Should metal bats be banned?

In March, Gunnar Sandberg, a 16-year-old pitcher for Marin Catholic High School in California, was hit by a pitch off an aluminum bat and ended up in a coma for weeks. Following Sandberg's accident, the Marin County Athletic League suspended the use of metal bats. Now a bill in the California Legislature calls for a two-year ban on metal bats. Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) introduced the bill, telling the legislative committee that, "The hyper-performance of high tech metal bats has gone too far. It's increasing the risk of serious injury and yes, death, for young people and we have to do something about it."
 
Bat bans are not unique to California. New York City and North Dakota ban aluminum bats in high school baseball; other states have considered the issue. Glen Cook, a varsity baseball coach at Rockridge High School in Taylor Ridge, Illinois wants aluminum bats banned from high school games. Speaking on WGIL 14 radio, Cook said aluminum bats are dangerous because of their ability to hit balls at a markedly increased speed over wooden bats, posing a risk to players, especially pitchers. The Illinois High School Association has studied aluminum bats but hasn't taken any action.
 
Balls hit off metal bats have caused injuries and even fatalities. From 1991 to 2001, there were 17 deaths caused by batted balls, eight from non-wood, two from wood and seven in which the type of bat was unknown. In November 2009, a Montana jury found an aluminum bat manufacturer liable for the 2003 death of 18-year-old Brandon Patch, who died after being struck by a ball hit off a metal bat. (The case is currently on appeal.) Back in 2000, J.W. MacKay Jr., a former bat designer with Hillerich & Bradsby (makers of the Louisville Slugger) petitioned the CPSC to "issue a rule requiring the wood-like performance of all non-wood bats." But in 2002, the CPSC ruled that the data was insufficient to support such a ruling. The National Collegiate Athletic Association already bans some metal composite bats and will have a new, more stringent bat-testing standard for the 2011 season.
 
Proponents of metal bats say they make for better hitting averages—especially for amateur players—and cost savings (they don't break like wood bats do). But take note: Major League Baseball only uses wooden bats.

—Desiree Ferenczi