Coaches torn about whether to support decision

Central Lafourche pitcher Darren Dufrene went through the windup and then the stretch, firing a pitch over the plate.

It was hit hard and clean. And it was hit right at him, so hard he couldn’t react in time.

The ball struck Dufrene squarely in the head, knocking the pitcher to the ground and instantly out of the game.

“It was a bad concussion,” Trojans coach Scott Duplantis said. “He spent a couple of weeks out and he’s back now and he’s fine and he’s able to play. But that’s still a scary, scary moment.”

To prevent those same scary moments from happening in the future, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association announced earlier this year that they would ban composite bats from the 2010-11 baseball season.

In addition to that, they also announced that effective in 2011-12, all teams will be barred from using the “plus-3” bats they are using now and will be forced to use the much more watered down aluminum bats that are currently being used in the college game, so watered down that they don’t make the traditional ‘ping’ sound that has become deeply associated with collegiate baseball.

That’s a change that local coaches are pondering and trying to come to grips with as the deadline nears for bat reform in high school baseball.

“I don’t know,” Vandebilt coach David Constant said. “I haven’t come to the conclusion yet whether I’m in full favor of it yet. But I’m going to back up what the LHSAA says.”

What the LHSAA said is that the outlying reason for the bat reform is safety, to avoid instances where defenseless pitchers like Dufrene are injured on the mound by a line drive.

But some coaches are wondering if new bats, which coaches say play like wooden bats, will really make things safer.

South Lafourche coach Jared Landrum said that while the sweet-spot of the new bats may be smaller, the ball travels just as fast when it’s found.

He theorizes that a clean line drive right at the pitcher will remain a threat, because hitting the ball on the sweet-spot of a bat usually means a player will hit it back up the middle.

“If we really want pitchers to be safe, let them wear a helmet, or let them wear some type of chest protector,” Landrum said. “Not as far as anything heavy duty like a catcher’s chest protector, but just something to protect the sternum because the pitcher is the closest thing to the batter and the ball comes off the bat so hard and even with these new bats they’re coming out with, if you hit it hard and square, it gets there in the same amount of time.”

Since being put into place at the college level, home run numbers are way down and teams are scoring fewer runs per game.

Those players are 18-22-year-old kids.

High school ballplayers could be sometimes as young as 14-15-years-old and perhaps need a more “live” bat to keep the way the game’s played consistent with that of college baseball and the major leagues.

That is the biggest concern of most coaches in the Tri-parishes, who say safety is one thing, but keeping the way the game is played intact is entirely another.

“I don’t know that this will make a whole lot of difference on the high school level,” Constant said. “It has made a huge difference on the college level as we’re seeing, but personally, I like the home run. And it’s going to take that out of the high school game big-time.”

South Terrebonne coach Nathan Cotten agreed and said he isn’t necessarily in favor of the switch.

“In college, I’m absolutely in favor of it,” he said. “But they are dealing with kids who are a lot stronger. We’re dealing with kids who are still growing and who still have plenty of room to grow. So I’m not necessarily in favor of it. I understand the reasoning behind it and what not, but I’m not necessarily in favor of it.”

But while some coaches see the game being more challenging, Landrum said that’s exactly how things should be.

He said that while he doesn’t believe kids will be safer, he supports the change because he believes it will improve prep baseball.

He said that by watering down the bats, teams who make solid contact and play good defense will be rewarded.

“I think it’s going to make kids better,” he said. “I think it’s going to make the game better. I think it’s going to take us back to where baseball is supposed to be and it’s going to take us away from the game being about hitting a bunch of home runs. … The way it is now, you might have one kid who walks, then the next kid comes up and he has a powerful bat in his hands and he catches the ball a little bit off center, but because the bat’s made so well, the ball carries and it’s a home run. … Now, we’ll have to get back to the fundamentals and the basics and rewarding teams who make good contact.”

Cotten agreed and said that while he doesn’t support the reform, he does see Landrum’s stance where the game will now be taken back to the basics.

“We’re going back to the fundamentals,” he said. “Pitching, defense and base running. This will take us back to the fundamentals.”

Regardless of the reasons for or against, the bats are here and will begin to be used next season.

Duplantis said he sees both sides of the argument and added that as a hitter, he would rather a bigger, more juiced bat.

But as a coach, he supports the change.

Because after all, he doesn’t want to ever see one of his own lying on the field again with his hand on his head after being hit by a line drive.

“You know, people can complain, but the true hitters will still prevail,” Duplantis said. “The true power guys, they’ll still hit the home runs and they’ll still be fine. … I’m not a parent, but I feel like one to a lot of these guys, I’m in favor of it. There’s too many guys getting hit. There’s too many guys getting hurt.”

The LHSAA announced earlier this year that, effective next season, they would inherit the bat reform that has swept through college baseball. Already banned are composite bats (right). Teams are currently playing with plus-3 bats (middle). Coaches say next year’s bats play like the wooden bats (left). CASEY GISCLAIR