Illegal bats & liability

Ask someone in your league what the rules and liabilities are if a player gets injured by an illegal bat.

It's been brought up multiple times and most just scoff and laugh it off.  I think I need to clarify that my league is very good about policing the use of illegal bats.  To some dismay I have a habit of always looking at bats that are in the dug-out whenever I walk by one.  I have had converstation with a few coaches about an illegal bat, almost always at the beginning ot he year beacuse most are new coaches,especially at the lower levels.  We have never had to talk to a coach from our league twice about the issue, they know our league cracks down on the issue and will be removed from the team if they continue to use them.   It is more of a problem with the other District teams we play during inner-league games

Bring it up to whatever administrative organization overseas the entire group. Play a game under protest and see what happens. If nothing happens contact Willamsport. These groups can't be getting away with illegal bats in all stars. I remember the umpires (in 11/12s) checked all equipment before all star games.

That's true.  And during District games they made the players line up all of their bats outside of the dugout as they inspected every one of them.

Yep, been through all that, except Williamsport, have already contacted Southern Regional about several other issues, aprt of the reason why the local Admin is gettin upest with me....lol.

The Umps do look at the equipment prior to the games for the 11/12's...the JR's 13/14. they have gotten lazy about it, and the teams that are using the illegal bats don't put them out for inspection.  More time than not the reason why the coaches/players try to use them is because the ump's simply don't know the rules.....and they are not volunteer umps at this level.  Sad thing is, in regards to the 13/14 age group, it is one of the simplest bat rules LL has. 

it is just confirming, for me, that LL is losing it grips at this age level and primarily focusing on the 11/12 division

Umpires can't be responsible for knowing all your league rules. They may also be umpiring Babe Ruth, travel and middle school games. There either needs to be some honor among coaches or a strong hand at the top. The strong hand will come after your group loses a million dollar lawsuit when a kid gets maimed with an illegal bat. I don't understand allowing Illegal bats. It can be dangerous, possibly fatal.

Umpires should be most certainly be responsible for knowing Little League Jr rules, especially the bat restrictions, if they are officiating in those games. Once a game starts the umps are responsible for everything that goes on on the field.  I wouldn't want to be the ump in a game where a player gets hurt by an illegal bat.

First step is to refuse to play teams that use illegal bats.

That way when a kid gets hurt, you don't get sued as well for allowing your team to play another that you KNEW was using a dangerous bat.

In travel we have bat rules, and the umpires my program contracts with always inspects before a game. With that being said, an illegal composite bat was pulled out after the inspection and a player attempted to use it just this past weekend. 

These composites have been illegal for 3 years now. If a coach (other than some newbie) allows it they are either completely ignorant or defiant. Either way your board has to grow some hair and take care of it. 

Papi, this is JR's level so big barrels are allowed, 2 5/8 only or 2 1/4 little barrels,      2 3/4 are not allowed.  The illegal bats in question would be the composite barreled bats, the rule is very simple, if it has a composite barrel, regardless of size, it must be stamped BBCOR certified, therefore it automatically eliminates the 2 1/4 bats.  The district holds a meeting involving all local league Presidents and Umpires to go over all rules at the beginning of the season.

Sorry RJM, but I am going to disagree with you on this one.  The Umps are being paid, they should know the rules.

Rob, I have refused to play a certain team within the district that the main culprit coaches in, then we caught both the other teams in their league using them early in the season, I won't play them, but I am the only one that will do this.

1st&3rd, I challenged an illegal bat last season(illegal composite little barrel), ump refused to toss it, I told him that all liability was squarely on his shoulders from that point forward...he did not like that, he promptly excused me for the rest of the game....lol

The reason umpires have not been held responsible for illegal bats is that once checked, it is so easy to bring another bat to the plate that wasn't included in the check and umpires do not check every bat that makes it to the plate.  No set of rules requires such a thing.

I think this is an issue with high schools as well. I've seen umps casually glance at bats and walk away. Didn't really look at the BBCOR stamp at all. But, like you said, another bat could be brought to the plate. Obviously, players, coaches, and some parents would notice if a kid brought a BESR model to the plate.

However, there is one bat that would never get noticed. It's the red Nike Aero Fuse. The BESR and BBCOR versions look basically identical. I think the BESR version came with a white grip and the BBCOR version had a red grip. But a lot of players remove the original grip and go with athletic tape, so who could tell? If a player got caught, he could just say oh, I picked up my old bat out of the bag by accident.

In FED, caught player results in ejection of coach, who I can assure won't be happy. Said player may need to wash the bench stains off his uniform...

Having had the dulcet tones of BBCOR now for 2 years - I can most assuredly tell you when someone hits a ball with a non BBCOR or WOOD bat.  There's a local league that in summer ball allows (older) players to use non BBCOR - one hit ball and I knew the difference in sound and speed in which the ball whistled past my ear.

As for LL and existing umpires, board, admins, parents, coaches, etc. looking the other way - that's sad.  Is it really that important to them?  So when it's determined some pitcher gets a serious injury and an illegal bat was known to be used - I can only guess there will be lawyers lining up to get that lawsuit. Unfortunately I think LL National really only cares once it gets into "tournament play".

??  So your umps at the JR level are "paid"?  I can say for certain this would be abnormal for LL.  The umps at all levels (in our district anyway) are volunteers.  Only time they receive any compensation is during the All-Star tournament(s) where the district passes the hat during the game(s) to help offset expenses including travel expenses for the umps.  Maybe your district is different.  LL is supposedly "all volunteer" except for a few positions at the national level.

As far as checking bats, the umps usually make sure all non-regulation bats are removed from the dugout prior to the game.  Of course, that wouldn't stop someone from sneaking one in.....and I've rarely seen them check a bat as a player comes to the plate.  Usually they are more interested in keeping the game moving along.  

I'm going to disagree with your assessment that this would be abnormal for LL. While your league (district) may adhere to that guideline, it would be the first that I have heard of. In dealing with many umpires from around the country in the last 17 years, the vast majority have been paid, with those that aren't simply doing it because they are looking to give back (and aren't the norm for their leagues.)

I will say that I haven't been an LL umpire since about 2000, but I still teach clinics for local leagues and run into LL umpires at higher-level clinics, so my info is based off of my interactions with them.

Out of entire district, only one of the leagues is able to field "volunteer" umpires for 12 and below, and even they pay JR's umps.   People just won't volunteer.  When I was Pres of my league a couple yrs ago I refused to go along with paying the umps, they were wanting an increase in  their per game fee.  All the other leagues wanted to give in.  I took the stance that the only way we will get volunteer umps is if we stop paying umps, when the parents complain, they will step up and volunteer to go to a clinic.  Needless to say I eventually was overruled by my own Board and they gave in as well.  So, for the fee that these  "trained umps" are requiring, they better be familiar with an overwhelming majority of the rules, or at least be willing to refer to a rule book when a challenge is made to get the call right.

The strangest call I have ran into this yr is the "live ball balk" call, along with the several refusals to look at a rule when a coach was standing if front of them with the book open to the page.

Well, it's "abnormal" compared to what the local district does (District 15 - VA).  Maybe our district is abnormal in that we have all volunteer umps. Do we have problems getting enough umps?  Sometimes, but I don't believe there has ever been a discussion of paying umps.  Not yet anyway.  By keeping it all volunteer, they are able to keep the cost of registration to a reasonable level. 

Just curious - just how much are these umpires earning? 

The only paid umps around here are in travel (AAU, USSSA, etc), HS, legion and college.

Yep, paying Umps, simply because parents don't want to volunteer, is a sore subject for me.  But they understand and accept that it is part of the reason registration fee's go up a little every year.  We are fortunate enought to be able to keep the rates low compared to th rest of the district.

The umps are robbing us...lol...$40 for little field and $45 for the big field

it seems to be a great supplemental income.  They all got upset the when they knew I was the one holding out on paying, then when I made them all fill out the IRS forms they blew a gasket....haha