Expert: Martin Hoover - 5/27/2008

Question
Thank you for taking my question. My 12 y.o. son plays in the LL Majors. Last nights game was a jaw dropping experience. In the top of the first inning the opposing team scored with 5 walks and 5 runs off of our rookie  pitcher. I think at that point our coach just gave up and he continued to play kids that have wanted to pitch but haven't played more than an inning or two this entire season. In the top of the 3rd inning alone he played 4 pitchers and it lasted over an hour, with 26 runs/walks against us. A couple of these kids we're only taken out when they started to cry from frustration. The opposing team was using a wooden bat. Each batter used this specific bat. The bat just didn't look right and a few of us parents we're perplexed that the Umpire didn't inspect it nor did our Coach say anything. In the top of the 4th the "bat" was brought out again.  I finally went over to the Umpire and asked him to check the bat. It turns out it was a big barrel bat 2 9/16" Diam. Our regulations are 2 1/4". The Ump told the kid to grab his regular bat and the game continued. My question is, shouldn't those 26 runs be revoked? Our Coach had no response and laughed it off. Most or our kids we're in tears over this game. The final damage was 2-33.
Thank you for your response.  

Answer
Reagan,

The penalty for use of a bat that does not meet specifications is to remove it from the game.

For example, Ralph comes to bat with a bat which is 34 inches long (always trying for that little edge). He hits a home run to deep center field; umpire notices that the bat is 34 inches long. In this instance, the home run stands, and the illegal bat is thrown out. The umpire should make a mental note that Ralph’s bat should be checked prior to his entering the batter’s box for his next at bat.

In your situation, the bat is removed, and the game continues.

It even happens in the Major Leagues.  It happened in a game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees on July 24, 1983

Playing at New York's Yankee Stadium, the Royals were trailing 4-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth and U. L. Washington on first base. In the on deck circle, George Brett was heard remarking to a teammate, "Watch this baby fly" as he shook his bat. He then came to the plate and connected off Yankee reliever Rich "Goose" Gossage for a two-run home run and a 5-4 lead. As Brett crossed the plate, New York manager Billy Martin approached home plate umpire Tim McClelland and requested that Brett's bat be examined. Earlier in the season, Martin and other members of the Yankees had noticed the amount of pine tar used by Brett, but Martin had chosen not to say anything until the home run.

With Brett watching from the dugout, McClelland and the rest of the umpiring crew inspected the bat. Measuring the bat against the width of home plate (which is 17 inches), they determined that the amount of pine tar on the bat's handle exceeded that allowed by Rule 1.10(b) of the Major League Baseball rule book, which read that "a bat may not be covered by such a substance more than 18 inches from the tip of the handle."

McClelland signaled that Brett's home run was nullified and the game over. An enraged Brett stormed out of the dugout to confront McClelland, and had to be physically restrained by his teammates. Despite the furious protests of Brett and Kansas City manager Dick Howser, McClelland's ruling stood. The Royals protested the game  and their protest was upheld by American League president Lee MacPhail. MacPhail ruled that the bat was not "altered to improve the distance factor", and that the rules only provided for removal of the bat from the game, not calling the batter out.

[Pine Tar Incident, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pine_Tar_Incident&oldid=214588318 (last visited May. 30, 2008).]

I hope this has answered your question, should you have anymore, please don't hesitate to ask.

-Martin Hoover