Illegal Bat Identification Process

Question
As you may know, there is a growing concern about bat shaving/alternation in softball.  This includes removing the paint/decals from an illegal bat and repaint the bat to look like a legal bat, including the required ASA certification symbols.  Do you know of a solidified process to identify such a bat?  In other words, if an umpire suspect that the bat is illegal, what are the next steps to prove same?  Thanks - I appreciate your time and insight.

Rob  

Answer
Hi Rob,

I don't know of a process to id bats such as these.  I do know ASA is using legal action against the people that do this to bats.

I don't think it's too widespread (I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice)but people using such a bat should (but probably don't) think what a civil lawyer could do to them should a defensive player be injured or killed by their batted ball.  Imagine intenionally using a banned bat made to look like a legal bat and someone gets hurt or worse.  I forget the latin term but in English it is "the case speaks for itself"  (any of you legal-beagles out there please e-mail me the term). I don't think a jury would be too sympathetic to the defense.

I imagine and common-sense tells me that criminal charges could even be considered in a severe case.  How about some jail or prison time on top of a (hopefully large) civil award.

OK, that's my rant, softabll is a game, not real life.  If you cheat in softball, what kind of person are you in real life and does that make your mother proud?

Mark