Bat rolling, and shaving. Really??? (The Softball Zone Radio Show Thread of the Week)

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

This person should be called out for the safety of the pitchers who face his team. It's a shame that someone has to cheat with the threat of serious injury being even thought of. This is a very sad and serious situation for the fast pitch community. This person needs stopped.

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

WOW!!! This is a shame...I saw this thread and immediately called my pitchers parents and told them to purchase heart guards. I was at my daughters college game a couple of weeks ago and saw a pitcher take a bullet off of her right chest and though about what might have happened had that hit her in the heart...SCARY!!! This is my 18th season coaching girls in this region and I have seen our sport becoming more and more cut throat over the years but now this...really? Our players work so hard for YEARS the HONEST way by going to their hitting instructors, offensive practices and spending countess hours on the tee into to the net to become the best hitters they can be. If this coach is actually doing this then all of us coaching in 12U should know who it is so we can be prepared. I always understood that the punishment if proven was a lifetime banishment from the specific association...can anyone substantiate that? We all know that the softball world is a small and tightly knitted community. If this is found to be true then I believe that softball "Karma" will serve its justice on whoever this person is.

Coach Sonny

 

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I know the in the slowpitch world of mens softball it is a lifetime ban. These are all the same associations the the girls play under so i would assume the same applies. I dont understand why it has crept into the fastpitch game these are young girls and the impact of having one of these girls hurt would be catastrophic over something that could be stopped. I know at the NSA world series in Chattanooga last year it was brought up in the coaches meeting. They had a machine on site and if a player was injured from a batted ball the bat was to be conficated and tested. They really didnt go into detail about the ramifications though. And for the Record ROLLING is also ILLEGAL. Its in all the associations rulebooks. Its considered no different than shaving one... its bat tampering

 

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I would like to think that a coach would not provide a player an altered bat that he knows will put another child at risk, but if my child or anyone on my team is injured as a result of such foolishness, I promise you a lifetime ban will be the least of this person's worries...

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

Compression testing machine portable model $ 850.00 plus shipping. Checked online... Doesnt seem like an insane amount to ensure player saftey and get the idiots out of this sport. Problem is you can also buy these bats already done online. GIRLS FASTPITCH BATS! Slowpitch everyone knew mens bats were availble like this it has been done for a while thats how it squirmed its way into this sport. Google it you ll find these slimballs. there s one in the cincy/northern ky area

 

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I was told that one of these coaches who provides his players a rolled bat was involved in a game this past weekend and one of his players drilled ? 2-0 pitch and hit the pitcher. An excellent pitcher with a lot of athletic ability. Fortunately she was not severely injured.

Coach, if this is true and you are reading this thread, you need to take your bats back and make sure they are only used when you are pitching BP. (Without a screen)

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

I am starting to think we need to call BS on this. If there are this many people that know about this, and who he/she is but no one calls him/her out it sounds a lot like BS or rumor. Now if NSA/ASA/etc is notified with real facts that is one thing. But hesaidshesaid stacked up only goes so far.

The fact is any coach/parent that uses this type service has no business in the sport, and everyone that knows about it and does nothing is equally at fault.

One way to attack the people/businesses that roll and shave bats is to send them a note and tell them that if they are found to have altered a fastpitch bat and it is used in competition they will be turned in to ASA. Remind them of the award of 100k that ASA received.

 

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my thought as well.

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

Give it time to work out . It's not BS . No fire may be found but the smoke is real .

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

I was told that one of these coaches who provides his players a rolled bat was involved in a game this past weekend and one of his players drilled ? 2-0 pitch and hit the pitcher. An excellent pitcher with a lot of athletic ability. Fortunately she was not severely injured.

Coach, if this is true and you are reading this thread, you need to take your bats back and make sure they are only used when you are pitching BP. (Without a screen)

This is the main reason why this thread was started.

Hey detective, while you give your 45 minute speech on why it's ok to use an illegal bat, you may want to also cover ORC 2903.13 on simple assault.

To to all else on the witch hunt, and demanding names, be patient and let it play out.

 

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The fact of the matter for all of us is that these are our kids, playing a GAME they love. If there are facts on the matter, then it needs to come out. You talk about due time, but if this person is playing this weekend, then due time for some young girls safety may be too late. Harsh reality but true possibility. If there is someone doing it then they honestly do not care one ounce about these girls on the field, only their EGO, and a win loss record that may get them in some spotlight. Regardless of what this guy has to say for himself, that fact remains. From reading on here before, the very beginning of this thread gives it away IMHO

 

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i came across the site bigdawgsports.com i believe it is not sure...while googling the verbiage on all associations rules regarding bat tampering. its just a shame that this has come to the fast pitch world where kids are involved.

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

you can get these bats all over the web. I am sure that it is not just this coach if it is true about all of this. I am sure that there is a kid that has a dad in the slowpitch game that has seen what these bats are like and they want their dd to stand out and want everyone to think it is natural ability and that is what is sad.

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

The sanctioning bodies struggle enforcing roster rules and age eligibility not to mention A teams playing in B level events so, the bat issue is a another can of worms for them that they struggle with. PEDs and supplements are just around the corner...

There are so many things that play into deciding if a bat has been altered and who would be held responsible. A legal bat purchased at DICKS could be found illegal if the player uses a hurricane, hitting stick, hits machine balls or just flat out hits a ton of balls for practice.
You also have to understand that a bat legal in USSSA may not be legal in ASA, ISA, NSA etc.There is also a big difference in how a tournament is advertized with bat and other rules.

At 10,12,14 "most tournaments" are sanctioned with one of the sanctioning bodies however; if it is not a metro, state or national event your chances of getting caught cheating in any of the above areas are slim because they do not have the resources to check rosters, bats etc.

At 16 and above there are more events that are NOT SANCTIONED. Some do say modified ASA rules others while just consider it "expedition play" such as some showcase events or combines where a collection of girls get together to play in front of college coaches however; even some of these events have rules about college players participating that get ignored!

So, say you buy a bat at play it again sports and it fails a test who is held accountable? Buy a bat from Craigs list or e bay and they fail who pays?
Let me tell you... the players that are now playing!!!

Mens slow pitch is declining in numbers big time from the above issues. Girls fastpitch (unlike boys baseball) will suffer the same fate.
Higher insurance premiums, cost for supplying balls, higher tournament fees will impact the cost of play and the numbers of players playing the sport.

I had a mens team from 1984-1995. Rule/tournament changes only increased my cost to the point I folded the team..
Having to supply 12 balls per tournament adds up and we were using 12 per game... Using junk balls that the ladies will be seeing in the next few years only benefits the bat and ball manufactures and they all battle to be on the sanctioning bodies approved list.
TDs will pass on the additional cost and will not want to keep supplying balls when they have to put 6 or more in a game.
Those that were around in the late 90s remember the ball changes in co-ed and mens and the things teams would do to circumvent these changes.

For one to say these things will "work themselves out" is putting their head in the sand?

Softball GREAT Sue Enquist said it best..."If you know something is wrong step out of the GREY area and live in the black and white"!!!
If you are not part of a solution you are part of the problem... She has several great training videos for the younger and older players...

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

If real...there are parents of kids "letting" this go on too. So a deranged coach and sick arse parents are on the hook with them. Sad sad adults.

Do us a favor...get your kid, cheating bat, shallow ego, and go home. Buy some 1st place ribbons and smile on your home video camera as you award yourself and kid hourly because you need it. And do it in a room full of mirrors. You need help. My guess is the parent got lucky with a daughter that can probably already hit somewhat to decent (thank god for the athleteic mail man) anyway and is off setting the fact that as a child they (the parent) were picked up last on every kick ball and dodge ball team they were plucked into during a forced school event. Siiiiickoooo

 

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I agree coach dennis i played against some great teams from your area as well as great players. and all of the above killed mens slow pitch. The difference here is these are young girls that adults are to be responsible for. Ignorance is no excuse its a matter of time before someones daughter gets severely injured with a rolled or shaved bat. its happened elsewhere we are no different in the tri state area to think that it can't happen here.

 

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Dang. Can we just get a hint? Did they play last weekend? Can I buy a vowel?

 

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Another bad part of this is the child using these bats will be punished as well and chances are they have no idea they are breaking the rules.

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

I agree coach dennis i played against some great teams from your area as well as great players. and all of the above killed mens slow pitch. The difference here is these are young girls that adults are to be responsible for. Ignorance is no excuse its a matter of time before someones daughter gets severely injured with a rolled or shaved bat. its happened elsewhere we are no different in the tri state area to think that it can't happen here.

VIPERS44 I agree with what you say… look at how many post there are for used bat sales. I can assure you any used CF bat has about a 50/50 chance of passing acompression test.
So, like you I say buyer beware...I do agree that if any coach is aware of a player or team using illegal equipment, etc it needs to be addressed in all venues ASAP. (Do not fear the cheaters) that is what they are banking on…and remember, Sometimes the court of public opinion has more punch than our other system…

 

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Re: Bat rolling, and shaving. Really???

It does not even have to be a used bat to not pass the compression test I have seen new bats not pass because the bat manufacturers are pushing the limits of exit speed so that their bat is the hottest bat on the market.