The 2010/2011 baseball season was a tumultuous one for youth baseball players and teams with respect to bat specifications and the baseball bat world seems to still be in a tizzy with few players and consumers (parents of players) knowing what is legal for the upcoming season. This confusion has definitely affected the bat market as consumers are not confident in the current rulings and are afraid of additional changes. If our phone lines are any indication, there is a constant stream of questions concerning all non-wood bats and their specifications.
We will attempt to clear up some of this confusion by offering the most up to date information as we know it.
2012 Youth Bats (2-1/4in Barrel)
It looks as though this was the least affected group of bats and we are seeing no indication of further reductions in bat performance standards. There are some standard factors to consider when making a choice between metal and composite models. Metal barrel bats, out of the box (new), are at their peak of performance and that performance will only degrade over the life of the bat. Fortunately, most players' bats never realize this life span as most age up and out prior to the metal barrel of the bat breaking down. Composite barrel bats, out of the box (new), are the exact opposite in that they have a break-in period of about 200 batted balls with performance peaking at 500 batted balls and degrading after about 1000 according to a study by the Physics dept at Kettering University.
Performance Standard - All youth bats conform to the same 1.15 BPF (Bat Performance Factor). This is simply the increase in the liveliness of a ball hitting a bat compared to throwing a ball against a solid wall (i.e., 15% faster rebound = a BPF of 1.15).
Stamps/Proof of Certification - Each national baseball association requires an identifying stamp for easy and quick recognition of approved bats in league and tournament play. All 1.15BPF youth bats carry stamps/logos or wording for AABC, Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, Little League, PONY Baseball and USSSA.
Click to view 2-1/4in Youth bats by manufacturer:
