Baseball bat billets ?

[beenthere]

......................I cannot believe MLB has allowed bat manufacturers to thin down the handles of their bats the way they do.  Perhaps this is just another blind eye they have turned in hopes that nobody will take notice.  One day that flying spear that used to be a baseball bat will enter the stands and kill someone.  Talk about a liability waiting to happen. :  I'm glad I cannot afford to sit in the close seats.
................

My guess, and a tiny bit of knowledge  , is the ball players dictate the size of the handle...not the mfg's.  Bats are usually made to a players spec, and ordered by a players name.  One gets the profile that goes with that name....if one is a no-name ordering. ;D ;D ;D

[metalspinner]

Yes, but MLB sets the size and weight perameters.  They can easily (probably not) ammend the rule book to include a minimum handle diameter or some such terminology to increase the safety of players and fans. 

[beenthere]

The breaks, I think, are usually failure along the undetected cross grain of the fibers, not usually the annual ring grain, that runs at an angle. Regardless of handle diameter, the cross grain is a weak point. Other factors enter into the equation too, very likely Like hitting the ball near the fingers  .

[metalspinner]

Other factors enter into the equation too, very likely Like hitting the ball near the fingers  .

I must admit that my favorate pitching style are the guys that can cross up and jam hitters breaking their bats with an 83MPH change up. ;)  I once saw Gary Sheffield check his swing and break the bat off at the handle with out hitting the ball.