The bat manufacturer denied the claims almost immediately and Little League president Stephen D. Keener - whose organization approved the bat as being safe - repeated Little League's long-held stand that there is no evidence metal bats are more dangerous than those made of wood.
Other than what your eyes tell you, that is.
Among parents who follow their sons or daughters from T-ball to American Legion, the evidence overwhelms the debate, makes it silly, really. Ask pro scouts faced with the challenge of determining a college player's true power and true stroke whether metal is the same as wood. It's one big reason why the Cape Cod League - a summer wood-bat league for college-level players - has increased in importance over the years.
The ball jumps off metal bats. It travels farther. The sweet spot is bigger and sweeter. It's why manufacturers tinker with them, why Little League sets standards in an attempt to mimic the weight and characteristics of wood. Citing a decrease of injuries over the years, the manufacturers and Little League have claimed success, even if the empirical evidence suggests otherwise.
Steven Domalewski was on the mound in a 2006 Wayne Police Athletic League game when the ball struck him in the chest and caused his heart to stop - a condition known as commotio cordis. A coma was induced that lasted several weeks, and he emerged unable to speak, or walk on his own.
"His [Steven's] reaction time was compromised because of those bats," his father said during a news conference this week. "Allowing your kid to play with one of those bats is like letting your kid play Russian roulette."
