Bat Ruling

I do not see the bat you mentioned on the list of approved bats.

Here is the link that was emailed to me, and I assume other HS coaches, before the season began.

http://www.mme.wsu.edu/~ssl/ce.../besr/certified.html

Heath noticed the illegal bat at the Wakeland game. They use an identical one in batting practice to play home run derby. Players spotted it immediately and informed the coaches. Coaches printed out the rules ahead of time. It was not a coincidence they had the hard copy of the approved bats list on hand and the website saved to an IPhone to show the umps. The player using the bat had not reached base in the series until this at bat. Why protest it until you need it? It was very smart of the Heath kids who noticed it and alerted their coaches. The umpires simply enforced the rules. Bat has been illegal all year-whether no one else caught it or not is immaterial. Once shown the list and rule the Poteet coach said nothing about it. Cannot argue a rule.

Advice: If you don’t want to sound like a whiner, don’t whine.

What does checking hats and bats prior to the game really do? (Please think about this) Is a complete inventory of the dugout taken, and at that point the dugout becomes a secured bonded area with restricted access. Everything in and out must be logged. Who truly has the responsibility to ensure the players are using proper equipment? You have been using an “illegal” bat all year. With this call occurring in the fifth, I would guess the “illegal” bat was also used previously in this game. Meaning: The Heath coaches knew the bat to be illegal, and waited until they needed to play the card, bringing the issue to the “umpire’s” attention at a critical time.

7-4-1(a): The batter is out (and all runners return) when he enters the batters box with an illegal bat or is discovered having used an illegal bat. If the infraction is discovered before the next pitch following the turn at bat of the player who used the illegal bat, the defense may take the penalty or the result of the play

Sounds like Heath brought their “A” game, in all aspects.

If they have been using an illegal bat all year then there are some hacked off coaches out there. Particularly at Wakeland who got stuck in a one game series with them. I bet they get their bats checked regularly next year as this will follow them for a while. I don't know if they knew what they were doing or not but it sure doesn't help the reputation of the program.

quote:

Originally posted by halconnoche:
If they have been using an illegal bat all year then there are some hacked off coaches out there.

Why would there be "hacked off" coaches? If they knew the rules, they could have protested during the game in which the illegal bat was used against them. They should only be "hacked off" at themselves. They missed an opportunity to enforce the rule and Heath didnt. It really is pretty simple.

Just to clairify all this (and about Poteet's Reputation). The ONLY player that has used this bat is the one that was called out for using this bat. I am sure tonight the bat police will be out there looking at all bats before the game. This kid was told that the bat was legal at the first of the year. But then when they noticed last night it was not on the UIL list that became the issue. He walked not like he hit a 3 run homer!! Now onto game 3!!!

quote:

Originally posted by michelle33:
This kid was told that the bat was legal at the first of the year.

Just curious, who told the player the bat was legal at the first of the year?

It is my understanding that prior to the game the umpires called for "bats and helmets" checking all and allowing useage of the bat in question...just like I can only assume, they have done in previous rounds. If the umpires did not do this, the burden falls directly back to the coach, team, player, parent, friend whoever for not knowing the current rules and knowing that bat is now ILLEGAL. However, The problem I have, is if the umpires DID review the bats and DID approve them, then how can you penalize a team for using a "Pre-approved" bat?

Just strange how when the player came to bat and walked, Heath coaches pull the "illegal bat" card to kill a momentum swinging inning! Then present documentation (Iphone website, copies of legal bats, etc.) to support ONLY their view, of the rule! (not to mention hide behind a comment "the boys caught it", HOW LAME). Was it reviewed, was it legal or was the ruling changed to "FAVOR" RH for Poteet having an illegal bat? (And for those legal minds out there, maybe they should put an "approved" stamp on bats reviewed not change their minds as the game or coaches see fit). I can only hope that the umpires did their pre-game due diligence appropriately
AND not swayed other influences!

I will not going to get into a verbal banter with those of you about the "reputation" of the Pirate program, the player, the bat, Frisco Wakeland or anything else you try to belittle the Mesquite Poteet Pirate baseball program for!

GO PIRATES!!!

quote:

Originally posted by TurnTwo1:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by halconnoche:


Why would there be "hacked off" coaches? If they knew the rules, they could have protested during the game in which the illegal bat was used against them. They should only be "hacked off" at themselves. They missed an opportunity to enforce the rule and Heath didnt. It really is pretty simple.

That is exactly what I meant.

quote:

Originally posted by Stay-Fair:


Just strange how when the player came to bat and walked, Heath coaches pull the "illegal bat" card to kill a momentum swinging inning! Then present documentation (Iphone website, copies of legal bats, etc.) to support ONLY their view, of the rule! (not to mention hide behind a comment "the boys caught it", HOW LAME). Was it reviewed, was it legal or was the ruling changed to "FAVOR" RH for Poteet having an illegal bat? (And for those legal minds out there, maybe they should put an "approved" stamp on bats reviewed not change their minds as the game or coaches see fit). I can only hope that the umpires did their pre-game due diligence appropriately
AND not swayed other influences!

I will not going to get into a verbal banter with those of you about the "reputation" of the Pirate program, the player, the bat, Frisco Wakeland or anything else you try to belittle the Mesquite Poteet Pirate baseball program for!

GO PIRATES!!!

My understanding of this is that the UIL sent out notice before the season that there are some bats with the approved stamp on them that the UIL says are not approved and should not have the stamp. But the umpire associations decided not to try and carry the list and check each bat at each game but if someone protested and could prove it then they would enforce the rule. Since the coaches were notified of this as well the umpires put the burden on the coaches to make sure they were following the rules. I think the Poteet coaches should have been aware of this but can certainly understand if they weren't.

That being said, I don't think it "strange" that heath coaches and players were on the ball and used the information to their advantage. I don't think they were ashamed or lame to call Poteet on a rules violation.

Finally, as one of the Poteet coaches is a very good friend of mine, I don't question their reputation, but I read enough of these blogs to know that there are plenty of people who will and I think that is a shame. But if my friend try's to tell me that Heath was lame for using this to their advantage, then I will ask him why he didn't know the rule as that is part of his job. But my guess is he will agree that they should have known the rule because that's the kind of reputation he has. He doesn't blame others for his mistakes.