Montana Jury Awards $850,000 in Aluminum Bat Lawsuit

$49.95 & 24.95--ash and maple adult bats

 

Does this mean I could have sued the owners of the field where my DD tore her ACL because they had no warning sign about injuries at softball practice?

If the bat was not defective and was "legal" this should have been thrown out of court.

Any desent human being is going to feel sick for a parent who lost a child. You hate to see any kid get hurt playing anythig, but where does the responsibility stop and start when something tragic occurs on the playing field? The player, the coaches, the school, the equipment manufacture?

We go through life signing waiver forms and contracts to conduct our daily lives, and it means absolutely nothing.

 

I am not a proponent of lawsuits, but are you really surprised?



Each year the manufacturers improve their products. Yes, I know we now have "Bat Speed Exit Ratios" (BSER) that are meant to compensate and result in a ball leaving a metal bat at no greater a velocity than it would from a wooden bat. How is it that the "powers that be" in the NCAA are missing such an easy point, that most of us easily see?

Fewer players can hit a ball with a wood bat at the same velocity as those with a metal bat. We all know that it has to do with swing mechanics and bat speed, etc. This is proven each year by the number of great or very good college hitters than can not make the transition to hitting every at bat in professional baseball, with a wood bat.

A couple of more reasons for the disparity between the results of a batted ball off of a wood bat and those of a collegiate certified metal bat:



* Length to weight differential - College metal bats are allowed a -3 differential. In other words a 33 inch bat can weigh no less than 30 ounces
Most wood bats are within 1 or 2 ounces when discussing length to weight differential and in many cases the length and weight are the same (33 inches long - 33 ounces)
* Weight distribution - Metal bat manufacturers have developed the technique of moving the weight around in a metal bat. Pick up a bat catalog and you will see bats advertising "end loaded" or "core balanced" I have even seen one ad that states "We put the weight out in the barrel of the bat for maximum whip action."

The weight is much more evenly distributed in a wood bat

 

Being a little cynical here.... but maybe this lawsuit will be a benefit to Louisville Bats... how many competitors of theirs make wooden bats? Is $800,000 is cheap way to eliminate quite a few Aluminum and Composite only bat manufacturers.

 

I will have to disagree.FastPitch softball has less reaction time than baseball because of the closeness played.Changing the bats is not the solution.Upping protective equipment such as Softball has with the facemasks.They have made base coaches wear helmets now because of baseball accidents.being able to react upon hit is due to the position a player is going to play.If you're going to change the bats.You should go ahead and move everyone to the outfield and recreate the game.Only reasons baseball hasn't picked up the facemask program,is because of pride.I really feel for this Family.I would not know how I would be.But blaming someone or something that has been played the same way for centuries like Nascar.Keep the competition coming but up the protective equipment as the game progresses.My prayers are definitely with this family.

 

What will happen if more lawsuits occur will be the banning of the bats by the cities and counties that own the parks were softball is played. You already see this happening in California adult league softball where the city has a banned bat list.

In reality, the facemask is not enough protection so mandating that wont stop injuries, maybe reduce them.

 

Let's be honest.How many parks,games,leagues heve you seen check all bats for Abanned bat list.In our area.MS,HS,Rec.We could be using rolled bats and the umps never check them.I hate to say this.but this accident will die in the wind and $800,000.00 is a drop in the bucket.That is 2,857 bats at $280.00 each.They probably sold 10 times that worldwide yesterday.Nothing we do to protect our kids will stop injuries,but I really like the thought of reducing the risk of the severity of the injury.and yes I used A calculator.

 

That's the goal I'm wanting--to reduce the severity of the injury and lessen the risk of the injury.

When helmet cages were being debated there was all kinds of disagreement about their necessity. Now, it's not even a thought. How many faces have been saved from severe lifelong injury? I know of several.

I believe the actions of the NCAA will finally check the continuous efforts to sidestep safety features. A composite bat that hits like a wood bat I think is a good answer. There will still be danger but that's part of the game.

I suspect from all the news you hear about the increase in home runs that there are quite a few rolled/shaved bats being used. I hope some kid doesn't have to pay a high price because someone doesn't follow the rules. But if they do they deserve whatever lawsuits follow.

 

Armor Is The Answer

Let's put all the kids in a medieval armor suits that way nothing can hurt them. When I was playing ball the head gear we use to wear it only covered the side of the head and ears, no face protection at all. We didn't have all the leg protection, elbow protection, etc...I just don't know how we made it through the game......LOL



My 1st little league game !!!

 

I was just putting out what could come of it. I dont know of any parks in the east that enforce a baned bat list but I do know that it is done in California and this was before a big lawsuit.

It is happening in other areas of the country. See links below. I am not saying it will happen here, only that this is the type of thing that brings it about.
Huntington Beach Banned bat list

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS196596+23-Feb-2009+PRN20090223

http://www.cityofclarksville.com/PARKS&REC/pdf/%272009FallCityGuidelinesforSoftball.pdf