Sports | MLB MLB's Next Crackdown May Be Maple Bats Harder wood splits easily, sending shrapnel into stands By Katherine Thompson Posted Jun 3, 2008 3:10 PM CDT Copied Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman ducks from a broken bat from Florida Marlins' Hanley Ramirez during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sept. 5, 2007, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Barry Bonds may soon be the face of another Major League Baseball investigation: into the dangers of maple bats. The slugger's choice of wood has a growing following among players, but incidents of flying shards injuring fans and coaches have sparked a movement to ban the bats, USA Today reports. A safety summit on June 24 will take up the issue. "A bat could easily snap and go right toward the pitcher, and he's not paying attention because he's looking at the ball, and it jams into his stomach," says Oakland pitcher Chad Gaudin. "I'm sure if that happened, God forbid, they would ban them." Read These Next The Air Force has changed its tune on Ashli Babbitt. Open that wallet big time for a trip to Disney, if you can afford it. Details trickle out on 2 more victims of the Minneapolis shooting. Minneapolis shooter had a plan—and grievances. Report an error