Metal vs Molded Cleats

[flholbrook]

Does anyone know of a rule or lawsuit regarding the use of metal and molded cleats at the high school or middle school level?
Thanks

[Jake Patterson]

Does anyone know of a rule or lawsuit regarding the use of metal and molded cleats at the high school or middle school level?
Thanks

Coached both - never heard of anything along these lines.

[CPatt44]

All area high schools her in Wisconsin allow metal spikes. Never heard of any lawsuit but it could be up to every state's governing body for athletics to state such a rule.

[Jake Patterson]

I don't think anyone was better at taking out opponents with spikes more than Cobb. Here's a couple of pics:
18632

This guy looks like he had an accident
18633

[wogdoggy]

our 13 yr old travel league is allowing metal now,,personally it just opens up problems with injuries etc..especially with molded cleats being so high tech and light now,,..dont really see a big advantage of allowing metal with 13 yr olds?

[flholbrook]

I'm more concerned about the molded cleat's inability to hold onto a base while turning. I thought a state was sued back in the '80's when that happened, prompting metal spikes to be mandatory in high school.

[Jake Patterson]

I'm more concerned about the molded cleat's inability to hold onto a base while turning. I thought a state was sued back in the '80's when that happened, prompting metal spikes to be mandatory in high school.

I did a quick search and could not find anything. Do you have any specifics?

Plus the technology from the 80's when compared to today's is night and day. If the above is true I am not certain it would be applicable.

[Baseball gLove]

Last year when I was shopping for spikes (I bought the ones recommended by BHSS89), I had been told by some one at Sports Authority that they no longer carry metal spikes (Not True), because it was being phased out at the high schools (again not true). This prompted me to call a high school coach who had won several Los Angeles City Championships, including one against Nationally ranked Chatsworth High School. His reply was as follows. The City had enacted a moratorium on metal spiked baseball shoes, however they found that the rate of injuries actually increased. The city promptly reversed their decision.

My son plays middle infield and gets spiked often. He also had his hand stepped on while diving back to 1st on a pickoff attempts. In 5 years of playing with metal spikes being legal, the worst injury he has received, as a result of getting spiked, is a scrape that did not draw blood and a bruise.

[Jake Patterson]

Both my boys played, the youngest into his twenties and we never had a real issue with metal spikes. I have had players scraped and sctratched, but never cut. I think many of the slicing stories, ala Ty Cobb are urban legends.

[Baseball gLove]

Both my boys played, the youngest into his twenties and we never had a real issue with metal spikes. I have had players scraped and sctratched, but never cut. I think many of the slicing stories, ala Ty Cobb are urban legends.

There are anecdotes that Cobb said he didn't want to deny the rumors because he wanted opposing infielders to be nervous when he ran the bases. He had waited until his playing days were over to refute those rumors.

Cobb's Psychological Tactics

http://wso.williams.edu/~jkossuth/cobb/psych.htm

[ametsfan#5]

I don't think any state makes metal cleats MANDATORY, I think they would just be an option.

[cubsphill]

i remember a couple of years ago the cubs were playing up in minnesota and eric young when running the bases cleated michael cuddyer i think it was. he drew plenty of blood on that one.

[Jake Patterson]

i remember a couple of years ago the cubs were playing up in minnesota and eric young when running the bases cleated michael cuddyer i think it was. he drew plenty of blood on that one.

The difference with the pros versus youth ball is the pros have more latitude when trying to take out an infielder.

[bigtime39]

The other difference between the pros and youth ball is they play on MUCH BETTER SURFACES. My softball team shares some fields with youth baseball and high school softball, and they're disgraces. We're not allowed to wear metal, and I break out the plastic only after rains. The infields are usually hard as concrete, so I've gone to wearing turf shoes most of the time.

[YankeeFan01]

Metal in high school for sure, as for middle school, i have no idea.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

I've worn molded cleats for my whole "career", but this year I need a new pair. I was wondering whether or not it's worth it to switch to metal. From what I've heard, they give better traction, but they're heavier. For what it's worth, I am predominantly a catcher.

I was wondering what individual people's thoughts are. Thanks.

[Baseball gLove]

I just bought metal Nike Huaraches for my son and he is in love. He says that they're lighter than his 13.4 ounce Mizunos that he just wore out.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

I just bought metal Nike Huaraches for my son and he is in love. He says that they're lighter than his 13.4 ounce Mizunos that he just wore out.Those look nice. Maybe I'll look into them...

[bigtime39]

I've worn molded cleats for my whole "career", but this year I need a new pair. I was wondering whether or not it's worth it to switch to metal. From what I've heard, they give better traction, but they're heavier. For what it's worth, I am predominantly a catcher.

I was wondering what individual people's thoughts are. Thanks.

Same position, different sport. You're never on grass, so I can't see the point in wearing metal. Again, depending on how wet the infield is, I'd probably alternate between molded cleats and turf shoes. I have a pair of Nike mid top molded cleats for the wet days, but when it's dry, and the infields are like concrete, I'll base my choice on how angry my ankles are on any given day: either Puma Diamond Strategist low top or Reebok Vero Quagmire mid top shoes. Eastbay has a good selection of shoes, and, if you can wait for a sale, pretty decent pricing.
BTW, since you're in Toronto, I thought you'd appreciate the attached photo. We don't see that much snow here in Northern Virginia, so when we got a good bit two years ago, my wife and I ran over to the closest local field, and shot some pix as a joke. I'm wearing the Puma Diamond Strategists in this shot (though you can hardly tell). Not really the best snow shoes! :laugh

[BallCoach06]

When I played in high school, metal spikes were banned for my first two years because of injury concern. If I remember correctly, when they changed the rule to allow them again I think there was a report that had come out stating molded cleats actually caused the same or more injuries to the wearer than metal.

[Baseball gLove]

When I played in high school, metal spikes were banned for my first two years because of injury concern. If I remember correctly, when they changed the rule to allow them again I think there was a report that had come out stating molded cleats actually caused the same or more injuries to the wearer than metal.

I had heard the same thing.

[Jake Patterson]

BTW, since you're in Toronto, I thought you'd appreciate the attached photo.

Is this is a coach in April waiting for the snow to clear or a coach in December with nothing else to do?

[bigtime39]

Is this is a coach in April waiting for the snow to clear or a coach in December with nothing else to do?

Player/coach in January making a joke photograph for the team blog. We wound up using this one...title was something along the lines of "where are you guys?!?"

[Jake Patterson]

Player/coach in January making a joke photograph for the team blog. We wound up using this one...title was something along the lines of "where are you guys?!?"

Great pics! Love it.

Several years ago we had a ground rule double for any ball hit into the snow in right field.

Anybody can play in warm sunny weather....

[bigtime39]

Never played in snow. Worst conditions I ever played in were temps right around 40, and light rain. Unpleasant.

[Jake Patterson]

Never played in snow. Worst conditions I ever played in were temps right around 40, and light rain. Unpleasant.

We call that April

[bigtime39]

We call that April

I think for us, it was late October or early November. Very near the end of the fall season.