Those changes aren’t expected to have any impact on the bats that players currently use.

Trying to change the geometry of bats, the minimum size of bat handles is being increasing by about 1-50th of an inch.

At times, they just look crazy, but when bats break they fly all the time, no matter what kind of wood.'Īs part of the safety initiative, any big leaguer whose bat broke at least 10 times last year must consult with a panel of MLB and union bat experts to determine if there is some extenuating problem.īaseball also is changing the specifications for all bats, slimming the maximum diameter of the barrel from 2.75 inches - which had been the standard for more than 100 years - to 2.61 inches. 'It’s not like maple was the first bat to break. 'I think all bats are dangerous,' said Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman John Lindsey, who has spent 15 years in the minors without a major league call-up. MLB and the union have been extensively studying the issue of broken maple bats since 2008, as splintered barrels wildly helicoptered all over the field and into the stands. Baseball often tests new rules on minor leaguers, be it drug tests or pace-of-game ideas, because most of them are not in the MLB players’ union and such moves do not require union approval. The bans apply to players who are not on 40-man rosters and have no major league experience. Softer red maple and silver maple - not commonly used - will be completely eliminated by the 30-plus companies approved to make bats. The low-density wood often is found in bats with big barrels and thin handles, creating a whip-like action when swung.

New regulations will prohibit bats made from ultra-light maple.

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