USA Baseball Bans Easton Ghost X-30 Bat

               Effective immediately the Easton YBB18GX10 Ghost X-30, Easton’s new 2018 baseball bat made for the new USA Baseball regulations, has been decertified in the 30” -10 size. The 30 inch, 20 ounces Ghost is illegal to use in all the leagues that have adopted the USA Baseball regulations; AABC, Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken, Dixie Youth, Little League, and PONY Baseball. To learn a little more and also see a comprehensive, up to date list of all bats that have lost their USA Baseball Certifications checkout the link at the bottom of this paragraph. Read on for more information about what happened, what decertification means, and who is responsible for implementing these changes.

http://usabat.com/decertified-bats/

               In 2018, all baseball youth leagues implemented a new bat standard to protect the integrity of the game of baseball. Completely independent of any safety concerns, USA Baseball set out to certify all new metal and composite bats based on performance as it compares to its wooden counterparts. This is accomplished through the governing body performing rigorous testing on all new bats, at every size, to ensure the bats don’t out-perform wooden bats mostly in terms of hit speed. For some undisclosed reason the Ghost X-30, only in the 30 inches with a -10 drop, has been deemed unfair by the regulatory body and thus USA Baseball has made its use illegal. Any player that purchased this bat as part of the new 2018 regulations will now be considered noncompliant and should purchase a new bat if they wish to continue playing in their league. Easton will be offering refunds, found at the link above, to all who bought the illegal bat.

               There are several key people and groups that will help with the implementation of these new regulations. First, having educated and up to date parents and players, like many aspects of youth league baseball, is vital. Ultimately they will have to recognize if they have an illegal bat and will be responsible for acquiring their own refunds for the now banned bat. Second, league administrators and officials will be responsible for ensuring the changes are communicated to all parties. This will be particularly true for league umpires as they will be the last line of defense as they conduct their mandatory pre-game check of each team’s bats. They will have to be familiar with the name and design of the bat because it is likely to have the USA Baseball stamp, the key indicator of a legal bat, on it as it was previously allowed.  Finally, the coaches of each team, in order to make sure that the transition process is smooth, should be checking their player’s bats as soon as possible. While all of this can seem like an inconvenience, remember that this regulation is to help protect the integrity of the game we all love.