken Division: All bats must be stamped with the “BPF (Bat Performance Factor) 1.15” in order to be used in the Cal Ripken Divisions. This includes all composite barrel bats.
13-15 Prep: Only composite barrel bats certified and marked BBCOR .50 will be allowed. All aluminum/alloy barrel bats and all composite handle (only) aluminum/alloy barrels are allowed. Wood barrel bats conforming to the specifications of Official Baseball Rule 1.10 are allowed.
In other words, the aluminum/alloy barrel bats and all composite handle (only) aluminum/alloy barrel bats do not require a BBCOR .50 stamp, only the composite barrel bats require the BBCOR stamp. There are no weight restrictions on the aluminum/alloy barrel bats. BBCOR composite barrel bats must meet the -3 weight criteria.
Babe Ruth National has further published the following penalty for the use of an illegal bat.
PENALTY
If the illegal bat is discovered prior to a batter completing his “at bat” the bat is simply removed from play and the “at bat” continues.
A player who uses an illegal bat or non-conforming barrel dimension and hits a fair ball will be ruled out. No advancement on the bases will be allowed, and any outs during the play shall stand. This is an appeal play. The “at bat” will be considered legal once a pitch is thrown to the next batter.
Any bat discovered prior to the game that does not conform to the above rule shall be directed to be removed immediately and not be allowed for use during the game.
Sunday January 30th was a beautiful sunny day in Pleasant Hill, Oregon. We had another huge turnout for this years clinics and the kids had a fun day as they prepared for the Spring 2011 Willamette Valley Babe Ruth baseball season. The Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken evaluations for the Pleasant Hill area are next Saturday and Sunday February 5th and 6th at Pleasant Hill High School. Based on the clinics, this should be another great year for Billies youth baseball. [Read more...]
Youth baseball drills. Drills include the straight jacket drill, which keeps everything inside so your pivots are clean. These are great practice drills for youth baseball. The elbows stay over the hips and we stay in a stacked position with no leaning forward or back. Also, how to practice the knocking knuckles drill so whether the pitch is high or low, the top hand will always be under the bat. The idea of contact always places the hands in front of the body.
