WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) – Local Little Leagues have until the spring 008 season to install disengage-able bases for all levels of play, if they have not already done so.
The new rule first appeared in the 2006 baseball and softball rule books of Little League:
Rule 1.06: Beginning with the 2008 season, it will become mandatory that all leagues utilize bases that disengage their anchor. Leagues are encouraged to begin the process of implementing these types of base systems during the current season on all their fields so that the process is completed by the 2008 season.
The new rule applies to first, second and third base.
The traditional stationary base consists of two major parts:
· A metal post sunk into the ground and fixed in concrete (just like a traditional system)
· A rubber mat, bolted to a pole that is inserted into the ground (into the existing post, in most cases)
· A separate pillow that fits onto the rubber mat
When a runner slides into a disengage-able base, the pillow has the ability to release from the mat and move with the motion of the runner. But when the disengage-able base is stepped on by a runner crossing the base, or by a fielder, it will stay in place.
A five year study conducted from 2000 to 2004 showed that 55 percent of injuries to runners occur while sliding into base, and 47 percent of all injuries to runners result in fractures.
In his book, “The Awakening Surgeon,” Dr. David Janda discusses a two-year study he conducted comparing injuries sustained on fields using traditional stationary bases versus fields with disengage-able bases.
In the study, 637 games were played on the disengage-able–base field and 635 on the stationary-base field. By the end of the study, 45 players sustained injuries on the stationary-base field while only two were injured on the fields with disengage-able bases.
The study concluded that, although the disengage-able bases did not prevent all sliding injuries, they can reduce the number of these injuries.
