The NCAA News - News & Features

Baseball committee agrees on standards for nonwood bats

At its July 9-12 meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, the committee agreed that a five-unit length-to-weight differential will be allowed through the 1997 intercollegiate baseball season. In addition, the committee will recommend that the current interim standard -- the 1.14 Bat Performance Factor with a margin of error of .01 -- continue through at least the 1997 season.

The rules committee will recommend to the NCAA Executive Committee a maximum nonwood baseball bat length-to-weight unit differential of 2.5 (without the grip) for all nonwood bats used during the 1998 intercollegiate baseball season, subject to the results of scientific tests and a six-month comment period for all interested parties.

Currently, a nonwood bat must weigh, in ounces, within five units of the length of the bat, measured in inches. For example, a 34-inch-long bat cannot weigh less than 29 ounces. If the rules committee's recommendation is approved, a 34-inch-long bat in 1998 could not weigh less than 31.5 ounces without the grip.

This is the first phase of a process to develop a permanent nonwood bat performance standard. The committee intends to continue its examination of a batted ball exit-ball speed standard as part of the final phase of the process.

"The committee's rationale for its decision to recommend a reduction in the length-to-weight unit differential is based on our desire to make the game safer for all student-athletes, and to preserve the sound traditions and the competitive balance of the sport," said Bill Rowe Jr., director of athletics at Southwest Missouri State University and chair of the rules committee. "The committee also was encouraged by the support it received from the American Baseball Coaches Association."

The ABCA board of directors voted unanimously at its June meeting to recommend that the rules committee introduce new standards for the nonwood baseball bat so that it becomes "somewhat comparable to wood bats in weight variance, hitting zone and rebound effect."

The committee intends to request further solicitation of nonwood bat performance testing methodologies and performance levels that correlate with exit-ball speed.

In a related matter, the rules committee voted to propose a regular-season performance standard for the baseball that, if approved, will go into effect for the 1998 intercollegiate baseball season.

The committee proposed a maximum coefficient of restitution (COR) of .555, subject to a six-month period during which it will review the available scientific data on the subject and, in addition, will review comments from interested parties.

The rules committee's recommendations must be approved by the Executive Committee, which will address these issues at its August 7-9 meeting in Jackson, Wyoming. The Executive Committee has the authority to approve, modify or reject playing rules recommendations regarding player safety, financial impact and image of the sport.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

NCAA Baseball Rules Committee
July 9-12/Kansas City, Missouri

* Revised Rule 1-13 to require that each team have two sets of uniform tops of contrasting color.

* Revised Rule 5-15-d so that suspensions shall be served only for regularly scheduled contests. Suspensions cannot be served for make-up games after the suspension has been issued.

* Revised the language for a strike (Rule 7-4-b) from "under" the batter's armpits to "directly below" the batter's armpits. The committee agreed to send a memorandum to all coaches and umpires requesting that umpires call the strike zone as written, especially the high strike.

* Clarified Rule 9-4-b so that a coach is to indicate the relief pitcher to an umpire immediately after crossing the foul line for the second time in an inning to talk to the same pitcher.