Warming of the bat....

Saturday we were at the AAU bone wind chilling tournament in Concord. We had a heater in the dugout for the girls and the bats to keep them both at a decent tempature. We returned early Sunday morning, temps still in the freezing range, only to be told during the first game that we could not have our bats anywhere near the heater because it would be considered altering/modifying the bats, and that we did not purchase them that way. We of course obligied, but we have always done this when the temps were in the freezing range. This is the first time we have been approached by an umpire in this matter. Has anyone else had such an experience, and is this truly the case, is it illegal to warm your bat when the weather conditions are extreme?

Thanks....

 

I've done the same thing and never heard that it was illegal. I wasn't doing it to get any kind of advantage though. I was doing it to keep the bat from being ruined. Most new alum. bats aren't supposed to be used when the temp. is below 50. Not sure about composites. I guess I'll have to get my rule book out when I get home.

 

I believe it was beginning with last year's competition

 

yep its illegal, and i also was at the game. team we were playing were warming there bats, so i was told, asked the ump about it, he didnt see them but did give a warning, they were also putting bats under coats and blankets which is also illegal, ups said it was not, but it states in the rules no warming of bats in any way. if the other team had of warmed in an oven we still could not have made a play, we were awful and they were better. had fun anyway. and if i offended anyone im sorry, but you got 12 parents yelling cheating, when most of us know nothing was intentional about the bat warming incident, they were just a better team on that day, it happens so what we regroup and go back to practice to get better......scott

 

This wasnt done to have any dis-respect, cheat or have any type of advantage over the other team. It was done purely to prevent any damage to the bat (expensive bats at that!) in extreme temps. (We split games with our team 1-1.) My surprise was that we had done it the day prior and nothing was said.. so I guess my confusion was the inconsistency, and wether it was truly a rule. Now, if it is a rule, and most of you have indicated it is, what do the colleges do that are located in cold areas, such as APP?

 

i agree 110% bats are too expensive to be damaged from the cold, i personally do not see anything wrong with warming a bat when its cold......scott

 

If this is true, what will they say next...that you can't keep your bat in your batbag either??

 

Visiting teams on the bus.....

.....won't be able to have heat to stay warm!?????.....altering a bat?.....HMMMM, wheres Wndmllr when we need him?

 

ED.....Of course it works.....

...thats why we do it! No really, there is the "break" factor. The issue of hitting a hard ball with a "non performing" bat. I don't have a clue when it comes to why a "heated" or for better words, the "temperature of a bat at contact" is an issue, but I do know that $209.00 went down the drain when DD connected playing the Flames in Feb. that won't happen again. I'll throw this out IN GENERAL to TBR, .....where is the line drawn in the sand, so to speak, when bat warming starts? Is it the second that the bat crosses the firstbase line? how 'bout going into the dugout? Can a player leave her bat on the dashboard inside the car, so that the sun has an influence? This rule has way too many holes!