Bat care: cold weather, break-in and warranties

Cold weather

Manufacturers draw the line at 60°F. Rawlings/Easton and Marucci warranties exclude bats used below it, and Louisville Slugger says composites tend to lose performance or crack below 60°F. Use an alloy or wood bat on cold spring days, and store bats indoors, not in the car or garage.

Break-in

Alloy bats are ready out of the wrapper. Easton says its current composites don't need a break-in. For other composites, Easton describes 150–400 swings off a tee at about half effort, turning the barrel slightly each time. Avoid dimpled cage balls, which can damage the bat and void the warranty.

What warranties cover

• Usually one year for non-wood bats, original buyer only, with the receipt from an authorized dealer.
• Typical exclusions: use under 60°F, cage or dimpled balls, rolling or shaving, team/shared use, normal wear.
• Wood bats usually have little or no warranty.

Never roll or shave

Rolling, shaving and removing end caps count as tampering. The bat becomes illegal, loses its warranty, and can get a player ejected or suspended.

Sources: Rawlings/Easton warranty, Easton break-in guide, USA Baseball on tampering.