Parents sue bat company, 12 retards award them $850,000 - Page 4 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Slon · #46 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by Sunshine

Yes, I AM an educated woman. But at no point in my education was I instructed or tested upon the differences in wooden baseball bats and metal baseball bats. Not would I have any reason to think there would/could be a difference.

They didn't teach me that a shotgun blast to the torso is more dangerous than a handgun round, either. I still don't try shooting myself with either of those. They're both dangerous and you take a risk when you use them. There was apparently nothing wrong with the product as determined by a jury so you cannot hold the bat company responsible.

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As to the family being 'forced' to demonstrate something........there are many things a family with a dead child can demonstrate. Serously doubt you would won't to see any of them though....

It's an emotional case and emotion is all they managed to win on. I guess approaching the problem from a rational position is not very popular today.

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Originally Posted by John Drake

And people should pay for "accidents" they're responsible for. What the FUCK, do ALL conservatives work for big corps that are selling us unsafe products??

Well, whose fault was it in this case? What do you think? Oh, I see, it's the "big corps" fault.

I guess they should just stop producing aluminum bats, sharp knives and fast cars. Let's just use teddy bears when trying to nail something to avoid smashing our thumbs.

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Yes, some things are dangerous, but do you have to make them more so?

Not for the purpose of making them more dangerous, but to make them more effective. If the posters are correct, then aluminum bats are lighter and more effective. This also makes them more dangerous in some circumstances. Same thing with sharp knives.

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Hell, we could make the bats out of steel and put blades on the baseballs, shit, why not just play with live hand grenades, betcha that would make it lively.

If they really want to do it and there is no deception, fine by me. There are more dangerous sports, you know. For instance, there is boxing, a sport that revolves around bashing each other in the head and causing brain damage over time.

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It's. A. Fucking. Stupid. GAME.

Fine, so don't play it. Some people accept the risk and want the entertainment, though, and they should be allowed to take that risk if they want to do so.

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If a Little League team can't afford the difference between aluminum and wooden bats they shouldn't be playing baseball in the first place.

I don't know about other schools, but baseball isn't even required in some public schools. Nonetheless, schools should not be government funded. In any case, if they don't want to do it, they can choose not to play it.

Steve · #47 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by daddio

Most aluminum, bats are less than wooden bats.

I'll disagree with that.

On this site, for the most part, the aluminum bats are more expensive than the wood ones.

I knew a guy who paid $600.00 for a DeMarini, and this was over 15 years ago. The guy's life revolved around softball, so he felt it was worth it. It was a damn nice bat, I remember that.

Every time I ever shopped for a bat, the good aluminum ones were a lot more expensive than the good wood ones...

John Drake · #48 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

So, we should allow our kids to be killed because aluminum bats are more durable? The majors don't allow them, most coaches think they distort the game and don't teach inner fielding skills correctly and they're dangerous; but they cost a quarter or so less each year in maintenance so give us a thousand.

Let me put it another way, what WOULD you conservatives regard as a legitimate product safety claim? Are there any, by your lights?

CYDdharta · #49 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by daddio

The main reason for non-wooden bats was longevity. Wood bats break and need frequent replacement which puts a strain on volunteer run teams not to mention parents on a budget. Weight in kids bats are little different.

In other words, there are large pieces of wood flying in random directions. Sounds kinda dangerous.

Balance · #50 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by John Drake

So, we should allow our kids to be killed because aluminum bats are more durable? The majors don't allow them, most coaches think they distort the game and don't teach inner fielding skills correctly and they're dangerous; but they cost a quarter or so less each year in maintenance so give us a thousand.

Let me put it another way, what WOULD you conservatives regard as a legitimate product safety claim? Are there any, by your lights?

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Most coaches? Have any statistics on the percentage of coaches who refuse to allow their players to use aluminum bats. (could be wrong but I thought they were sort of the current norm....)

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Slon · #51 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by John Drake

So, we should allow our kids to be killed because aluminum bats are more durable?

You're being ridiculous. Nobody is saying you should be forced to use aluminum bats or any bats for that matter. I really don't understand what your malfunction here is. If you don't like aluminum bats, don't buy them or play with them. Don't like any bats? Don't buy those, either. I think your love for big government has given you the false impression that the argument is between "ban aluminum bats outright/hold the makers responsible for all accidents regardless lack of defects" and "force your kids to play with aluminum bats and no helmets." It's not. You can let people who want to take the risks take them and you can sit at home and lock yourself in a safe. With a helmet on.

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The majors don't allow them, most coaches think they distort the game and don't teach inner fielding skills correctly and they're dangerous; but they cost a quarter or so less each year in maintenance so give us a thousand.

Why are you having so much trouble making individual decisions? Why do you need the government to decide for you? Don't fucking buy the bats if you think they're dangerous. Do you really want them to put "taking a baseball to the temple at high speeds may be hazardous to your health" on the baseball bat? And if they did, would you really be happy? I doubt it.

I'm sorry, but blunt object + speed = dangerous is not something that needs to be explained on the product label.

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Let me put it another way, what WOULD you conservatives regard as a legitimate product safety claim? Are there any, by your lights?

Well, for example, if they said and wrote that they were selling you an aluminum bat but instead they sold you a wooden bat with dynamite inside it that exploded after being picked up and tore your arms off. I think that would do it.

Slon · #52 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by CYDdharta

In other words, there are large pieces of wood flying in random directions. Sounds kinda dangerous.

The people who are supporting this decision either have a hard time figuring out basic concepts like "fast baseball to temple is dangerous" and/or they are incapable of not buying items they know to be dangerous unless the government bans them or makes them ridiculously liable for everything that occurs surrounding the use of those items. I can't think of any other reasons.

fishjoel · #53 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by Slon

Well, for example, if they said and wrote that they were selling you an aluminum bat but instead they sold you a wooden bat with dynamite inside it that exploded after being picked up and tore your arms off. I think that would do it.

Sounds like an exciting game.

Steve · #54 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by John Drake

So, we should allow our kids to be killed because aluminum bats are more durable?

I got news for you: If he was hit hard enough with a ball, of an aluminum bat, to kill him, he likely would've been killed if the ball came off a wood bat...

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The majors don't allow them, most coaches think they distort the game and don't teach inner fielding skills correctly and they're dangerous; but they cost a quarter or so less each year in maintenance so give us a thousand.

"Most coaches"?

Now would be the time for me to ask the question that you will undoubtedly dodge: Can you back up that statement?

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Let me put it another way, what WOULD you conservatives regard as a legitimate product safety claim? Are there any, by your lights?

What the fuck does politics have to do with this? All you're doing is proving that the only thing libs care about is the money. As long as there's a pay day, you guys are cool.

The only safety claim that needs to be made is "Playing baseball can be dangerous"...

Steve · #55 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

It should probably be pointed out that just about every organized baseball and softball league in the country, that isn't Major League Baseball, uses aluminum bats. If they were that much more dangerous than wood, surely these leagues would not permit them.

The Majors don't allow them not because they're dangerous. They don't allow them because a ball off an aluminum bat travels further than one off a wood bat. I watched Mike Piazza hit batting practice with an aluminum bat, and I honestly don't think I've ever seen anyone hit a baseball further. Any ball that he didn't hit on the ground went at least 400 feet. It was crushing.

If the Majors used them, every game would be a nine inning home run derby...

Mrs. M · #56 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by John Drake

Like the fact that aluminum bats are not allowed in the Major Leagues of Baseball, partially due to the fact they hit the ball so fast it is more dangerous. The difference is typically about 8mph, which doesn't seem like much until you realize that energy is computed as the SQUARE of the velocity.

In Japan, 9 players have died from balls hit by aluminum bats since 1974.

I can't understand how parents let their kids play with what amounts to a fist sized rock being batted about at well over a hundred miles an hour anyway. Why not just send them into a field and fire a shotgun at them, give them a big glove to catch it, it's fun.

Oh geeez!!!!! When I was a kid, we played baseball with the adults every weekend and occasionally, we got hit by the ball. You know what we learned? If you didn't want to get hit, you made sure you caught it....might have been a tough lesson but oh well, we loved the game so we kept going back for more. In the fall, we all played football and the same lesson applied, you don't want to get hit by the ball, you catch the ball. Hell, we even played dodge ball!
BTW, kids that sat inside playing chess because they were scared of getting hurt were generally little wusses that mommy babied all the time and they were laughed at!

Slon · #57 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

How useful would a warning label be, anyway? Is someone too stupid to figure out that flying baseballs are dangerous really going to read the label, comprehend the label and change his mind about the game? It's an aluminum bat, not a nuclear-powered baseball launcher. It's not exactly a huge change over wooden bats. Just better material with subtle improvements.

turnitup5000db · #58 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

I suppose we could switch the standard to nerf bats and foam balls.

proUSA · #59 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

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Originally Posted by fishjoel

It's not the kid that was stupid...he probably did know you could get hit by a baseball that was hit. It still happens. The only stupid people are the jury and possibly the parents (though people do lots of stupid stuff when they suffer a sever tragedy, like this, so I give them a pass for now).

I disagree......I am beting that they seen that only as a means to get money and soon they will be living in a new home and driving new vehicles.

Nothing like living high on a son's death money.

PS: This is simply my predictions, which is based after seeing this type of crap before many times.