NCAA Bat standards go into effect today

New bat standards were approved in May, 2009, with the due date of January 1, 2011 for all bat manufacturers to comply. Of course, nearly all have already met the new standards, in anticipation of the deadline. The details are murky and deep, but wade in as you will:

■ NCAA Standard for testing baseball bat performance: Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution (NCAA.org)

Summary of Pass-Fail Criteria

1. The bat must meet the size and weight specifications.
   
   
2. There are no tolerances for length-weight differences (no greater than three units without the grip) or for maximum barrel diameter.
   
   
3. The bat must have an MOI (6 in. from the base of the knob) greater than or equal to the minimum allowable for the bat’s length class.
   
   
4. The bat ring must pass over the entire length of the bat before and after every hit.
   
   
5. The BBCOR, as determined from an average of six (6) consecutive valid hits at the maximum BBCOR location described above, must not exceed 0.500.

■ College baseball's new bats take swing at cutting down offensive stats (inside vandy.com)

Vanderbilt Head Coach Tim Corbin noted that the new bats could in turn produce some head-turning stat lines from pitchers around the nation.

“A guy with average stuff is going to have a chance to go longer in games,” he said. “Really you just have to throw strikes, because if you’re not throwing strikes to these bats and getting contact, then shame on you. That’s what it is — the ball’s not going to leave.”