Gunnar Sandberg is a California high school baseball player who was put into a
coma this spring after being hit in the head by a line-drive coming off a
metal bat. The very good news is that Sandberg is recovering, but the
reaction to his injury has been sadly predictable: Democratic California
Assembly member Jared Huffman has introduced AB 7 --a bill that would impose a
moratorium on non-wood bats for one year.
This bill is opposed by pretty much every key organization in the baseball
world, including Little League International, Babe Ruth League Inc., USA
Baseball and PONY Baseball and Softball. These organizations have all
published letters or memos and the subject, and they all say very much the same
things.
First, by comparison to other youth sports, baseball if among the safest if
not the safest sport.
Next, the best, most recent research does not support the idea that
aluminum bats are significantly more dangerous than wood bats. In fact, it is
impossible to compare the two because wood bats can and do break and
splinter, and an increase in their usage will cause some sorts of injuries to
increase.
Finally, a moratorium will be very expensive for Golden State high
schools, as every batter would go through between four and six bats a season,
making the cost to schools or players of AB 7, if passed, of at least $8
million and as much as $12 million in the first year alone. (More than 40,000
kids play high school baseball in California.)
I know about the bill because one of my law partners, Gary Wolensky,
represents sporting good manufacturers, at least one of whom makes bats.
And I have also been getting an earful about it from my radio producer
Duane, who has been a Little League umpire for more than 20 years.
But most people don't know that some in California government want to
extend the nanny state to the baseball diamond.
Wolensky points out that the scientific evidence has concluded that there
is no significant difference between wood and non-wood bats in terms of ball
speed when it is hit by a batter.
Duane opposes AB 7 because fewer kids will play ball if fewer kids can
hit, and smaller kids especially will have a much harder time swinging a wood
bat --they are heavier-- and thus will make contact and get on base less
often.