It's actually cheating when it's against the rules and innovation when it's not. It's even bigger cheating when the league sends out a memo specifically emphasizing that something is against the rules and a team then continues to do it. Bat innovation is like infield or outfield shifts. It's completely legal - you're just upset that your team didn't think of it first. If it becomes a detriment to the game, the league may change the rules, as they did with shifts, but that doesn't make it cheating.
Every player already has slightly different bats based on their preferences. There's no unwritten rule here of what a bat is supposed to be.
Much like glove sizes, there are minimal very hard-and-fast rules about it. Rule 3.06 Each fielder, other than the catcher, may use or wear a leather glove. The measurements covering size of glove shall be made by measuring front side or ball receiving side of glove. The tool or measuring tape shall be placed to contact the surface or feature of item being measured and follow all contours in the process. The glove shall not measure more than 13 inches from the tip of any one of the 4 fingers, through the ball pocket to the bottom edge or heel of glove. The glove shall not measure more than 7 3/4 inches wide, measured from the inside seam at base of first finger, along base of other fingers, to the outside edge of little finger edge of glove. The space or area between the thumb and first finger, called crotch, may be filled with leather webbing or back stop. The webbing may be constructed of two plies of standard leather to close the crotch area entirely, or it may be constructed of a series of tunnels made of leather, or a series of panels of leather, or of lacing leather thongs. The webbing may not be constructed of wound or wrapped lacing to make a net type of trap. When webbing is made to cover entire crotch area, the webbing can be constructed so as to be flexible. When constructed of a series of sections, they must be joined together. These sections may not be so constructed to allow depression to be developed by curvatures in the section sides. The webbing shall be made to control the size of the crotch opening. The crotch opening shall measure not more than 4 1/2 inches at the top, not more than 5 3/4 inches deep, and shall be 3 1/2 inches wide at its bottom. The opening of the crotch shall not be more than 4 1/2 inches at any point below its top. The webbing shall be secured at each side, and at top and bottom of crotch. The attachment is to be made with leather lacing, these connections to be secured. If they stretch or become loose, they shall be adjusted to their proper condition. The glove can be of any weight. Here's your opportunity to make a million dollars: take the criteria above and design a better baseball glove
So according to the Yankees broadcast, these bats have been around other teams and were all over ST facilities... (and of course were used by the Yankees prior to that game they hit 8 HR's). Bellinger specifically said the Cubs had them in ST. Also not all the Yankees are using them apparently (Judge specifically is not). Bullshit on their part? Trying to deflect negative attention away?
Of course everyone knew about them. You don't think the teams they were playing in ST talked with them about things?
And several players already using them in games for different teams. Also Stanton was using this bat last year.
Brewers gave up another 10 runs today. *looks up when we play Milwaukee* May 5th can't come soon enough
Profar stated he never tested positive last season out of 8 tests (which means he was juicing then and got away with it). Some part of me can understand him trying to cheat the system for a contract but once he got the 3/$42 guaranteed, why still do it?
Left-hander Garrett Crochet and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a six-year, $170 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. The deal starts in 2026 and includes an opt-out after 2030.
Sure - but that's similar to how in the NFL, everyone used to punt on 4th and 1 anywhere on the field. Or why teams always hit their speedy hitters #1 and power hitters #3 and #4. Or why no one ever thought to do so many infield shifts. Teams did it simply because they never thought to do otherwise and it was conventional wisdom as the best way to do things. It's the same thing here - bats have always been the same basic shape because no one ever did the analytics to realize something else might make more sense. If I remember right, catchers' gloves went through something similar several years back when a bunch of catchers tried a new glove and it helped them a bunch. Baseball, like all sports, lacks some innovation and is a copycat league. Now that one team did it and it got attention, everyone else will follow suit and years from now we'll look at the old ways as archaic.
