The Lowdown on Baum Bats
Baum bats are composite bats made of a carbon fiber and aluminum mixture. Since 1989, when they first appeared in professional baseball, Baum bats have undergone significant changes in material composition and construction methods. This paper will examine some of these changes.
In 2000, Baum began using laser technology to cut their bats from a block of wood coated with a polymer resin. This allowed the bats to be stronger, lighter, and more durable than traditional wooden bats. Baum bats weigh about seven ounces less than traditional wooden bats of the same length.
In 2008, the company switched to a carbon fiber prototype called X-Core, which is supposed to give bats even more durability and ballistic kick. Traditional bats have a sweet spot of about 20% of the barrel. Baum bats, however, have an expanded sweet spot that is more than double the length. Some training with Baum bats is necessary to allow batters to adjust their hitting styles to use the whole barrel.
It is the use of composite materials that has led to the controversy over the use of Baum bats in Major League Baseball. According to MLB Rule 1 . 10(a)(1), "[a]ll bats shall be one-piece solid wooden bats[,]" (emphasis added). What a "one-piece solid wooden bat" means is not entirely clear. For example, the MLB Rules do not define the phrase "solid wooden bat" and do not give any examples of bats meeting this criteria. It is worth noting the context of the rule, however. Rules 1.10(b) and 1.10(c) refer to other types of bats that can be used in major league baseball. Furthermore, Rule 1 governs the specifications for baseball equipment, such as bases, balls, and gloves, in addition to bats. When seen in context, Rule 1.10(a)(1) must mean that all bats must be made out of a single piece of solid wood. It does not mean that the bat must be made of wood, just that it must be made of a single piece of wood unconnected to any other material.
Many players have found that using Baum bats helps to prevent injury. Some players hit with the traditional wooden bats until they need shoulder or elbow surgery and find that after a reconstruction, they cannot use traditional wooden bats due to pain, whereas they do not have pain using Baum bats. Not all players experience less pain while using Baum bats, however.
Bat Regulations in Major League Baseball
All legal issues aside, it is interesting to take a look at the general bat regulations in Major League Baseball. MLB rule 1.10 concerns bats and describes the material, dimensions, and performance standard requirements for all bats used in play. MLB rule 1.10(a) states that no bat may be more than 42 inches in length and no less than 30 inches, unless the bat is made of wood. Rule 1.10(a) states further that a bat of laminated wood cannot be less than 38 inches in length or have a diameter of less than 2 inches. The "bat shall have a circular, cylindrical, or elliptical cross-section and must be smooth and straight," and must not be flat on any side. Interestingly, MLB rule 1.10(a) states that a player is permitted to have two colored stripes, "each not more than 1 inch wide," along the entire length of the barrel, "if made of ash" (a type of wood). Rule 1.10(b) describes the bats’ dimensions in further detail. It describes the bats’ diameters and the requirements that they be tapered without lumps, knots, or imperfections, and that the taper be "at an angle of not less than 45 degrees from the perpendicular to the axis of the bat."
MLB rule 1.10(c) provides that, subject to the permission and regulations of the League Presidents, colored advertising bands are permitted on bats, the distance, size, and materials used are not defined. MLB rule 1.10(d) concerns the materials from which a bat may be made, stating that it must be: (i) solid wood; (ii) solid wood "laminated" together with glue, provided that the pieces of wood may not be wrapped around one another in a spiral or corkscrew fashion; (iii) bamboo which has been rendered capable of being used as a bat through open cell tissue, and "made of at least 90 per cent pure bamboo veneer laminated together," and; (iv) metal, provided that the bat meets the following four additional criteria: (a) it must be round in circumference and have a smooth, cylindrical profile; (b) it must have a maximum circumference of 2.61 inches, and a minimum fixed circumference of 2.50 inches at a distance from the knob of 50 inches, measured along the handle, (c) its weight-to-length ratio combined with its stiffness must not exceed 0.005; and (d) its thrust must not exceed 40% slower than its hand speed.
MLB rule 1.10(e) is the provision with which it seems the Baum bat contravenes. It states that all bats must conform to a bat performance standard to be specified and certified by the Major League Umpires Association. There is no mention of any particular bat performance standard specified by the MLB umpires association, nor is there any standard from the MLB players association. MLB rule 1.10(e) states that the bat performance standard may be amended or changed at the discretion of the Major League Baseball scientific research organizations by the Baseball’s Rules Committee provided that all teams be notified 30 days before the amendment or change is to take effect. The Major League Baseball scientific research organizations are, however, clearly silent on Baum bats, and neither the MLB Rules Committee nor the MLB scientific research organizations issued any notifications prior to the Baum bat being used in regular season games.
Are Baum Bats Allowed in the Major Leagues?
The legality of the use of Baum bats in Major League Baseball was brought to light most recently on October 13, 2013, when Drake Britton of the Boston Red Sox was struck out looking at a 94 mph fastball from the Tampa Bay Rays’ James Shields. Britton’s bat, already shattered into several pieces upon reaching the ground, splintered further when it tapped the bottom of the dugout roof. The act led to hours of delay as MLB umpire crew chief Andy Fletcher and Red Sox bench coach and former player Brian Butterfield entered into a heated discussion about MLB’s rule regarding bat legality.
Other than the mention of legitimate concerns for players’ safety, the umpires and Butterfield’s vehement reaction to the incident did not do much to help clarify the issue.
In fact, MLB has never ruled on the legality of the use of Baum bats in Major League Baseball. In September 1997, Major League Baseball compared the density of the Baum b0t 20 and Riggs’ bat made by Cooper, via CT scan. The results were inconclusive and a decision was never made. Several years later, however, the Racine Journal Times reported that baseball’s rules committee held a secret voting session and agreed to not permit the Baum bat in games. No public announcement was made. According to the article, MLB officials were not concerned about "safety issues" but rather about "favoritism" and "foul balls flying off the bat." Writes Rick Braun: Baum bats weren’t allowed in the big leagues because we wouldn’t guarantee they would hold up, much less won’t crack. What are you going to do if you have a 95 mph fastball coming at your head and the pitcher has a firm grip, and your bat breaks?… we will not guarantee those bats. We’ve seen it in batting practice, and we see guys on YouTube with busted bats."
Despite the fact that Baum bats have broken after being pitched to by 94 mph fastballs (as in the case of Britton), there is no evidence that broken Baum bats are any more likely than conventional wooden bats to shatter into smaller, more dangerous pieces at higher speeds.
While MLB has never officially ruled on Baum bats’ legality, during an April 2008 game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, buttons from a Busch Stadium restaurant were found embedded in the grains of a Baum bat wielded by Ryan Ludwig after he struck out. Even after the found buttons, Baum has never been formally ruled illegal for use in the Big Leagues.
Under Section 3.02(a)(6) of the MLB rules: A bat shall be a piece of wood or other approved material of a straight, round, not more than five-sided, or six-sided section, all in one piece and fashioned so that when in the hands of the batter the bat shall not have exposed to view any weight-affecting substance adhered to or filled in any hollow part thereof. It may be oval, elliptical, or other shapes. The nominal width of the bat shall not exceed 2.61 inches. Approved makes and models of bats will be determined by commissioned umpire upon submission, and may be rescinded at the discretion of the commissioner.
When was the last time a team submitted a bat to an umpire for approval? We know that MLB umpires have never banned Baum bats. They have never even tested a Baum bat for compliance with MLB rules. If the situations will be further clarified, the league will need to take action promptly.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Baum Bats
From the players perspective, there are advantages and disadvantages to using Baum bats.
Advantages
The biggest advantage for players who use Baum bats are durability and longevity. Many players have commented that the Baum bats last longer than maple or wooden bats. The reason for this is that the Baum bats are made from a solid piece of compressed wood and aluminum. In other words, there are no seams to crack; the bat is made of a single material. That said, as mentioned above, some companies have made various "X" composite bats for many years that are quite durable. So, while durability is an advantage to using a Baum bat, it may not be a significant one.
Another advantage is that players can use a wood bat with the same pop and "feel" of an aluminum bat. This should be attractive to many players who are used to using aluminum.
Disadvantages
Cost is a significant disadvantage in that Baum bats are significantly more expensive than traditional wood or aluminum bats. The various Baum bats on the market range in price from a low of $159.95 to a high of $279.99. Baum bats are about two times the cost of a comparable wooden bat. The other drawback to Baum bats is that they are not approved for use in Major League Baseball. While MLB players can use aluminum, they are required to use wooden bats. Thus, by definition, Baum bats are disallowed for use in Major League Baseball games.
How Baum Bats Affect Players and the Game
If Baum bats were to be approved for use in Major League Baseball (MLB), the most likely sports performance attribute would be a decrease in arm and elbow injuries for batters. Based on studies performed by universities and independent laboratories, Baum bats reduce ball speed across the board by 40-50 percent, meaning less wear and tear on the muscles and tissues of the upper body, arms and elbow during a swing. However, in order to further evaluate the effects of Baum bats on batters’ longevity and injury history, additional confirmed statistical analysis is necessary, such as a study of players using Baum bats at a professional level for two full seasons as part of a normal career in a major league setting. A significant increase in the percentage of batted balls that result in home runs and line drives may also be expected if Baum bats are approved in MLB. New evidence has come to light suggesting that home run rates throughout the league have increased since the adoption of the new baseball. With the prospect of Baum bats making further improvements to home runs and line drives , gathering data on frequency of home runs versus line drives hit by MLB players using Baum bats over a substantial period of time would be needed to measure the predicted rate of increase accurately. From a gameplay perspective, infield defense may also be impacted by Baum bats. With an increase in batted line drives anticipated, infields would be called upon to make more defensive plays. With this in mind, ball club chairs at MLB and intercollegiate levels may need to revamp their defensive positional assignments, which may in turn lead to changes in signaling systems and special packages of defensive play.
Recent Controversies and Debates Surrounding Baum Bats
Despite its popularity, the Baum bat has not been without controversy, particularly in its earlier years. There have been several instances where players have allegedly had the handle of the bat break off during a swing, injuring the player in the process. The Baum Corporation has asserted that the bats were swung head high during the follow through, which is not how a bat is designed to be used. There are many opinions as to who is to blame for the broken handle: the manufacturer, the player, or the type of pitch (low pitch) that the player was swinging at.
As a result of these incidents, Baum bats were banned in the California High School Football Federation (CHSFL) for a period of time following the 2006 season for the 2007 season. The league came to this conclusion following an arbitration hearing. Licensed umpire and arbiter for the Professional Baseball Umpires Association Ray Pérez testified as an expert witness on behalf of the players who either did not want to have the bat banned or have it banned for one season, while David Yaun, Director of Product Safety for Major League Baseball, testified as the expert witness for CHSFL. Pérez testified that there was no study linking improperly manufactured or repaired Baum bats to an allegedly higher risk than other bats. Pérez also cited a memorandum written by psychologist Dr. Scott Gilliam of Houston’s Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, who purportedly expressed his view that the Baum bat was not the cause of any number of injuries attributed to it, but rather that the bat enhances the speed of the ball and can make it more difficult to catch. BAUM Corporation also retained its own expert witness, biomechanical analyst Dr. Robert Chao, to testify that the bats were of "superior quality construction," "will not shatter" and that even if the bat handle were to shatter, it would not become a "dangerous projectile" because it would form a "sensitive projectile" with no sharp edges. Baum also compiled a database that obtained 20 injuries to high school ball players between 2000 and 2006, which were attributed to traditional wooden bats. Baum’s expert witness refuted any notion that it is links to Baum bats, and stated that since 2002, when they first sold their bats to the CHSF, there have been no alleged incidents of end cap injuries to players using Baum bats. Thus, he concluded that the Baum bats pose less risk than conventional wooden bats. The expert retained by the school association argued that wooden bats are made of wood that is stronger from the inside and the Baum bat is constructed with a wood wall that is made from the outside. Based upon these conclusions, the CHSFL issued a letter banning the use of the Baum Bats by its teams, but ultimately rescinded this ban. Following this order, Coach Bob Stroud, head baseball coach at River Valley High School, in which he offered it as a talking point for his players of the "excuses" they could use on their parents for their performance. Many students complained about his comments, and the school principal reversed the decision, allowing the team to use the bats, but had a meeting with the coach.
The Future of Baum Bats in the MLB
The future of Baum bats in MLB seems secure, so long as changes do not occur in the composition of the bat that would fall within the definition of a "weight-enhancing device." The flexibility of the Baum Corporation to alter the formula of the bats combined with the endorsement of the device by a plethora of MLB players has resulted in the continued popularity of the bat and its expected retention as a legal device in MLB. Likewise, the public relations quagmire that would confront MLB in the event it were to reverse its position on illegal bat use or allow revocation of the status of the Baum bat to be determined by the team whose players utilizes the bat would likely prohibit a reversal of recent decisions on the legality of the Baum bat . That said, the future of the Baum bat may be affected by the evolution of bat technology. If, as some manufactures have claimed, new composites can be developed that provide an improved balance and greater performance while still complying with the performance and safety standards developed by MLB and by bat manufactures the legal issues discussed above may become moot. As MLB scouts become increasingly skilled at identifying players with the potential to become future MLB All-Stars the concept of illegal bat use based upon bat composition will become an anachronism. Accordingly, litigation involving "illegal bat use" may rest in future on the question of how MLB regulations pertaining to bat composition will address the emergence of the next evolutionary step in bat technology.