I am sure, by now, you have heard about the new BBCOR regulation for baseball teams. The new BBCOR rules went into effect for college teams in 2011 and now these are the new 2012 Youth Baseball Bat Rules. If you have a son that plays baseball, there is a very good chance you will need a new bat, so read on…
The new BBCOR regulation was created to keep the game of baseball safer for youth and amateur players around the world. Like I said above, the new rules took effect for NCAA collegiate baseball teams last year and the results were dramatic. Home runs were down almost 50% last year! Many of the players and coaches stated that the new bbcor bats acted much more like wood bats.
BBCOR RULES – ARE THEY GOOD?
In my opinion, as a parent and coach, these new rules are great! The safer we can keep this sport for our youth the better!
Hopefully, we won’t see as many pitchers taking a line drive to the face or body (infielders also). Below is a list of positive things I think have come out because of the new bbcor regulations:
- Safety – The ball doesn’t come off the bat nearly as fast which gives the defender more time to react.
- Financial – Safety changes were going to be made and keeping metal bats was a must financially. If teams would have had to purchase wood bats for their teams, it would have cost much more because they break so easily compared to metal.
- The Game Itself – Youth baseball players will learn to play the game of baseball better with these new bbcor rules. Bunting, stealing bases and playing good defense will become a premium instead of thinking someone will come up and knock a ball out of the park sometime.
- Player’s Future – Many talented players have had a difficulty making the jump from metal/composite baseball bats to wood when they get drafted out of high school or college. The new bbcor regulation bats will make that transition much easier for them.
All in all, this will be a good change after the transition period is complete.
YOUTH BBCOR BATS – THE TRANSITION IN 2012
You are probably wondering what I mean with “the transition”
It is simple… These new baseball bat rules are going to turn the youth baseball world upside down in 2012! Almost every player from youth leagues to high school varsity teams will need a new bat. The cost of these bats are fairly significant, so there could be some financial issues to go along with it.
RECOMMENDATION
Below is my recommendation in dealing with the new 2012 BBCOR Regulation:
- If you don’t already know, contact your local youth baseball league or high school coach to find out if your son will need a new BBCOR certified bat.
- If yes, then do some research online to find the best bats for the best deals. I have found that either BaseballExpress.com (Click on the BBCOR Headquarters Graphic) or BaseballRampage.com(look for the bbcor listings) have the best deals. They also offer discounts regularly, so be sure to check their sites out for the current offer.
- Purchase a new bat! Your player will want it as soon as possible to get used to the new feel before tryouts and/or the season.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW BBCOR RULES?
Some of this can get kind of confusing, so please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
The baseball season sure will be interesting with these new 2012 youth baseball bat rules. Be sure to teach your players how to play solid defense, take extra bases and bunt. Pitchers are going to be even more important, so that should be exciting for them!
Good luck and have fun!