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AS an FYI...

I spoke with Marucci last week about the Black.

It's the same aluminum as the Cat5. The differences are:

- Cat5 is one piece
- Black 2 piece with a composite handle
- Black has a slightly larger barrel

So it's whether or not you would rather have a two-piece for the extra $100.

On a side note... they were at the PG Underclass event we were at a few weeks back. They had several other popular BBCOR's, along with the Black, sliced open down the middle of the barrel.

The others (Voodoo and Exo) both had those rings right in the middle of the barrel near the sweet spot. The Black didn't have a ring.

I bought my son the new Easton S3 model and he used it a couple times and the ball just doesn't jump off the bat the same as the Cat-5. Switched to the Cat-5. Better balanced and definitely jumps off the bat differently.
quote:
Originally posted by jazzmik:
AS an FYI...

I spoke with Marucci last week about the Black.

It's the same aluminum as the Cat5. The differences are:

- Cat5 is one piece
- Black 2 piece with a composite handle
- Black has a slightly larger barrel

So it's whether or not you would rather have a two-piece for the extra $100.

On a side note... they were at the PG Underclass event we were at a few weeks back. They had several other popular BBCOR's, along with the Black, sliced open down the middle of the barrel.

The others (Voodoo and Exo) both had those rings right in the middle of the barrel near the sweet spot. The Black didn't have a ring.

I bought my son the new Easton S3 model and he used it a couple times and the ball just doesn't jump off the bat the same as the Cat-5. Switched to the Cat-5. Better balanced and definitely jumps off the bat differently.


We recently put 2013 in charge of researching BBCOR online because he was going to need to be happy with the decision. He had used the 5150 and Exogrid in showcases and although he liked the Exo he had concerns about the reviews he read regarding a "rattle" that develops. He decided to try the Cat 5 based on the great reviews he read.

He used it for three at-bats in a game and had very solid line drives to the gaps (that's his typical style). A few weeks ago he did a showcase with great results, as well.

Every week in lessons he is liking it more and says it really reminds him of wood. He loves the balance and pop.
I too have a son (2015) in the market for a new BBCOR and we've been trying to do our due diligence. We've been impressed by the Marucci Black, as well as the Rip-It Prototyped II, and thanks to this site, we're giving the Rawlings Plasma a hard look as well.

In the course of looking around, I found this review, which lists the Rip-It #1, and the Marucci #4, saying

quote:
"Marucci introduced the Marucci Cat 5 last year, and with the Black Series has gained ground in the BBCOR market. The Marucci Black Series has proven to be a top performer in both performance and sweet spot, standing toe-to-toe with our #1 and #2 ranked bats in terms of exit speed and distance. Players also give the Marucci Black Series high marks for its balance, saying it feels very “light.”

"Durability is the major factor in dropping the Marucci Black Series below the Easton Power Brigade series and Demarini Voodoo for the #2 and #3 spots respectively. We have had conversations with numerous colleges and high school teams that told us that last year the Marucci Cat 5 bat lost its performance (i.e. “wore out”) during the season. In some cases, the bats needed to be swapped out numerous times. With reliable sources telling us the barrel of the Black Series is the same as that used in last year’s Cat 5 (the Black Series uses a composite handle where the Cat 5 was a 1 piece aluminum), it is likely that the same issues would exist in the Black Series model."


To those here who used the Cat 5 last year - is this consistent with your experience? Are there any users out there who swung last year's versions of both the Marucci and Rip-It who have opinions on which might be the better choice? BTW, being in Washington State, it is difficult to use composite until the summer months without at least having a bat warmer, and I'm guessing that would be true even if the only composite part is the handle of the bat....

Another BTW: in the Best BBCOR? thread, the Rawlings Plasma got a lot of love, especially for the price, and it does say something that the last two years the CWS has been won by teams using Rawlings bats. The Rawlings 5150 is the #5 bat listed here, but the reviewer(s) in the linked article seem to think that Rawlings is falling behind by making no changes since 2011.

Any help in making this decision would be appreciated. Son has had most success swinging "balanced" bats in the past, which tends to make me lean toward the Marucci Black, but the Rip-It also seems to get good marks for balance and swingablity, and I do worry about durability and using composite in the cold weather of the northwest.
Son is using the Black Marucci in Fall.Marucci came and cut the bats in half and showed the team the insides of the bats and how they differ.They also tested exit speeds from different bats.

Son swung wood all summer,so metal is just different.Timing is different.As I have mentioned in hitting forum he has tried several this Fall as his school was released from using Nike.

He likes Marucci the best.Demarini was second and he liked Easton the least.(he always swung Easton as a younger player).

Sons team are all using maruccis.This weekend is Fall Cardinal Gold.Ill see three games.After watching 45 games of summer ball with wood,I will from my initial opinion.

I have seen one Fall scrimmage.Ball does jump off better that Nike BBCOR.
quote:
Originally posted by warningtrack:

"The Marucci Black is only composite in the handle".


I am aware of that, but I would still assume that the composite part of the bat still won't work as well (or may even be subject to breaking) in cold weather, absent a bat warmer.

My general question was, are Marucci Cat 5 users from last year in agreement with the claim that (a) durability is an issue with that bat, and (b) do we think the barrel construction of the Marucci Black is similar enough that it would have the same issues (if they exist)?
My son received his Marucci Black this week. The look on his face during the first swings in the cage were priceless. He is absolutely in love. I guess it won't be going on eBay after all.

During the summer and this fall he has tried several different bats. 5150, Exo, Nike, Easton something (the cheap one everyone likes), Voodoo and Rip-It Prototype II and probably one or two others I missed. The leader of all those was the Rip-It. He really liked it and it performed well. Better than all the others. It was tops on his list until he got the Black.

He says the Black is even better. The ball definitely was jumping. I guess we will see how it holds up in the long run but it is a quality bat with great performance.

If he's happy then I'm happy.
quote:
Originally posted by MDteX:

During the summer and this fall he has tried several different bats. 5150, Exo, Nike, Easton something (the cheap one everyone likes), Voodoo and Rip-It Prototype II and probably one or two others I missed. The leader of all those was the Rip-It. He really liked it and it performed well. Better than all the others. It was tops on his list until he got the Black.

He says the Black is even better. The ball definitely was jumping. I guess we will see how it holds up in the long run but it is a quality bat with great performance.


Thanks for the post, MDteX. The Marucci Black and the Rip-It Prototype II are the leaders in the clubhouse around here, so good to hear a positive report on both. I can't really afford to buy both, and decisions will have to be made. Leaning toward the Black, but do worry about how the composite handle will hold up in the cold Spring here in the NW. And I'm curious about whether there is a break-in period....

We probably would have purchased by now, through a promo offer one of the larger baseball retailers offer, but so far both of those bats have been excluded from all promo/sale offers. Anybody got a retailer who consistently offers lower prices that they want to recommend? Generally, I've used Eastbay, BaseballExpress, and JustBats. Any others I should be looking at?
quote:
Originally posted by bobball:
What are the advantages of a two piece with a composite handle? Son tried a Cat this weekend and liked it.


Supposedly, the two piece bat allows for more "flex" and thus trampoline action.

It's a matter of preference. My son has always preferred the one piece, end weighted bats that look, feel and perform more like Wood.
My only experience is anecdotal and not really to endorse or negate it...some guy showed up at our high school's fall practice with some...junior to the first pitch out about 390' over the right field batting cage...he used the 5150 all summer when not using wood, and said it had really good pop and was as good, if not better than the 5150. Just based on one batting session though...
My son hit live with the Black for the first time yesterday. Hit about 100 balls. He liked it much better than his Omaha. Sweet spot appeared to be larger OR it could be that he has better control with a more balanced bat, which the Black is. Overall, an improvement over his Omaha. Caught some on the end that would have went no where with the Omaha and had few absolute shots that I hadn't seen with the Omaha. It's early but it seems to be a better fit for my son's hitting style and feel preferances. Much better than the end-loaded Omaha.
My son just got his Marucci Black last week...His take on it was that it was balanced nicely...Thought the CAT 5 felt a little heavier in the handle than the black but the black was no where near as end loaded as most bbcors...He said he could not feel any vibration even when hitting the ball away from the sweet spot...He is a smaller kid and contact type hitter and the ball was popping off the bat tremendously well...The grip was one of the most comfortable of any bat he's ever used...This is the first Marucci he's ever owned and is extremely happy with it thus far...

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