Wood Bats Or Metal Stats? One Father's Perspective

May 12, 2010 - PRLog -- The entire issue of wood bats and the safety of our children goes before the California State Legislature in just a few weeks.  California’s North Coast Sectional baseball authority (NCS) has made it clear in a recent ruling that player’s statistics are more important than the safety of our youth. Performance at any cost is a pervasive mindset that had previously helped to justify the use of steroids, HGH and in some sectors, high tech metal bats. Some of these bats have names such as Voodoo, Stealth and are described in the latest popular baseball catalogue:  “the ball just soars off this bat. It feels like you’re swinging a toothpick and looks sick”.

The effect is clear to the professional and the layperson – anyone in attendance sees and hears the difference. MLB baseball prefers wood at every level of the sport and bans non-wood bats due to enhanced performance and risk of injury. Enhanced stats are no excuse to sacrifice the safety of our young players.

In reading the accounts of that NCS meeting, it appears that the decision was also based upon not wanting to change the rules in the middle of the season. Why would this be an argument if there were no difference in performance, as many of the Directors so stated? There is also the issue of cost.  My son, who is a teammate of a recently injured Marin Catholic High School player, states that at least for his team, they may go through about 10 bats for the season.

A player may spend several hundred dollars on a metal bat, which could easily pay for 3 or more wooden versions. I know you can argue that a metal bat will last several seasons but that is not always the case, as the boys will often replace as newer and better models are released – or the old ones are damaged.  The fact is that a wooden bat is far more inexpensive than a metal bat.  Replacing numerous wooden bats over the course of several seasons will almost never add up to the cost of just one metal bat.

It could also be argued that a change would not be fair to anyone who made a recent purchase of a metal bat, then being denied the chance to use it.  My response to all this is that the additional costs (as some contend) and inconvenience in helping to reduce the risk of injury is insignificant. One could also come up with numerous cost analogies, such as the cost of placing an airbag in a car or wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle. The risks and costs must be balanced.

Believe what you want, but there is a profound, documenatable and statistical basis evidencing the risk of injury when using a metal bat.  The entire bat is a so-called sweet spot and the trampoline effect drives the ball faster and more frequently. Our children are being injured, seriously and sometimes killed - by that same driving force from the bat. The extra speed allows for little or no reaction time.

God bless high school student Gunnar Sandberg as he continues his recovery from a horrible head injury. Let us hope that the NSC will at some point reconsider its decision, or that laws are implemented to force the protection of our players.

California is advancing legislation that would require a temporary metal bat ban in the state. AB 7, sponsored by Assemblyman Jared Huffman, comes before the State Legislature in the next few weeks.  It would implement a temporary ban on non-wood bats to allow further time to study the effects, injuries, alternatives and safety standards.  I urge you to support this bill.  The health and safety of our players is at stake.  Every day, further injuries occur.  Gunnar’s injury is a compelling reminder of what the status quo can bring.

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For more information on AB 7, contact Lawrence Cooper at (916) 319-2006 lawrence.cooper@asm.ca.gov

If you would like to make a contribution to the recovery of high school student Gunnar Sandberg, please make your check payable to The Gunnar Sandberg Fund and can be accepted at any Bank of Marin branch.