Fans are Ducking more Bats and Flack

Written: by Dennis Paige
June 2 , 2008

Broken bats are becoming a big problem in the majors these days. Ask Don Long, hitting coach of the Pirates. Nate McLouth at the plate swings and his bat explodes on impacted a huge chunk flies into the visitors dugout smashes into Long's face inflicting a large gash. Or ask Susan Rhodes as she was sitting behind the Dodgers dugout, Todd Helton swings, his bat shatters, hitting her in the jaw, breaking it in two places. Next thing she knew she was in surgery. The problem it seems is the wood they're using. A spokesman for Louisville Slugger says that the company produces about 60 percent maple bats and 40 percent ash. Maple bats seem to creating a major safety concern for the commissioner. Bud Selig said "I'm very sensitive. I'm very concerned."


"I've never seen so many bats broken in my life," Detroit manager Jim Leyland says. "They talk about the best wood, the best this and that ... either the pitchers are so good they're jamming the s--- out of everybody, or the bats are that (bad).
"I've never seen so many bats flying, breaking in half. ... I've never seen anything like it in my life. It's mind-boggling. Every game, some body's ducking a bat.
"We spend more time picking bats up in the infield than we've done at any time in the history of the game.