City Council Says Bring Back Wood
Under a bill that the City Council Youth Services Committee approved yesterday, New York City could become one of the first in the country to [ban the use of aluminum bats] in high school baseball games. According to the Council, it would cost the citys public high schools $253,500 to replace 5,070 metal or metal-composite bats used by 169 baseball teams with wood bats, and an additional $67,600 a year to replace broken wood bats. Metal bat-haters argue that baseballs fly off a metal bat faster than off a wood one. Um, isnt that the whole point? But they fear awkward, pubescent players don't have enough time to protect themselves from getting hit.
Critics of the bill say theres no scientific fact to back up a claim that aluminum bats are likelier to cause injury than wood, and Yankee Mike Mussina agrees. But [former Mets pitcher John Franco] said he speaks from experience, and he believes the former to be very dangerous. The metal bats bill now heads to the City Council where lawmakers are [expected to vote in favor](http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=67585) of the legislation this Wednesday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg sides with the Yankee on this one.
Photo courtesy of [krc krc on Flickr]