i could see a suit perhaps the league itself ... but the maker? sports authority? this speaks to the large issue of why metal bats are allowed to be used at all if they're proven to be so much more dangerous.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356596,00.html

Family Files Lawsuit in Metal Baseball Bat Injury Case

WAYNE, N.J. — The family of a boy who suffered brain damage after he was struck by a line drive off an aluminum baseball bat sued the bat's maker and others on Monday, saying they should have known it was dangerous.

The family of Steven Domalewski, who was 12 when he was struck by the ball in 2006, filed the lawsuit in state Superior Court. It names Hillerich & Bradsby Co., maker of the 31-inch, 19-ounce Louisville Slugger TPX Platinum bat used when Steven was hit.

The lawsuit also names Little League Baseball and Sports Authority, which sold the bat. It claims the defendants knew, or should have known, that the bat was dangerous for children to use, according to the family's attorney, Ernest Fronzuto.

"People who have children in youth sports are excited about the lawsuit from a public policy standpoint because they hope it can make the sport safer," Fronzuto said after filing the suit Monday morning. "There are also those who are skeptical of the lawsuit and don't see the connection between Steven's injury and the aluminum bat."

Little League denies any wrongdoing, as does the bat manufacturer. Sports Authority has not responded to several telephone messages seeking comment.

Steven was pitching in a Police Athletic League game when he was hit just above the heart by a line drive. His heart stopped beating and his brain was deprived of oxygen for 15 to 20 minutes, according to his doctors.

Although he was not playing in a Little League game, the organization is being sued because it gave its seal of approval to the bat, certifying it as safe for use by children, Fronzuto said.

Good god. The parents are more retarded than a cave man.

Oh c'mon.

Wooden baseball bats are pretty dangerous too. Are we sure this lawsuit isn't sponsored by Hasbro?

but are they less dangerous?

Wooden bats are more massive since they arent hollow, right?

and the winner of frivolous lawsuit of the week goes to...

there's usually a weight/length limit on these things for each age in little league. i'm not sure the metal bats being hollow makes a difference due to this, and also considering the materials they use to make 'em nowadays. but i could be wrong.

c_b the reportage on this story is abominable. All parents have to sign an athletic waiver in order for their children to participate in organized sports. The only clue as to whether this suit has any merit is the wording of the waiver. I deal with consent forms all the time, and individuals attempt to challenge them constantly by threatening legal action. It's hard for me to believe that, despite the seriousness of this child's injury, these consents have not been challenged in the past.

while that all may be true, what i wanted to discuss in this thread is this: if metals bats are more dangerous than wooden bats, why do we continue use of the former?

Wooden bats don't give you that horrible vibrating feeling if you hit the ball wrong. I hated that.

but what about splinters?

I've never heard of anyone getting a splinter from a bat.

but mike piazza almost got half a bat thrown up his ass.

You do bring up one downside to wooden bats: they apparently look just like baseballs to pitchers.

Wooden bats consume trees. Down with wooden bats!

no they should not be banned..........accidentes happen, deal with it.....who's going to pay for all the wooden bats that break so frequently....

Hollowing out the bat would make you hit the ball harder/farther. That's why corking is illegal.

This has something to do with Kinetic Energy and/ or momentum.

Is the impact between a baseball bat and a baseball elastic? Nearly perfectly so?

I don't know nothin' about no physics, but I know solid wooden bat wouldn't have brained the kid quite as sweetly as a hollow wooden bat would have.