SSUSA,

Given the amount of recent "chatter" relative to the altered bat topic, may I suggest that SSUSA require Real Name, Location, and Division (Age & Level) to everyone wanting to throw in their two cents on the Message Board. This would be done at the time the account is created, or edits to existing accounts. I see far too many members showing as "Undeclared" on the board...choosing to be anonymous. Honestly, some folks just need to be checked sometimes for ridiculous and/or false statements. Its one thing to get checked, but even more meaningful when everyone knows who you are.

I wonder how many are going to blast me for this suggestion.

Just my take,

Tony Baltazar
Texas Crush - 65 Major Plus

Hi Tony ... As the moderator here, I can tell you that's not going to "fly" ... Terry Hennessy was an award-winning journalist before he made his career in SSUSA ... "First Amendment Freedoms" are (appropriately) high on his priority list ... We've never "required" positive ID to post ... However, not doing so DOES allow us to completely ignore posts by the "anonymous" types ... And those types account for the vast majority of inane, irrelevant and simply erroneous commentary, and almost all insulting content ... The ability to "read and ignore" is a plus that I rely on frequently!

14th Amendment? Seems a little over dramatic and a stretch.

SSUSA is trying to get shaved and rolled bats out of the game. They are figuring it out still as it's been less than a year since they started checking bats. I'm thankful they are trying to rid our game of altered bats. I'm sure as time goes by they will get the bat inspection dialed in

There seems to be some misinformation posted by some members and Im wondering if this is causing confusion for a few others.

There have been a few who have posted that if your bat fails the compression test, you will be suspended. That 100% is not true as long as you give up your bat for further testing. If your bat is not shaved or rolled, you have nothing to worry about. The worst that will happen if upon further inspection and it still tests below 140 is that your bat will not be allowed in future SSUSA tournaments.

On another thread Yankeesfan states that there is some players that will hire attorneys if their bats are taken. That's a hard one to believe, is someone actually going to hire an attorney at $400 - $500 an hour to sue for a $250 bat? i highly doubt it.

Again, as long as your bat is not shaved and has not been rolled, there is nothing to stress over.

AJC,
Your statement “The worst that will happen if upon further inspection and it still tests below 140 is that your bat will not be allowed in future SSUSA tournaments” is completely inaccurate and false. The statement applies only to “old” bats. Any new or newer looking bats testing below 140 upon further inspection, that player will be suspended for 10 years.

I know this because I personally know someone who was suspended after further testing by the manufacturer. This player volunteered (not pulled from a game) to test his newer bat, tested slightly below 140 and was confiscated. Six weeks later said player received email from SSUSA that the manufacturer that the bat had not been altered and that he would be sent a new bat. Ok, we’re done right? Eighteen days later, received email saying the manufacturer was going to perform further testing, and six weeks later received suspension email.

So my point AJC, is that facts matter.

Gott2play, obviously there is no way for anyone ( softball players ) to know if that bat was altered. From the outside my 1st thought is that upon further review that the bat was deemed to be either rolled or shaved. I certainly like to think that since the bat was newer and tested below 140, that alone is not going to invoke the 10yr suspension.

AJC,
First off, it does have invoke the 10 year suspension, read the rules.

Explain the email saying the bat was not altered and a new replacement bat would be sent to two months later being suspended. What prompted further testing after an email saying the the bat was good. That doesn’t raise an eyebrow?

Gott2play, yes it certainly sounds suspicious. Again, it sure sounds like upon further inspection they deemed it was altered. I would hope for everyone's sake that SSUSA is certain that the bat had been tampered with.

As far as the rules goes, everything i have read is if your bat fails compression and you fail to turn over your bat it's a lifetime ban. If you turn in your bat and it's found to be altered, it's a 10 year ban. Maybe I missed something and im incorrect but fairly certain that is their (SSUSA ) rules pertaining to altered bats.

Well, I take an afternoon off to attend a funeral and the "anonymous" contingent supplies outstanding examples of why we ignore their input here ... The posts in this thread meeting the description of "..inane, irrelevant and simply erroneous commentary, and ... insulting content.." have gone away ... Feel free to try again in a more responsible manner befitting being a guest in "our house", where our rules apply ...