Before you go about the business of shopping for a baseball bat, you need to be aware of the regulations that cover acceptable bat dimensions and materials. If you are thinking why a simple task such as this needs to be complicated, the answer lies in the all-important job of maintaining fairness in the game. When aluminum and composite bats were introduced, people began to notice that hitters became too good. Way too good, in fact, that some complained that the discrepancy in the performance between wood and non-wood bat wielders was too stark. The number of home-runs increased many times over, and it was just not exciting to fans anymore. What was happening was no longer good for the sport.
Something had to be done. Non-wood bats would be retained for use in non-professional tournaments only, but primarily for economical reasons. Non-wood bats are more durable than their wood counterparts, and therefore do not need to be replaced often. Sizes, weight, construction, materials and other relevant factors would have to be strictly regulated, however.
So there you go. There is a very good reason why a simple task such as buying a baseball bat needs to be seemingly complicated. But it is not really that complicated. So long as you keep a few important things in mind, you should have only a few problems.
To begin wih, despite some differences among sanctioning bodies, there are regulations that are universally accepted. Some obvious requirements are that bats should be straight, smooth, rounded and made of wood or of materials and colors deemed acceptable. Non-wood bats of certain lengths, diameters and materials need to be BBCOR-certified. BBCOR (stands for “Bat-Ball Coefficient Restitution”) certification is all about keeping the trampoline effect to a certain level. The extra flexibility of non-wood bats gives the ball an extra push, which is something that wood bats have none or very little of. It has superseded the BESR, or the “Bat Exit Speed Ratio”, which measured the ratio of ball exit speed to the combined speed of a pitched ball and a swung bat.
Another important element that should make your job easy is the presence of your league organization/sanctioning body's stamp on your bat. If your bat does not have it, have the bat inspected and verified for use by your league officials.
The following are some organization-specific bat rules and regulations.
PONY Baseball
PONY Baseball requires that all bats, wood and non-wood, for all tournament levels be not larger than 2 5/8 inches in diameter at thickest part (which means that 2 ¾ inches bats are prohibited).
Only 2 ¼ inches non-wood bats with a Bat Performance Factor (BPF) of 1.15 or less throughout the life of the bat are allowed in all PONY baseball levels of play. All new non-wood bats must have the “approved for play in PONY Baseball” and “BPF 1.15” stamps. Wood and non-wood bats with a drop weight of -3 must be BBCOR-certified. All BBCOR stamps should be silk-screened or placed through other permanent stamping means.
Little League
Little League (Majors). Little League (Majors) bats are restricted to 33 inches in length and only 2 ¼ inches in diameter at the thickest part (anything higher is illegal). As in PONY Baseball, non-wood bats should be marked “BPF 1.5” or less.
Junior League. Junior League baseball requires that bats should not be more than 34 inches long and 2 5/8 inches in diameter at the thickest part. Wood bats should not be less than 15/16 (fifteen-sixteenths) inch in diameter at its smallest part (for bats less than 30 inches, it should be 7/8 inch). The BBCOR stamp should be rectangular, a minimum of ½ inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.
Senior League. Senior League bats should not be more than 36 inches long, not more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter at the thickest part and if wood should not be less than 15/16 inches in diameter at its smallest part (for bats less than 30 inches, it should be 7/8 inch). The drop weight should be -3. Bats that are not made of a single piece of wood need to be BBCOR-certified. The stamp should be rectangular, a minimum of a half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color. Aluminum and composite bats need to have a mark indicating their material makeup. Said mark should have a minimum of ½ inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.
USSSA
USSSA bats are classified as small barrel and big barrel. Small barrel bats are those that are not more than 2¼ inches in diameter at their thickest part, while big barrel bats are those measure between 2¼ and 2 ¾ inches in diameter at their thickest part. Both should not be more than 36 inches long and 31 ounces in weight, including the tape or grip. Non-wood bats should have the BBCOR and USSSA marks.
If you are still doubtful whether your bat is acceptable by your league or not, visit your organization's website and go over their list of approved and unapproved bats.
Something had to be done. Non-wood bats would be retained for use in non-professional tournaments only, but primarily for economical reasons. Non-wood bats are more durable than their wood counterparts, and therefore do not need to be replaced often. Sizes, weight, construction, materials and other relevant factors would have to be strictly regulated, however.
So there you go. There is a very good reason why a simple task such as buying a baseball bat needs to be seemingly complicated. But it is not really that complicated. So long as you keep a few important things in mind, you should have only a few problems.
To begin wih, despite some differences among sanctioning bodies, there are regulations that are universally accepted. Some obvious requirements are that bats should be straight, smooth, rounded and made of wood or of materials and colors deemed acceptable. Non-wood bats of certain lengths, diameters and materials need to be BBCOR-certified. BBCOR (stands for “Bat-Ball Coefficient Restitution”) certification is all about keeping the trampoline effect to a certain level. The extra flexibility of non-wood bats gives the ball an extra push, which is something that wood bats have none or very little of. It has superseded the BESR, or the “Bat Exit Speed Ratio”, which measured the ratio of ball exit speed to the combined speed of a pitched ball and a swung bat.
Another important element that should make your job easy is the presence of your league organization/sanctioning body's stamp on your bat. If your bat does not have it, have the bat inspected and verified for use by your league officials.
The following are some organization-specific bat rules and regulations.
PONY Baseball
PONY Baseball requires that all bats, wood and non-wood, for all tournament levels be not larger than 2 5/8 inches in diameter at thickest part (which means that 2 ¾ inches bats are prohibited).
Only 2 ¼ inches non-wood bats with a Bat Performance Factor (BPF) of 1.15 or less throughout the life of the bat are allowed in all PONY baseball levels of play. All new non-wood bats must have the “approved for play in PONY Baseball” and “BPF 1.15” stamps. Wood and non-wood bats with a drop weight of -3 must be BBCOR-certified. All BBCOR stamps should be silk-screened or placed through other permanent stamping means.
Little League
Little League (Majors). Little League (Majors) bats are restricted to 33 inches in length and only 2 ¼ inches in diameter at the thickest part (anything higher is illegal). As in PONY Baseball, non-wood bats should be marked “BPF 1.5” or less.
Junior League. Junior League baseball requires that bats should not be more than 34 inches long and 2 5/8 inches in diameter at the thickest part. Wood bats should not be less than 15/16 (fifteen-sixteenths) inch in diameter at its smallest part (for bats less than 30 inches, it should be 7/8 inch). The BBCOR stamp should be rectangular, a minimum of ½ inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.
Senior League. Senior League bats should not be more than 36 inches long, not more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter at the thickest part and if wood should not be less than 15/16 inches in diameter at its smallest part (for bats less than 30 inches, it should be 7/8 inch). The drop weight should be -3. Bats that are not made of a single piece of wood need to be BBCOR-certified. The stamp should be rectangular, a minimum of a half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color. Aluminum and composite bats need to have a mark indicating their material makeup. Said mark should have a minimum of ½ inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.
USSSA
USSSA bats are classified as small barrel and big barrel. Small barrel bats are those that are not more than 2¼ inches in diameter at their thickest part, while big barrel bats are those measure between 2¼ and 2 ¾ inches in diameter at their thickest part. Both should not be more than 36 inches long and 31 ounces in weight, including the tape or grip. Non-wood bats should have the BBCOR and USSSA marks.
If you are still doubtful whether your bat is acceptable by your league or not, visit your organization's website and go over their list of approved and unapproved bats.
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