Best 44/400

[bhollar55]

Got a new league in our area that will allow use of 44/400 balls along with USSSA/ISA bats.

Currently we’ve got some Trump X-Rock 44/400 and Dudley ZN Hardcore Pro M.

Noticed a lot of teams playing with the Short Porch Mortar 44/400. Are these any better or similar to the ones mentioned above?

TIA

 

[jbo911]

Not better than the hard core I'd imagine.

 

[TWmccoy]

Yeah, I'd just go with the hard cores. You won't find anything better.

 

[ilyk2win]

Isn't a better question "Are there bad 44/400's?"

 

[jbo911]

Isn't a better question "Are there bad 44/400's?"

The synthetic cover wsl balls aren't great, but they're more than enough ball for a recreational game. The thing I noticed about them was they're tough to dig my nails into for a good knuckleball.

 

[tuells10]

find you some old thunder advances

 

[TWmccoy]

find you some old thunder advances

Thunder Advance = hard core... same ball. Both perform great.

 

[EAJuggalo]

Thunder Advance = hard core... same ball. Both perform great.

I don't remember the TAs having that very soft cover on it. I have not done a game yet with the Hard Cores but the stories I've heard make me think they should have never been made.

 

[Slim45]

I don't remember the TAs having that very soft cover on it. I have not done a game yet with the Hard Cores but the stories I've heard make me think they should have never been made.

As someone who has hit with them and pitched against them, they should not have. I only play in league, but they make a significant difference compared to the Classic M and Pro M we had been using.

 

[Bobby Buggs]

Cause they are really Not a 375 compression ball

 

[tuells10]

buggs may still be able to get you some evils with mct those were the juice also

 

[Bobby Buggs]

Not many left if I can find them. A new version will be coming for 2024

 

[TWmccoy]

I don't remember the TAs having that very soft cover on it. I have not done a game yet with the Hard Cores but the stories I've heard make me think they should have never been made.

Thunder Advances definitely have the soft cover. I don't see those balls much anymore, but I still have some of them around. USSSA actually introduced a Thunder Advance classic M years ago, and then later banned it.

I heard they were using hard cores for B worlds. IDK if they'll use them for C next week. If you do ump with those balls, come back on here afterward and let us know what you think of them.

 

[TWmccoy]

Cause they are really Not a 375 compression ball

True. The soft cover masks a very hard core, which basically "fools" a ball compression testing machine into thinking the ball is 375 pounds or less.

Balls of this sort have actually been out for a long time, starting with X Rocks years ago.

 

[Nicculus]

The Thunder Advance balls flew like nothing I’ve ever seen. Guys on our team who never sniffed a HR hit them during the one season these balls were legal. They made them illegal the very next season.

 

[TWmccoy]

The Thunder Advance balls flew like nothing I’ve ever seen. Guys on our team who never sniffed a HR hit them during the one season these balls were legal. They made them illegal the very next season.

I'd say the same about hard cores. I've seen lots of guys hitting HRs lately who can't come within 20' of the fence with normal balls.

 

[rommel]

We were hitting the hard cores last week in BP. My goodness! We were seeing 40-60 ft. over the normal pro Ms. This was on ~ low 70s degree weather with newer Louisville 240 bats. Normally our group is good for ~ 350-375ft. We had a few of the hard cores go 425ft, it was a stark difference.

 

[Bobby Buggs]

We launched the Microcell 2007ish, now it has come back as the Hard Core. Im on the fence tying up $$ in inventory with this ball they way things have played out with bats recently

 

[TWmccoy]

We launched the Microcell 2007ish, now it has come back as the Hard Core. Im on the fence tying up $$ in inventory with this ball they way things have played out with bats recently

I don't see the hard core (or other similar technology) as a long term solution for USSSA. I'd almost guarantee they ban this ball at some point, even though they just released it. You might by smart to not try to make a multilayer USSSA ball right now.

 

[Bobby Buggs]

I have 2024 samples on the way, need to be prepared

 

[TWmccoy]

I assume all the other manufacturers will make a multilayer Pro M as well?

 

[jbo911]

We launched the Microcell 2007ish, now it has come back as the Hard Core. Im on the fence tying up $$ in inventory with this ball they way things have played out with bats recently

I can't say I blame you as I have two dozen I can't use anywhere personally as they came out and said Worth only after I bought them. I figured surely I could use any l legal ball at a world tournament, but sadly no

 

[jbo911]

I don't see the hard core (or other similar technology) as a long term solution for USSSA. I'd almost guarantee they ban this ball at some point, even though they just released it. You might by smart to not try to make a multilayer USSSA ball right now.

I agree, but utrip usually does the opposite of what I think they should do so who knows.

I thought they should use covid and our increased demand to switch everyone below conference to the classic plus, and instead they let us use the pro m.

 

[TWmccoy]

I agree, but utrip usually does the opposite of what I think they should do so who knows.

I thought they should use covid and our increased demand to switch everyone below conference to the classic plus, and instead they let us use the pro m.

Agree. I'll never figure out why they didn't use the C+ full time. It's a good ball.

 

[ilyk2win]

Agree. I'll never figure out why they didn't use the C+ full time. It's a good ball.

Way back when, one of the original C+ balls was used here in NJ and I remember it being garbage, esp in the heat when we used it. The C+ ball used at the Band Aid was good and way different. USA (ASA) doesn't seem to have an issue with a 52 compression ball, although performance differences are noted by brand/model. Today's players are different though than us old heads. Scores in the 20's and 30's, mostly due to equipment, are favored over getting better as a player on both sides of the ball.......so rock hard balls and crazy hot bats are here to stay until they fully kill the game.

 

[TWmccoy]

Way back when, one of the original C+ balls was used here in NJ and I remember it being garbage, esp in the heat when we used it. The C+ ball used at the Band Aid was good and way different. USA (ASA) doesn't seem to have an issue with a 52 compression ball, although performance differences are noted by brand/model. Today's players are different though than us old heads. Scores in the 20's and 30's, mostly due to equipment, are favored over getting better as a player on both sides of the ball.......so rock hard balls and crazy hot bats are here to stay until they fully kill the game.

IDK if you paid any attention to the major WS championship in Viera, but the first game was 51-26 and the IF game was 46-11. Both were only 4 innings. That's absolutely absurd. I've never seen so many HRs in my life. Too much ball and too much bat.

If these guys really are the best in the world, let them hit a crappy ball in the stadium and muscle it out. No more stadium balls.

 

[tattooball]

The hard core is an exact copy of the Tattoo senior ball I made right down to core cover weight.

 

[TWmccoy]

The hard core is an exact copy of the Tattoo senior ball I made right down to core cover weight.

Is it my imagination, or are hard cores (and other multilayer balls) heavier than mono cover balls? Hard cores have a heavy feel off the bat, and I think that's the reason they penetrate and carry so much further than other balls.

 

[D-ROCK13]

I personally think they feel heavy, even pitching them I noticed a difference

 

[jbo911]

I've only pitched one for one single game this year(they couldn't hit it out), but I felt that way with the old models. I may try and weigh one of I get really bored this off season.