MLB Bat Rules

[grenda12]

Where could I find the MLB bat rules pertaining to the whole color thing as well type of wood used, and the companies that MLB allowed to produce bats for the teams.

[MLB_Authentic]

You can email BMH on this forum, or try to get a hold of Roy Krasick at MLB.

[BMH]

It is rule 1.10 in the MLB Official Rule Book.

For 2010 the rules have not been settled between the lawyers for MLB and the lawyers for the player's union. This will effect color and wood selection...again.

[xpress34]

Grenda -

Just a 'fun fact' I picked up while working for Rawlings (don't hate me Brian it was a job!)...

You'll notice if you look in the MLB Rules that no where does it mention 'corking' a bat or it being illegal to cork a bat.

It does however state that: "The bat must be made out of ONE solid piece of wood".

Elegant in it's simplicity as it automatically covers any 'modifications' to the bat that have to do with hollowing it out and adding a foreign substance as it would no longer be one solid piece of wood.

Also, through out history certain woods have been deemed too 'soft' for MLB use - not because they would break, but because of the 'flex' or 'whip' action caused by the torque of the batter - similar to the difference between a Graphite Shaft Golf Club and a Steel Shaft Golf Club. The big difference being in Golf, you're not hitting the ball back at someone and that flex or whip could dramatically increase the speed (and distance) of the ball off the bat.

Also (and correct me if I am talking 'out of my @$$' here BMH) I believe it was Hillerich and Bradsby that researched using European Beech wood a few years back, but it proved not to be cost effective because of the small number of bats that could be mad from each tree due to 'foreign substances'. While treating and cutting the wood into billetts to make the bats, it was discovered that most of these trees were riddled with piece sof steel - remnants from battles in those forests during WWII including bullets, schrapnel from grenandes, etc. Not only did those substances make it hard to make billetts, they would automatically eliminate the bat from being a 'solid' piece of wood.

All the best -

Chris

[BMH]

Hehe, yeah, I ruined a lot of knives on some of those Beech billets. Our "supplier" in Denmark kept upping the price and the quantities he wanted us to buy so we decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

[GoTigers]

I've always wondered why a bat maker couldn't treat the handle and outer inch of the barrel with a hardening agent, and leave the center of the bat untreated. Wouldn't that create a legal corking effect?

[BMH]

I've always wondered why a bat maker couldn't treat the handle and outer inch of the barrel with a hardening agent, and leave the center of the bat untreated. Wouldn't that create a legal corking effect?

We've experimented with different chemical combinations that do just what you are suggesting. These of course are not allowed by MLB.

[xpress34]

Hehe, yeah, I ruined a lot of knives on some of those Beech billets. Our "supplier" in Denmark kept upping the price and the quantities he wanted us to buy so we decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

Brian -

Yeah, when I was working for Rawlings, one of out big wigs from Fenton (St Louis) was going on and on about the European 'Wood Wars' and such and about the problems with the European trees and the schrapnel in them.

- Chris

[allstarsplus]

Was the color that Marucci using a few years ago when some of their bats appeared to be "white" not allowed by MLB? Does anyone know?

[BMH]

20. The only permitted colors are:
a. For ring-porous or semi-ring-porous wood species (such as white ash):
i. Natural finish;
ii. Brown wood stain;
iii. Black wood stain; and
iv. Half stain with natural or clear finish on the handle and either
brown or black stain in the barrel.
b. In addition for diffuse-porous wood species (such as sugar maple and
yellow birch)
i, Natural finish;
ii. Half stain with natural or clear finish on the handle and either
brown or black stain in the barrel; and
iii. Full brown or black stain may be used if a portion of the
tangential face at 12 plus or minus 2 inches is left unfinished at
the point where the slope-of-grain test is conducted. The area
shall be at least one square inch in area, and be created by
covering the test area with tape, or similar product, prior to
finishing. The slope-of-grain test can also be conducted by
lightly sanding the finish at the test location to a point where the
remaining stain clearly highlights the grain angle.

21. The wood species used to manufacturer baseball bats is critical in determining
the overall strength and durability of the bat. For this reason, each wood species
used to produce a bat for use in play shall be pre-approved.
a. The permitted wood species include the following:
i. True Hickory (Carya ovata, laciniosa, glabra)
ii. White Ash (Fraxinus americana)
iii. Sugar (Hard) Maple (Acer saccharum)
6 January 7, 2010
iv. Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
v. Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
vi. Tamo (Japanese Ash) (Fraxinus mandschurica)
b. The following wood species are not permitted:
i. Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
ii. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
c. Manufacturers that wish to use wood species that are not included in
1 8.a. or excluded in section 1 8.b. shall request and obtain approval from
MLB Baseball Operations prior to providing any bats to major or minor
league players.