need opinions on the Catalyst

[Greenmonsters]

Nope, a bat shouldn't make the difference between a slow IF grounder and a sharply hit line drive to the OF. Other than being a manufacturer's anomaly, the other factor, and its real, is if a hitter doesn't like a bat for whatever reason (weight, length, color, graphics, so and so uses one and I don't like them etc), they won't perform as well w/ it as with one they "like". Case in point, a bat maufacturer give US National team players identical bats, just different colors, but told them each color was a different model and asked them to pick out the best-performing bat. Inevitably, based on a questionaire completed prior to testing, each player ID'd the best bat "model" as the one that was their favorite color. If you still have the Catty, I'd have someone else swing it and if they agree its dead too, then I'd return it to LS and ask them to check it for defects.

 

[FPMark]

Back in '07 I bought my dd her 1st composite bat, it was an '07 (?) catalyst on close out new in the wrapper. It was blue 31/21. When she hit the ball perfectly square, it had good pop, but slightly off center hits were dead. Slow rollers or weak flies to the ss. In '08 a team mate got a new Demarini Phoenix, 31/21, and offered to let everybody use it to help break it in. First at bat with it my dd hit the ball off center and over the ss into left center for a hit. Of coarse I wound up bying that bat from her dad because his daughter didn't like it. I still have both and use them to hit infield practice and I can tell you, there is a big differance in the "sweet spot" on these bats. maybe I got a bad one, I don't know but, if I mention anything about a catalyst now she says "uh, no. Not gunna happen".

There are dozens of 98mph bats on the market these days and none can exceed that. The major differance is how fast they break in, how big is the sweet spot, and most important, which one does your dd feel confident with.

 

[Craig]

My DD actually really wanted to like the Catalyst. She liked how it felt in her hands and the colors were her school team's colors. Even after the poor hits, she wanted to believe it was due to something she was doing wrong in her swing rather than the bat. Finally one day in batting practice, I had her switch mid-round to the CF4. The immediate increase in performance convinced her to make the switch permanently. She also did not have any sting from mishits with the CF4 that she always complained about with the Catalyst. Again, YMMV. I ended up selling the Catalyst on eBay for a fraction of what I paid for it new.

Maybe the -10 Catalyst would have performed closer to the CF4 as Amy suggests but, at this point, we would probably just go with another CF4 if something happened to her current one. My DD is actually trying to get me to purchase one of the new "Hope" editions for her for the reasons Greenmonsters suggested. She likes the pink color scheme better than the drab gray and black of her current CF4.

 

[Lozza]

Another person who prefers the CF4. I'm still spewing that I got mine before they bought out the pink version!

 

[Craig]

Another person who prefers the CF4. I'm still spewing that I got mine before they bought out the pink version!

Is that a good thing?

 

[sftballstarr77]

I am 17 and a few years ago I had a -10 CF3 that I loved, but I wanted a heavier bat for the JV games that I played in a few years ago, so i got a 2008 Catalyst -8. After months of trying to break it in, it still felt really stiff and, and like what has been stated by a few other people already, unless I hit the ball on the dead center of the bat, all I got were weak grounders which was the exact opposite of what I was getting with the CF3. I ended up using my CF3 in most of the JV games that season...

 

[fastpitchdad8]

lots of good input in this thread. thanks everyone

 

[amanda_cake]

You know, I had a Catalyst (the light blue one) that I got on sale years ago. While I like the bat, it's not my favorite. I think that it is finally broken in, it sure took a long time. I don't think it would be my first choice if buying a new bat tomorrow.

 

[TowPilot]

XENO vs. Catalyst

Love the blue catalyst. DD doesn't have a bat that hits better. DD has the orange catalyst as a practice bat and it hits well but not like the blue. Just purchased a XENO because that is the hottest new bat around here and the grips are going out on her others. We also have a lot of CF4's in the area and it was a real toss up between the CF4 and XENO. I'll let you know after we break in the XENO if it gets as hot as the blue catalyst.

 

[starsnuffer]

Just be ready for a few people to tell you that your bat is broken or illegal when she uses the Xeno. Great bat, weird sound. A kid on my TB had one and I finally printed out the description from LS just to hand to blue when I was asked about it.

(For those that don't know, you can youtube xeno bat and hear what it sounds like. Kinda like breaking glass)

-W