BBCOR transition dilemma

BBCOR like other bats are either balance or end loaded. Depending on which type of bat your son likes a good balanced bat would be the Rawlings 5150 or the Easton S1. If he prefers an end loaded bat then something like the Easton XL1 or Demarini Vodoo. All these bats can be had quite inexpensively if looking at last years model. There are many other options out there just figure out which type of bat he likes (balanced or end loaded) and go from there. Hope this helps  

Two options. 

1)  Find a place that lets you demo different bats.  You can then weed them out and settle on one that "fits" your kid. 

2)  Buy them on clearance -- under $100.  This year, I bot my kid an Easton S1 for $70.  Look at the bat sites, the baseball stores, and ebay. 

outside of the balance I don't believe there is much difference. my son is something of a junkie for bats, always has been. He buys his own and loves them...he has many of the big names - his key is he likes balance. He is currently swinging the S1 - it was accroding to him "the best bat ever" at the end of last year when he wanted it for Xmas - now the new Rawlings Velo is out and he demo'ed it somewhere - it the new greatest bat ever...of course he wants to walk away from the S1 that he has just cruched with all spring! LOL kids are dumb, i can't believe they don't realize a bat losses its hit over the offseason when a new one comes out not during the year!!

I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

If you want to try a used VoDoo PM me.  My son has one he never uses and is just taking up space in my entry way. Wife says to get rid of it.

Here is the question that no one seems to ask ever... What does your son use now? Try to find the BBCOR model of that bat if your son likes the bat that he is using now. That would be a good base to start off with.

Thanks to all for the replies. He currently uses Easton XL1 drop 5 (31/26) and has hit pretty well with it. Probably will lean towards similar when the BBCOR purchase is made.

Also, thanks for the offer daveccpa 

A -5 XL1 is as end-loaded as bats come, and is actually a -3.5 if you put it on a scale. The BBCOR XL1 is actually a very balanced bat. If you look around a little on the internet, you can find MOI scales that rate BBCOR bats from lowest to highest.

XL1 I believe is Eastons End loaded model while the S1 is the balanced model.

http://baseball-stuff.com/easton-xl1-bbcor-review/

Attached picture was put out on another board a few years ago by an Easton engineer and shows the MOI of BBCOR bats (of the time). Take for what you will. Having had a BBCOR XL1 in my hands, I don't feel the end load. The drop 5 XL1, end-loaded as a sledgehammer.

standball,

I wonder if you have the source for that chart with the y-axis data.  I've seen variants of this type of chart, and usually the middle of the pack is around 100 (no unit of measure shown), and the upper and lower bounds are within +/- 5% or so.  In other words, although visually this chart makes the differences in bats look fairly dramatic, I suspect that the variability is very tight (within 5% or so).  I point this out because although I'm sure there are some differences between bats, I suspect the difference is magnified more by marketing than by science.

My son highly recommends the Rawlings Velo 5150 if you want a balanced bat. Best suited for a line drive gap to gap hitter.

Good point, I do not the where this charts or data was pulled from.

Oops, that was posted by SDN8...

Originally came from the thread in the link below. Member who was at the time an engineer for Easton (now w/ Adidas) posted. See the 6th post. I don't know first-hand that this person is who they say they are, but they have proven knowledgeable on the topic over time.

http://www.baseball-bats.net/f...?8571-Balanced-BBCOR