New stamp coming? What does this mean?

mcia

Addicted to Softballfans
So will the old stamped 220 bats need to pass at 240 to be eligible for play come July 1, 2021?
 

ShortYellowBus

Well-Known Member
So will the old stamped 220 bats need to pass at 240 to be eligible for play come July 1, 2021?
I believe only the conference players need to have the 240 bats.

But the local leagues might decide to go with the safer 240 bat option.

You’ll have to ask your league director.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
So will the old stamped 220 bats need to pass at 240 to be eligible for play come July 1, 2021?
To the best of my knowledge, the only thing that has been said for sure is for the Conference. All bats at all Conference events starting with Vegas in March will have to have the new stamp and pass at 240. It was supposed to start with the Major division at Challenge Cup but they can't get the bats in time. Old stamp bats will be legal according to the rulebook all year, nobody that I know of has said what the pass/fail will be for States, Nationals, Worlds. It would seem to me to be really stupid to have two different testers and have to look at the stamp on each bat as it gets tested. But we all know some TDs that will have their own rules.

I know a few guys going down to work Challenge Cup next week, I'll have them ask and post back here what if anything they find out.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
So will the old stamped 220 bats need to pass at 240 to be eligible for play come July 1, 2021?
One of the National Committee members posted on Facebook that 220 bats have to pass at 220. That seems like the best information we are going to get until we get to non-Conference tournaments that test.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
I'm going to bump this and ask a couple questions then drop something I heard about today. @jbo911 and @TWmccoy what has been happening at your local non-conference tournaments that test? Are things required to pass at 240 or still at 220?

I heard from two sources today that all USSSA Worlds B and above will require the new stamp and testing at 240. Probably doesn't affect many people here but might affect some. I was with the TD for lower level Worlds last weekend and completely forgot to ask him about C and below.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
I'm going to bump this and ask a couple questions then drop something I heard about today. @jbo911 and @TWmccoy what has been happening at your local non-conference tournaments that test? Are things required to pass at 240 or still at 220?

I heard from two sources today that all USSSA Worlds B and above will require the new stamp and testing at 240. Probably doesn't affect many people here but might affect some. I was with the TD for lower level Worlds last weekend and completely forgot to ask him about C and below.


The very great majority of USSSA tournies here don't test bats. Almost everyone is still swinging 220 bats, and many of them are absolute lightning rods that don't even come close to passing.
A few tournies ago they did some random testing, and lots of bats were failing. 220 bats are required to pass at 220, and 240 bats must pass at 240.

C and below worlds can still use 220 bats, but they'll be tested.
 
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jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
We have had 0 testing so far. I've heard about b and up, but that's it. I think we only have one b team here and i forgot to even talk to them this past weekend.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Change in requirements again and some new information. As of Today, August 21. 240 bats are required for A worlds and above for men and women as well as Mixed Major. All tournaments B and below are allowed to use 220 or 240 bats, 240 bats only have to test at 220 to pass. This is from a press release put out with Brian Wegman's name on the bottom. Goes against what the National Director of Officials told one of my buddies last month, but that really really doesn't surprise me, Stro does what he wants.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
Change in requirements again and some new information. As of Today, August 21. 240 bats are required for A worlds and above for men and women as well as Mixed Major. All tournaments B and below are allowed to use 220 or 240 bats, 240 bats only have to test at 220 to pass. This is from a press release put out with Brian Wegman's name on the bottom. Goes against what the National Director of Officials told one of my buddies last month, but that really really doesn't surprise me, Stro does what he wants.

I think maybe they're seeing how poorly the Pro M is performing right now. I was just in Viera this past weekend, and the ball flew like crap. Temp fences set at 300' (40+ tourny), and there were still very few HRs.

240 bats aren't going to produce many HRs down there.
 

rmp0012002

Addicted to Softballfans
I just think somewhere down the road they are going to go all 240. The diehard U-Trippers say it’s the best change ever but a lot of people said the 240 and Pro-M balls don’t do well in the heat and scores are very low. Slow-pitch is not baseball and I don’t want to see 6-5 run games.
 

Redsfan

Well-Known Member
I know I've stated this before but I believe that not everyone should be able to hit a HR. You should have to hit it well to get one out like the old aluminum bat days. If these changes cut back on HR's so be it. If you find out that you are the one that can't hit one out now, learn your role as the base hitter. It's not a bad thing be the guy on base when the big boys come up and crush one. That was my job for most of the 90's.

Low scoring games are extremely boring but it was easy to score a bunch of runs back then with just a couple HR's per game and it's just as easy now to do it to. It might be easier now with the stupid high exit velo's even with the 240 bats. A couple games ago we scored 39 runs with only 2 or 3 HR's.
 

Hiltz

Built for comfort
I know I've stated this before but I believe that not everyone should be able to hit a HR. You should have to hit it well to get one out like the old aluminum bat days. If these changes cut back on HR's so be it. If you find out that you are the one that can't hit one out now, learn your role as the base hitter. It's not a bad thing be the guy on base when the big boys come up and crush one. That was my job for most of the 90's.

The most fun I've had playing softball is in our 35+ league that uses wood bats and low-cor balls. Only absolute beasts can hit it out regularly, games are usually low-scoring, and defense is at a premium.

USSSA's big issue seems to be lack of performance in hot, humid areas. This isn't fixed by allowing bats that test 20psi lower, it's fixed by finally mandating .52's.
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
The most fun I've had playing softball is in our 35+ league that uses wood bats and low-cor balls. Only absolute beasts can hit it out regularly, games are usually low-scoring, and defense is at a premium.

USSSA's big issue seems to be lack of performance in hot, humid areas. This isn't fixed by allowing bats that test 20psi lower, it's fixed by finally mandating .52's.
This is accurate.

I don't necessarily mind people being able to hit homeruns, but they should have to swing hard to do it imo. At least hit the ball squarely to do it.

Also, the classic m does too much damage when it hits you. It's just a dumb ball, and exacerbates the other problem you mentioned. Guys up north are already back in the 60s and it's close to 100 in the south now. The m is a brick up there and a turd in the south.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
I just think somewhere down the road they are going to go all 240. The diehard U-Trippers say it’s the best change ever but a lot of people said the 240 and Pro-M balls don’t do well in the heat and scores are very low. Slow-pitch is not baseball and I don’t want to see 6-5 run games.

I actually wouldn't mind the change to all 240 bats. Gone would be the days of easy HRs and marathon games.

As temps cool, the Pro M will start zipping again. Here in CO we use C+ early and late in the season, and Pro Ms in the middle of the season. Frankly, I think the C+ easily outflies the Pro M in almost every situation.
 
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