The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the governing body of High School Baseball, is changing their bat rules to match NCAA rules. So bats that are illegal in NCAA play will become illegal in High School starting on January 1, 2012 (some will enforce the rule beginning in 2011). The NCAA ban of 100% composite bats began last year. This will bring a plethora of changes that will turn the baseball bat industry upside down Here’s what’s going on (you can also visit here to check out my recommendations by category and cost):
The rule changed is NFHS 1.3.2, which requires (starting 1/1/12) all non-wood bats to meet the Batted Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) standard. This is standard is much stricter than the old BESR standard.
Why the changes? According to the NFHS, “the new standard ensures that performances by non-wood bats are more comparable to those of wood bats. It’s also expected to minimize risk, improve play and increase teaching opportunities”. They say “After working with the NCAA and having access to its research, we’ve concluded it’s in our best interest to make this change”. “BBCOR includes the BESR standard, so we’re actually expanding upon our current standard, which will be more appropriate for our age and skill level”.
It is certain that many composite barrel bats will fail to meet the new standard making them illegal in 2012. Composite handles will still be fine, but most composite barrels will not meet the new standard. This link provides a list of the current bats that “appear” to be approved for now NFHS.
The rule change comes from research conducted by the NCAA which lead to them making the change now in place. The research concluded that composite barrel bats have a break in period that makes them exceed the BESR standard. BESR measures the ball exit speed. The research showed that the composite barrel bats increased ball exit speed of 10 to 15 mph faster than what is allowed when broken in.
Now, manufacturers may come up with composite barreled bats that meet the new BBCOR standard and the NCAA could lift its ban. However, the issue is that the bats change significantly (for the better if you are a hitter) over time. So, we don’t see the NCAA allowing these bats again. Since the NCAA has done the research, we would expect the NFHS to use it to ban the composite barrel bats, too.
As mentioned, this will certainly stand the baseball bat world on its head. The baseball bat manufacturers are hard at work to make the best quality bats that fit within these new standards available for the 2011 season. Youth baseball is fine for now but is sure to follow. See the NFHS’s press releases on this topic here.
View all the new standards.
Thanks for some good info. Hope the certified list comes out soon.
Thanks for the info. Hope the certified list comes out soon.
these new BBCOR bats suck! im a junior in highschool, living in california, so we’re required to use these bats now. we started using them this week, and they have absolutely no pop at all. it would almost be better to use wood bats, since they seem to have more pop off them
the bbcor bats have no pop…so ill stop complaining and square the ball up to get the pop….basically get better at hitting
Well, all I could say someone most be getting a big cut out of all this. Because a lot of new bat will need to be purchase.
To bad for us that can’t afford to purchase new bats. How do you play baseball without a bat?????
the best bbcor bats are the surge, and omaha all black,ive used both and ive used many bbcor bats and those are the best ones, hope that helps everyone
@ Nogosek: Can you quantify (or qualify) the Easton Surge BBCOR bat for us? What does “best” really mean in a BBCOR regulated bat? With BESR and composites, the composite bats performed, that is, hit harder and further when the epoxy fibers were starting to break and causing more trampoline effects. If I understand BBCOR, both the new batted ball speed (or coefficient of restitution) of the bat will not increase. And BBCOR bats should hit like wood (distance and speed-wise). So, please explain “best” for us. Thanks.
I’m in 8th grade this year and next year Highschools in Colorado will REQUIRE this bat or you can use wood. Truthfully, I will be using wood because from what I’v heard, wood has much more pop than these BBCOR bats, an I don’t want to spend $300 on them when I can buy some nice wood bats at Big5 for $25 a pop! I think that they should look into this because its hurting everyone, even the makers of the bats! they are over stocked on the composite bats and the sellers can’t sell! Just a poor idea over all.
I have the both the BESR rawlings 5150 and the new BBCOR rawlings 5150 and I personally dont think there is that much of a difference between them. Im not a power hitter but im more of a single to doubles hitter and this new bbcor bat fits me fine
ive been using the marucci bbcor bat this winter and its not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. ive also tried the tpx omaha and i feel the marucci is definately better but i still feel like if u hit the ball right its gonna fly. There is no way that wood is better then these bats i just think people are over reacting to this change way to much
Our team bought a couple of the Surges and they are decent but have no pop compared to the bats that everyone used to use. For me, i am getting better pop off woods.
why didn’t the NFHS and the NCAA think about changing the ball? it could have saved millions in existing bat inventory. the difference could have been made up in the core of the baseball. i heard about a possible change 2 years ago. the league should have given a notice of change then. at least everyone could have gotten their money worth with the bats they had.
My son is a Junior-DIII baseball player and has used the Easton Surge BBCOR for a couple of months now. He says, less pop because there isn’t the “forgiveness” of not hitting the ball on the sweet spot of the bat. He claims when he hits the ball on the sweet spot of his BBCOR Surge, the ball does pop off the bat. He will be trading in his Surge for the Easton Omen. So for all you kids who have been spoiled using these “rocket launhers” over the years, welcome to the time when your Dad played ball. LEARN HOW TO HIT! If I had my way, all levels would use wood bats.
My son (12) used the Easton Speed Stealth, now has an Easton Omen BBCOR. These are great bats with lots of pop. Easton still to this day makes the best bats on the market. No matter if the bat has lots of pop or not, it is always best for kids to learn the correct fundamentals of baseball. Hitting is important.
There are plenty of composite bats out now that will be legal next year. The Omen is the same material as the speed stealth just made in a different way. Basically the exact same bat.
I think the bbcor bats aren’t that bad, I think it just depends on which bat you buy. The Marucci Cat 5, the Rawlings 5150, and the Easton Omen are great bbcor certified bats. I own a Marucci Cat 5 and I think its the best bbcor bat on the market today.
I am a college coach and all you guys who say you’d be better off using wood are out of your minds. The BBCOR is just a scaled down version of BESR. If you hit the ball good with the new bats there is no difference. It has a smaller “sweet spot” that’s really all. You would be at a complete dis-advantage if you were using wood in a league where BBCOR was the standard.
As a former D1 player, minor league player, collegiate scout and current coach and trainer, let me tell any kid making the statement that they’ll switch to wood, rather than adapt to the new BBCOR bats, do so and you’re an idiot. No collegiate coach would allow a player to swing wood, rather than metal. In the late 60’s, when aluminum was first introduced into the bat industry, every kid that could afford to buy a bat, made the switch. Why? Because hitting with a metal flagpole was still more forgiving than hitting with wood. Showcase your talent by learning to hit properly. Use the equipment that enhances your ability the most. That equipment will always be metal over wood.
Our Babe Ruth League went to wood bats 3 years ago. There was a lot of complaining at first. But after the kids used them they loved them. We had kids crushing the ball. If you teach a kid how to swing a bat properly he will hit the sweet spot and send the ball out. My son is a shopmore and I had to buy him a new bat so we bought him the BBCOR Omen. I wanted him to use his wooden bats but the coach will not let him. He doesn’t need a BBCOR till next year but we bought it now. He will be using it this week in High School. I will post how he does next weekend.
A lot of kids having been getting away with using these crazy composite bats. Lets see yo can hit now. This is going to change the game in a good way.
ok well yes the surge is good but they break easily. my team had three and the insides broke loose and it sounded like rocks were in the barrel. the all black omaha is good but not the best. so far my favorite is the easton surge, demarini voodoo (already dead half way though season but had pop to start) and suprisingly the vedero bbcor bats. they ping like the besr bats and the ball seems to fly off it. it has a thick handle but i recomment taking it off to tape it up they are relatively cheap but trust me… vedero is the way to go. not to knock the others becasue it is a one piece and some people have developed into two piece bat hitter but trust me, most pop i’ve seen
All of the comments seem to be about the performance of the bat while the intent is to protect the pitcher. I am the father of a son who was hit in the head by a ball hit back up the middle last week. His jaw was broken because the current bats in Colorado high school baseball still allow bats that are a danger for our kids on the mound! The change in bat performance to the bbcore is a much needed change that cannot come too soon for safety. Protect our players to keep baseball the great American pastime and stop whining that the bat doesn’t have the pop you are used to. Just learn how to hit.
As a high school and college umpire I love the BBCOR bats. they have helped eliminate weak texas leaguers and extremly long game times. The bats do not suck you just have to know how to actually know how to hit the ball not just make contact. Just like a wood bat, if you hit the ball right the ball will travel. If not it won’t and or the wood bat will break.
My son is 13 and has played Pony baseball throughout his youth and has always swung a TPX exo -8.5 and just started swinging the Surge -3 getting ready for high school and I can honestly say that I don’t see the difference in his hits. The ball is going as far as before, and he has hit home runs with both bats. I’ve always told my son that it’s not the bat, it’s the operator. He said that when he hits the sweet spot he really can’t tell the difference. The ball does jump off the Surge when hit correctly. That’s my little input hope this helps…
im in 8th grade and i used a bbcor bat for the beginning of my season and hit a ball 350ft. Stop complaining, the bats are fine if you hit the ball right
I’m a senior in high school and I really have no problem hitting with the BBCOR bats. I easily batted .500(31-62) this year and I used the Omen. I think it’s a great bat and people should really stop complaining. Obviously these bats don’t have as much pop as the BESR bats, I couldn’t hit any home runs. But why the change in bats anyway? It should benefit the fielders when they get used to fielding a ball coming faster than normal…they’re only gonna come faster and faster as you get older. It’s the fielder’s fault if they get hit with the ball!
It’s pretty telling seeing these kids complaining about the “no pop” “these bats suck”. How many relied on the bat to get their power numbers? Now maybe you kids will actually learn how to hit.
Mike,
my son also got hit with a comebacker that broke his jaw. I could not agree with you more.
Mike, I’m sorry that your son broke his jaw. But a ball to the face is a ball to the face. A slight change in ball exit speed most likely would not have made a difference.
A friend of mine in college says the BBCOR bats do make a difference that the big home run hitters that hit like twenty or thirty something hit half that, basically the sweet spot on the bat is a lot smaller but if you hit it right it’ll go and you might want to hit the weight room a little more this off season
My highschool league will use these bats next year and from what ive seen they cant be that bad… In our easter tournament a kid (whos going to NC State to play Football as a quarterback) hit one about 400 feet no lie… they do have pop and they arent as bad as everyone makes them out to be… if anything it will just make you a better hitter so stop complaining…
I actually love my BBCOR omaha! It does have a smaller sweet spot but it also still has alot of pop for a BBCOR bat. I work for justbats.com and i have used and hit with almost all of the BBCOR sertafied bats and by far my favoite one is the omaha!
my least favorite of all bbcor bats its the new surge. the bbcor modle has lost every last ounce of pop that that bat had before. I used to help with the little leauge world serierrs team from mexico. I bet half of those kids on that team would have had a really hard time if they used bbcor
I Had just bought a 2011 cf4 a 2009 cf3 and finding this out makes me want to stab some one in the neck.
Everyone stop complaining about the BBCOR bats. As long as you can hit, you will be fine with it, all the metals the same they just have to use weaker composite fibers. A kid on my team who is going to a D1 school on a baseball scholarship, hit 11 homeruns with a BBCOR bat. Theres no problem with them. And to the people saying the old bats weren’t save to the pitcher, a line drive is a line drive, you can hit it just as hard with a BESR bat, BBCOR bat or Wood bat. Comebackers will not be stopped simply because of a switch in bats.
i say its not the arrow its the indian!get better at hitting
My only comment with these pitchers getting hit in the head is, how are you taught your pitching mechanics? If you finish with your glove right up by your chin, where you should, isnt to hard to protect yourself. If your son is pitching and allowing the glove to be all the way down at his side, then that is a flaw in his mechanics, and not neccessarily a flaw in the bats. Like 1 person said, slightly slowing that ball down isnt gonna help if you dont correct flawed pitching mechanics.
I have the black limited edition omaha bbcor. If you hit it off the end, youll be lucky to get it back to the pitcher. but if you hit the sweet spot it sounds and feels great. Ive been swinging the 2009 voodoo which i love, but there is really no difference when you hit it on the sweet spot. Sometimes i even think the ball comes off faster. Of the bbcor bats that I have swung, the black omaha is absolutely the one to go with. When a pitcher gets hit with a line drive its a freak accident its like 1 in a million. Ive been playing for years and never seen it happen. But it is part of the game and it always will be no matter what bat youre using.
can someone please tell me which is better..scandium alloy or st+20 alloy ?
I’m looking at 2 different louisville bats and am trying to decide which to buy for my 13 year old son.
For Louisville, their newest alloy is the AC21 scandium. You’ll see this alloy on the Exo2 and Vertex while the ST+20 is used on the Omaha. The oldest alloy they use is the 7050, used on the Warrior.
wow stop the complaining…baseball is meant to be good and not have the bat do it all…get better at hitting and do work
Let’s get real folks. The BBCOR changed the game significantly. Anyone, including the person above claiming to be a D1 coach, who says the BBCOR hits as well (on the sweet spot), as a BESR bat is bald face liar. Every college player this year saw their averages and power numbers drop – that’s a fact. So according to the self-proclaimed experts here, the numbers dropped because they all can’t hit. Sorry, I do not buy it. I saw conference batting leaders from 2010 drop 100 points in 2011. Players that hit 20 some home runs or more in 2010, hit 4 or less in 2011. The NCAA took a game that was growing in popularity, and stunted its growth. And, anyone who believes that changing to the BBCOR bat, will save someone 60’6″ in front of a batter, must not have seen any major league baseball game – where they use wood, and still clock pitchers on comebackers. Oh, didn’t someone say it is their mechanics? That’s ignorant.
I hope everyone goes to bbcor or wood!! Then in USSSA travel ball you wont see 8 or 9 year olds hitting 220 ft home runs. And take away the big barrels so when you just get a piece of the ball it is actually a foul and not a stand up double.
This is great for the game. Instead of improving the equipment, other than safety, improve the player. As a coach it is extremely hard to teach a kid the proper way to hit, when their unorthodox style is accomplishing the same results due to the hot bats they get to use. Then they wonder why they can’t hit an off speed pitch when they get older.
Hey guys, I’m doing a research project on what people think about these changes and how answers vary depending on what your relationship is with the sport. So, do you think the change to BBCOR is good or bad? Please leave if you are a parent, coach, viewer, or player. (if you are a player, please leave your position.)
My son plays on a 14U travel team and is a very good middle infielder. He is also a pitcher with a great glove off the mound. He did get a blast off one of these besr bats right in the head when pitching. We ended up rushing him to the hospital and thank God everything was ok; he has pitched since. I do think the change in bats is a good thing more so because it puts more emphasis on the batters to really work on their mechanics. Most kids on his team have switched to BBCOR bats since the need to use them in high school now and a good hit is still a good hit. I dont see any difference when it is a hit off the sweet spot. I do when it’s not. The BBCOR bats wont turn a single into a double or a double into a HR. As stated above 20Hrs down to 16 on average; this isnt going to hurt college baseball. I stopped going to the pros and regularly attend D1 college baseball. It is a terrific game to watch and BBCOR bats will not hurt attendence. I like the change to BBCOR and not because my son took one of these feared hits but because i know it will make him a better student of the game and he’ll really work on his hitting in the cages. He is also working more on his core now because of the BBCOR change. Also If you havent attended college baseball games you need to. You wont regret it.
Im so sick in tired of these kids being baby and spoiled in all sports a hit up the middle is just the way it sometimes goes a kid gets hit we need to change rules leave these bats alone matter of fact leave baseball alone pay attention to the coaches in little league they dont teach them nothing when they get up to the big field they cant catch the ball the higher the level the tougher it gets next wil be putting nets in front of the pitcher or rubber balls where we go from here after a kid gets hit by a bbcor bat major league pitchers get hit did the get rid of wood bats heck they bust more now then ever fans get hit by broken bats still using wood bats
Changing the ball would of made a heck of a lot more sense as far as injuries to the vital areas and also would of been a lot easier on our pocket books.. problem would of been solved, period..
My problem is with the cost! The money invested in the old bats is now just thrown away as the bats are useless except for practice. This stinks. My son has two bats that can not be used and I do not have the money just to go spend 300 Dollars or more. Somebody should have used some common sense and at least let the bats with the BESR standards which did not increase over time be grandfathered in. This is stupid and NFHS do not even respond when you complain to them about this new cost. Do they think money grows on trees and I can just snap my fingers and be able to buy a new bat? And before you start in on me about safety for kids, seem my statement above about the bats that did NOT INCREASE over time should be still allowed.
I completely agree with George (comment #40). There is no doubt that power numbers have DRASTICALLY dropped in college baseball with the bbcors. Kids who used to hit 15-20 homeruns are now hitting 3-5. If you are telling me that Division 1 ball players dont know how to hit your all insane. There is a siginificant difference not only with the forgiveness of the bat but also the pop off of the sweet spot. Last time i checked to hit a homerun with any bat BESR or BBCOR you must hit the sweet spot. I’m a highschool junior who hit 13 homeruns last year and in the fall i used a BBCOR bat….. i only hit 4, the balls that used to fly over kids heads start to get caught its just that simple. For all the whining parents who say the old bats are dangerous…. your all full of it. Any pitcher can get hit by a well hit line drive thats just how baseball is.. there is a certain amount of human error that doesnt allow a kid to catch every ball coming at them when its struck well (with wood, composite, BBCOR or a twig). To me it’s just giving more power to the pitchers. If its truly about safety bring the fences in. College baseball used to exiting and was getting better and better because its proven that people love homeruns now i can barely watch a game. Its like wealk grounder after weak grounder and weak flyballs. BBCORs are just a bad idea.
A lot of the same things being said over and over. Let’s face it we all want to see our kids spank the ball over the fece until its our kid on the mound that gets clocked. Remember we all played baseball and had fun and college baseball was a blast before these bats and will continue to be great. From a dad, coach and board member of one of the largest parks in my state I say protect the kids and if the changes save one kid it is worth it.
“From a dad, coach and board member of one of the largest parks in my state I say protect the kids and if the changes save one kid it is worth it.”
If we played with nerf balls it would end all batted ball injuries. Why not go to that? Unfortunately injuries happen. Sometime this year another kid will get injured by a batted ball. Throttle down more? And the year after? Nerf ball here we come.