CIF reaches agreement on metal bats

The California Interscholastic Federation has reached agreement with Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) on new safety standards for metal bats, which is expected to result in Huffman withdrawing his bill, AB 7, that would have imposed a one-year moratorium on non-wood bats for high school baseball games next season.

Huffman said he will hold a news conference Wednesday in Sacramento with Marie Ishida, the CIF’s executive director.

On Friday, during a conference call, the executive committee of the CIF passed a requirement that aluminum bats used for 2011 must meet the new BBCOR performance standards if the bats are commercially available by Jan. 1.

BBCOR gauges the trampoline effect of a ball coming off a bat instead of simply the speed of the ball after it’s hit, and the new standard is aimed at decreasing bat performance by 10% to 15%, making the game safer.

Also passed was a motion recommending that high school baseball and softball teams voluntarily require their infielders and pitchers to wear protective headgear next season.

These decisions come as AB 7 had been under consideration in the State Legislature.

“We’ve had the bill on hold several months pending negotiations with CIF,” Huffman said Tuesday.

The bill was proposed after several well-publicized head injuries last season suffered by high school players who were struck by balls from metal bats.

One of those injured players, pitcher Gunnar Sandberg, is scheduled to attend the news conference.

The suggestion that infielders should wear headgear is expected to encounter resistance from players and coaches.

“I don’t like that,” said Armando Gomez, San Fernando’s baseball coach. “I don’t think it’s needed.”

Max Fried, a pitcher-first baseman at Van Nuys Montclair Prep, said, “I don’t think many people would be happy or enjoy wearing headgear. I think more people would be against it than for it.”

One person who doesn’t need to be told to wear protection is softball pitcher Kristi Denny from Lake Forest El Toro. She was wearing a face mask last season that might have saved her life after she was struck in the forehead by a line drive and required six hours of surgery.

“If the equipment is available, I don’t know why they wouldn’t wear it,” said Denny’s mother, Kathy. “I don’t think it’s any different than wearing a seat belt in the car.”

New equipment is under development by manufacturers that would provide shields that could be worn under hats.

Barbara Fiege, commissioner of the City Section, said, “The point of it is to keep the kids safe.”

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Times staff writer Melissa Rohlin contributed to this story.