USSSA Bat stickers

[jbo911]

This was technically in gsl, but an umpire told my coach last night that my bats were technically illegal because i put a sticker on them.

Is this in the rulebook or is he a moron, or both. It's about a 3" skull sticker on the taper to make my bats easier to identify. Needless to day I've been using them like this for over a year with no one ever saying anything, and this umpire is absolutely that guy.

 

[Hiltz]

Rule 2, Section 2-K-4

"No bat is legal for USSSA sanctioned play, if there is a foreign substance on the barrel or taper of a baseball or softball bat. Foreign substances included among other substances, pine tar, stick-em type products and even dirt or mud, but only if the substance adds to the thickness of the barrel or covers key graphic information such as the USSSA 1.20 BPF mark, the serial number of the bat, the model or manufacturer name, official softball, etc.."

That's the only remotely relevant rule I could find in the rulebook. Unless your stickers are on the barrel instead of the taper, or are covering stamps, model #'s, etc, you should be good.

 

[tonys1]

You added weight, so it’s a modified bat. Cheater.

 

[hitless45]

This was technically in gsl, but an umpire told my coach last night that my bats were technically illegal because i put a sticker on them.

Is this in the rulebook or is he a moron, or both. It's about a 3" skull sticker on the taper to make my bats easier to identify. Needless to day I've been using them like this for over a year with no one ever saying anything, and this umpire is absolutely that guy.

Yes the moron thing

 

[Hiltz]

You added weight, so it’s a modified bat. Cheater.

Yes the moron thing

I had an ump threaten to toss a bat for being "modified" because I had a built up taper on the handle. There are plenty of morons out there.

 

[EAJuggalo]

If it's not covering anything and it's not on a portion of the bat likely to make contact with the ball I'm going to let it go. I saw a lot of those stickers when they were testing bats at Worlds yesterday and no one said a thing.

 

[jbo911]

If i make contact down there the ball isn't going anywhere. I put it down as far as i could.

 

[EAJuggalo]

Take it up to MAB and have Dave give you the ruling. The Florida Director made one guy clean the pine tar he had all the way up to the barrel off the bat, otherwise to the best of my knowledge no one said a thing about what was on the bat.

 

[jbo911]

Take it up to MAB and have Dave give you the ruling. The Florida Director made one guy clean the pine tar he had all the way up to the barrel off the bat, otherwise to the best of my knowledge no one said a thing about what was on the bat.

I showed it to bradney when i put it on, but i know he's not an ump. I've had konerman for two games this year. I'll try and remember next year though.

 

[EAJuggalo]

I showed it to bradney when i put it on, but i know he's not an ump. I've had konerman for two games this year. I'll try and remember next year though.

I just spent all week with Konerman, I will guarantee you he will not care. Even if Dave and Slim tell him he has to care, he still won't care. Dave, Slim or Stout and you've got a ruling you can count on.

 

[NCASAUmp]

I had an ump threaten to toss a bat for being "modified" because I had a built up taper on the handle. There are plenty of morons out there.

At one point in time, this was the proper ruling.

 

[jbo911]

I just spent all week with Konerman, I will guarantee you he will not care. Even if Dave and Slim tell him he has to care, he still won't care. Dave, Slim or Stout and you've got a ruling you can count on.

Stout would throw me out for fun!