Arlington Little League: ALL News: Significant Changes Made to Bat, Helmet Rules

Significant Changes Made to Bat, Helmet Rules
Rule 1.10 (baseball only)

NOTE 3: Beginning with the 2008 season, non-wood bats used in divisions of play Little League (Majors) and below must be printed with a BPF (bat performance factor) rating of 1.15 or less.

    What does this mean?
Bat manufacturers agreed several years ago that the BPF (bat performance factor) of bats they are now manufacturing will not exceed a 1.15. The BPF is a formula that measures how fast a baseball comes off the bat. Starting on Jan. 1, 2007, however, all bats used in the Little League (Majors) Division and below must be designated (printed) with a BPF of 1.15 or less.

NOTE 4: Non-wood bats may develop dents from time to time. Bats that cannot pass through the approved Little League bat ring must be removed from play. The 2 ¼ inch bat ring must be used for bats in all softball divisions, and in the Tee Ball, Minor League and Little League Baseball divisions of baseball. The 2 ¾ inch bat ring must be used for bats in the Junior League, Senior League and Big League divisions of baseball.

    What does this mean?
For a non-wood bat to become dented over time is normal. But some umpires have been disallowing bats that are slightly dented. As a result, Little League will providing a number of Little League Approved bat rings at no charge to every league for use in all divisions of play. Umpires who are active in the Little League Umpire Registry (details on joining the registry are here http://www.littleleague.org/umpires/index.asp) also will receive one bat ring at no charge. Additional bat rings may be purchased from Little League International or the Regional Center. The ring has holes for both sizes and is made of sturdy plastic. If the bat passes through the proper ring, it is “legal.” (Obviously, however, if a bat has visible cracks in it, it should not be permitted in a game.) You can see an example of the ring here: www.littleleague.org/media/images/LL_Bat_Rings.jpg