Since they have come into the MLB, I love the torpedo bats. With the MLB starting the regular season last Thursday, March 27, the Yankees started using what everyone is calling the torpedo bat. The Yankees started their season with a home against the Milwaukee Brewers, getting a total of 15  home runs in the first three games, with nine of those coming in the second game of the season. The Yankees have also scored 36 runs in those three games. 

However, I have heard the narrative that the torpedo bats are illegal, however, there is nowhere in the rule book where it says these bats are illegal. In the MLB rule book, rule 3.2 section A, which states, “The bat must be a smooth round stick no more than 2.61 inches at the thickest part of the bat and no more than 42 inches in length. The bat must be one piece of solid wood.”  The torpedo bat is a solid, smooth piece of wood with the thickest part of the bat being 2.61 inches. This bat is legal with more wood in the barrel and not so spread out. Having this bat will likely make a hitter have more hand eye coordination since the barrel isn’t spread out and it is lower on the bat.

I can see why people are arguing that the bat is seen as a method of cheating. The center fielder for the Yankees, Aaron Judge, doesn’t use the bat and is the only person on the team who isn’t using this and that is his choice. 10 total teams are using torpedo bats and most are star players.  The Yankees have the most players using torpedo bats, with the only reason why players are using these bats is to reduce weight. This being said, it doesn’t state in the rule book that you cannot use this bat.

People are making a big deal out of this when it doesn’t need to be. If your favorite team was using these bats and winning games, people would not say a word. People are just mad because the Yankees were the first team that used these bats. Let’s be honest, a lot of people don’t really like the Yankees, and that is why they think they are cheating.  

Some arguments that people are making are that if players can use this bat and make the playoffs , then Barry Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame . I do agree that Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame. Now, Bonds was also in the steroid era. But, if you take away all of the home runs he hit during that era, he still has the stats to prove that he should be in the Hall of Fame. I think that people who use these bats should be in the Hall of Fame as well. 

All this brings me back to what this is all about: whether or not torpedo bats be banned? No, torpedo bats should not be banned, as it makes the game more exciting with all the home runs being hit. 

However, I do anticipate MLB will most likely have a talk about these bats either at the All-Star break or at the end of the season.