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Bats in general

Discussion in 'Softball Forum' started by cheeze105, Feb 16, 2009.

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  1. Feb 16, 2009 at 2:16 PM #1
    cheeze105

    cheeze105 Moderator Staff Member

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    most of you know i rep a couple of different companies, and in a conversation last week with one bat manuf. company, the conversation got really interesting.

    i'm not going to mention brand names, its not about dubbing a brand of bats, its about the bat companies period.

    in this conversation, we were discussing how crappy the composite bats were that everyone was coming out with, all toned down and fragile as heck. this is pretty common knowledge to most, no questions asked. i asked her what would everyone do to better this, and her response was: Nothing!!!

    She predicted it would happen like this: four of the five major bat companies were in the process of pushing ASA to come out with a 2010 stamp and thereby eliminate a group of bats that are still popular, hold up and widely used, but the new bats just dont compare with the old ones still in use. this would force you to purchase the bats now being produced whether you like them or not.....

    now if the ASA stamp for 2010 comes out this year, I'll know she knows whats she talking about.

    Discuss...............
     
  2. Feb 16, 2009 at 2:28 PM #2
    SIFan

    SIFan Full Access Member

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    It's about the money....and planned obsolescence

    Planned obsolescence (also built-in obsolescence in the United Kingdom) is the process of a product becoming obsolete and/or non-functional after a certain period or amount of use in a way that is planned or designed by the manufacturer.[1] Planned obsolescence has potential benefits for a producer because the product fails and the consumer is under pressure to purchase again, whether from the same manufacturer (a replacement part or a newer model), or from a competitor which might also rely on planned obsolescence. The purpose of planned obsolescence is to hide the real cost per use from the consumer, and charge a higher price than they would otherwise be willing to pay, or unwilling to spend all at once.
     
  3. Feb 16, 2009 at 3:30 PM #3
    Softball Guru

    Softball Guru Banned From TBR

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    Probably So !!



    They're probably tied in with OPEC !! Stop producing bats so the cost will go up on EBAY !!

    [​IMG]------------- Guru
     
  4. Feb 16, 2009 at 7:45 PM #4
    Gman13'sdad

    Gman13'sdad Full Access Member

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    I asked this before but didn't get an answer... if a bat delaminates (with normal use) in less than a year, will the companies replace the bat? In other words, what is the warranty?
     
  5. Feb 16, 2009 at 8:27 PM #5
    erms

    erms Full Access Member

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    Just spent a while turning over rocks to find an 07 Synergy. Probably (I know ) I paid too much for it. Kinda hurts to think it might get chunked.
     
  6. Feb 17, 2009 at 8:45 AM #6
    softball247

    softball247 Full Access Member

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    The strides that have been made in bat technology in the past 5 years is simply amazing. In 2004, I never dreamed of a 14U jacking two out all season. Now, I barely go through a tournament without seeing two or three over-the-fence homeruns. That being said, the bats are truly low-quality. Many of my players loved their 2008 Easton bats. Unfortunately, they are all falling apart. Do you tell them to go buy another Easton (or any other company for that matter) knowing that their $250.00 will be gone in 9 months? That's really tough...
     
  7. Feb 17, 2009 at 8:59 AM #7
    cheeze105

    cheeze105 Moderator Staff Member

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    i agree, most of the bats of 2009 are sub par and endurance is not being considered in any way. its time to go back to double wall bats or single wall bats if you want it to last more than one year...
     
  8. Feb 17, 2009 at 9:16 AM #8
    bothsportsdad

    bothsportsdad Full Access Member

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    The logical thing from a marketing perspective is to get the new stamp and produce a hot, yet fragile bat they everyone wants and will have to be replaced soon.

    The ethical thing is to build the best most durable product you can but in our throw away economy its hard to compete with this model... Maytag Appliances being one example.
     
  9. Feb 17, 2009 at 2:14 PM #9
    cheeze105

    cheeze105 Moderator Staff Member

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    thats right!!! i still have girls in college who are swinging a 2004 black rt, which is the other companies have their way, will not be allowed for use after the 2010 stamp is out.
     
  10. Feb 17, 2009 at 5:01 PM #10
    NA_Jacket

    NA_Jacket Full Access Member

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    New ASA rule changes

    Rule 3 Section 1 F: The bat shall be free of burrs, DENTS and visible cracks…
    Comment: This adds to the call out of the surface of the bat to be free of dents. Umpires will no longer have to identify if a dent is small enough for the bat ring to fit over the bat. If it has a dent the bat shall be removed from competition.

    "The official bat shall be smooth with a maximum surface roughness of 250 micro inches. It shall be free of burrs, dents, and visible cracks ...."

    This new rule will cost people a bunch of money. You will be hard pressed to find and bats after they used a couple of months that wont fail this. .000250 micro (millionths of) inches will eliminate any bat that you can feel the slightest imperfection on the barrel.

    When new standards were introduced for composite testing it basically put an end to hot composite bats. My opinion on this new dent rule is it was created by ASA because of pressure from the composite bat manufacturers. This rule now handicaps Anderson Bat Company that stood to take over the market after the new testing was introduced.

    Since I have owned Easton Stealths and Anderson RT's and TZ's I have seen after a short period of time
    Eastons cracking at the end of the barrell and in the joint below the handle.

    Anderson with waves or ripples that is considered to be a characteristic of the bat after break in.

    There will be umpires out there that will throw these bats out. The image attached are bats that were thrown out during a national tournament. There is no way all these bats were bad.

    I am not taking either side on the bat issue (composite or metal).
    I do worry that unless your bat is brand new you are going to have to worry about someone throwing a bat out just because they can. Even the burrs gripe me because one time throwing these bats around on the infield can cause these. It should be good for the manufacturers of bats because we will have to buy more. We can thank the adult game for bringing us these new rules.

    A new 2010 stamp won't fix what I am saying here.
     

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