Bat Heaters

[OhPhat]

All the bat manufacturers state to not use a composite bat in cold temps. With that said, is heating up a players bat during the game allowed in USSSA and ASA sanctioned tournaments?

 

[Comp]

The only sanction I am aware of currently allowing bat warmers is USSSA, and it has to be their approved bat warmer. In other words, one particular manufacturer paid a significant sum to be the one and only approved bat warmer for USSSA.

USA and NFHS do not allow any artificial warming of the bats.

 

[daboss]

One of the tricks we used years ago was to put the bat on the dash of the car and let the defroster blow on it on our way to a game. In the spring, school ball can bring on some bitter weather in Ohio and like most kids my daughter would take her bat bag to school in the back seat or in the trunk of her car. The ball field was a good drive away from the school. She would put her bat on the dash and have it toasty when she got to the park. When bat warmers became available we jumped to get one but they were quickly found illegal. I know some parents would warm the bags in the microwave and place the bats in them before the kids left for school. The girls removed the bats in their car leaving the warmers behind. Was this illegal? I don't know. Never asked, never cared since I was the one buying the bats. Never had one thrown out because it was room temperature in a 35-degree dugout. I have seen them throw the warmers out and issue a warning but most bats get thrown out because they are damaged when checked.

Cold weather ruins more bats than you can ever imagine. Even if they survive a frosty spring it seems to take the longevity out of a bat. We never used the designated school bats for travel ball. They were doomed from the first use in Feb. so why chance a bat failure in an important game. We'd have 2 bats that many times were twins but kept the school bat for just that, cold weather use.

 

[wow]

I have seen kids use the larger hand warmers (2 or 3 of them) placed strategically inside a bat bag.

I like the dash board thing.

 

[Comp]

The bat wont hold heat for more than 10-15 minutes at best, after that it will be right back to the surrounding temperature. And if the umpire does find the bat is being artificially warmed, the bat is suppose to be removed for the remainder of the game as an illegally altered bat.

 

[Sbcraze]

I have done the car heater trick but by the time she warms up and the game starts the bat is cold. Dont think it matters much if the bat is warm cause she's still hitting a cold ball. Buy an aluminum bat same weight and length and let it take the punishment.

 

[Xrayaries]

Best bat warmer is the battery heated sock.

 

[Comp]

Best bat warmer is the battery heated sock.

And illegal in every sanction. Do not get caught doing it.

 

[Xrayaries]

Oh I know. I used them when I played many years ago. Or you can be Pedro Cerano. "Hat Keeps bat warm." He used a golf club head protector.

 

[Ohio USSSA Pride 05]

The issue is colder temperatures increase ball compression = harder ball. When temperatures are under 60 degrees the ball has more potential to damage the bat upon contact. If you are not willing to sacrifice the bat do not use it in colder temperatures.

 

[Johnnyfootball]

Not sure about your reasoning behind a colder, harder ball has more compression than a ball being used in 80 degree weather. The idea behind ruining a bat is that the ball doesn't compress so it would be like hitting a stone or steel ball with your bat, which you would never want to do. I think that a colder harder ball would decrease ball compression and would be the factor in damage to you bat.

 

[Ohio USSSA Pride 05]

"Ball Compression" is actually a measure of a"Balls Hardness". Maybe instead of an equal sign beside the word compression I should have used (parenthesis)
Ball compression Increases when temperature decreases.

It affects the performance of hollow bats, which increases with compression.

 

[Johnnyfootball]

Ohio USSSA, you still have things turned around in your post. The harder the ball, the less it will compress when hit with a bat or anything else. Think about hitting in cold weather if you have ever done so. What do you think stings the players hands and doesn't let the ball go as far, less ball (and bat compression). Read the explanation below for convincing evidence or just google to be even more convinced.

http://www.justbatreviews.com/hit-composite-bat-cold-weather/

 

[Ohio USSSA Pride 05]

I think it is just the terminology and understanding when using "BALL COMPRESSION" as it relates to the "COMPRESSION VALUES".

Let me try it this way.

Ball compression is a measure of how hard a softball is. The higher the compression, the harder the ball, and generally, the farther it will fly. Compression is measured by how many pounds of force are needed to squeeze two sides of the ball in by a total of one-quarter of an inch. If a test shows that it takes 375 pounds of force to squeeze the ball by one-quarter inch, the ball is certified as a 375 pound compression ball. So as the compression increases the ball is harder. 375 pound compression ball is softer than a 525 pound compressed ball.

So 525 is an increase in compression compared to the 375 pound compression. As the temperature drops the compression increases, meaning that 375 pound compression rated ball ball gets harder in cold weather and the amount of compression will be higher with the same ball that was tested at 72 degrees. I believe the numbers for every 10 degree drop in temp relates to 60 more pounds compression increase to achieve the .250" squeeze

 

[swaves]

I've seen a high school team put the bats down their dad's carhartt coat during the game. When they were up, out they came and when they finished back down the coat they went.

 

[FastBat]

I had no idea bat warmers were illegal. My dad gave my dd, his bat warmer last early spring for a tournament in Michigan. He plays slow pitch softball and lives in florida..so who knows why he would bother with an actual bat warmer, but I guess my dd's Grandpa almost got her bat tossed!