Pine tar is used to get a better grip on the ball, but it is an illegal substance banned by MLB.
But why is it illegal above 18 inches from the knob? When the stickiness of the bat from the pine tar comes in contact with the ball, the result can be an extra backspin on the ball. A spinning ball may likely be foul. But it may also result in a home run.
Pine Tar’s Traditional Place In Baseball
Since they can be quite slippery, league rules allow players to add up to 18 inches of pine tar to aid in grip. The better the grip on the bat, the more loosely a player can grip it, allowing for more “pop” and less stinging when contact is made with the ball.
Pine tar, which is the sticky byproduct of a process of firing pine wood under pressure, has been a part of baseball for decades. Hitters are allowed to put it on their bats, to keep them from slipping out of their hands and flying dangerously at players on the field, or into the stands.
The reason for this rule is that pine tar on the upper part of the bat gives the batter an unfair advantage. While they’re allowed to use pine tar for extra grip, the sticky substance on the barrel gives the ball more spin and makes it fly further and higher.
Modern day pine tar is manufactured with increased purity to eliminate toxic phenol and carcinogenic components, which have been of concern in the past. Primary irritation is uncommon.
Major league baseball players must follow the 18-inch rule, which means that pine tar can only be on the bat’s lowest 18 inches, or grip end. However, a batter violates MLB rules if their bat has pine tar closer to the barrel end of the bat, and any use of pine tar by a pitcher is also illegal.
6 Best 2018 Wood Bats
As the MLB rule states, it’s not the bat being lighter than makes a corked bat illegal, it’s because lighter wood bats are shorter than heavier bats and the bat is no longer a one piece of solid wood.
Pine tar is a sticky substance that is produced by high carbonization of pine wood. It is used to help hitters get a better grip on the bat. In the MLB, wood bats are all that is allowed and the pine tar is used to provide a better grip for the hitter.
If you get pine tar on your bat, the best way to remove it is by using soap and water. Make a wet bat with soapy water and then scrub the tar off of the bat with the help of your hands. Rinse the bat with clear water after scrubbing to remove any remaining residue.
The grip must extend a minimum of 10 inches, but not more than 18 inches, from the base of the knob. Slippery tape or similar material shall be prohibited. Resin, pine tar or any drying agent to enhance the hold are permitted only on the grip. Molded grips are illegal.
NOTE 2: The use of pine tar or any other similar adhesive substance is prohibited at all levels of Little League Baseball and Softball. Use of these substances will result in the bat being declared illegal and removed from play. NOTE 3: Non-wood bats may develop dents from time to time.
Baseball batting helmets can sometimes look burned because of pine tar. Baseball players add pine-tar to their baseball bats to increase grip when they hold from it. Thus, when they adjust their helmets, the pine-tar gets stuck, making them look burned.
Saliva is also used as a lubricant to break in a stiff new baseball glove. Though studies prove that the practice is bad for the glove, both pros and amateurs continue to spit into their glove to soften the leather.
The substance is pine tar, an adhesive material used to improve grip on bats. Baseball players wear tar to improve their grip while batting.
Bat tape has become a more and more popular accessory used by baseball and softball players. Bat tape is not only a way to accessorize the appearance of the bat, but also can aid in improving the grip and comfort of the batting experience. We are even seeing a greater number of MLB players using it.
Using pine tar in baseball is both legal and illegal depending on how it is used. For batters, it is legal, with some exceptions. For pitchers, it is completely illegal.
Manny Mota Grip Stick
This is the old-school pine tar stick found throughout the pros. A lot of the newer products are wax-based, but this is a good ol’ pine tar solution.
Pitchers’ use of pine tar and similar substances is regulated by Rule 3.01 (3.02) of the Official Baseball Rules. It unequivocally states that no player is allowed to intentionally discolor or damage the baseball by rubbing it with any foreign substance. The pine tar doctoring is also regulated by Rule 8.02(b).
NOTE 2: The use of pine tar or any other similar adhesive substance is prohibited at all levels of Little League Baseball and Softball. Use of these substances will result in the bat being declared illegal and removed from play. NOTE 3: Non-wood bats may develop dents from time to time.
A History of Baseball Bat Colors
The first baseball bats were black because they were crafted from hickory wood, which is naturally black. Hickory was used for bats until the 1960s when maple bats became more popular.
Tar contains most of the cancer-causing and other harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, the tar can form a sticky layer on the inside of the lungs. This damages the lungs and may lead to lung cancer, emphysema, or other lung problems.
Pine tar is a natural wood preservative from the forest, obtained by slowly burning the resin from the root stock of pine trees.
Pine tar is a form of wood tar produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood in anoxic conditions (dry distillation or destructive distillation). The wood is rapidly decomposed by applying heat and pressure in a closed container; the primary resulting products are charcoal and pine tar.