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By Bat Digest | Last Updated August 2, 2022
For 2022, True Temper has two lines of hybrid bats. The lighter swinging version, which comes on in USSSA drop 10, 8, and 5 only, is the RAKE. (The other is called the HZRDUS). The rake is built with a seamless connection from its composite handle and alloy barrel. This hybrid construction is focused on a more flexible feel, a reasonably sized barrel, and a lighter swing.
Although we await more feedback, our sense is the 2022 Rake will be liked for its lighter swing and more flex on contact. Although it looks like a single-piece bat, the smoother feel may even give some kids a better sense of the bat than it actually produces. The half sizes, too, are an interesting approach. Expect to find the exact right fit.
The 2022 True Temper rake is built for the USSSA player that wants a lighter swing on a hybrid bat. Although hybrids (alloy barrel, composite handles) are more prevalent in BBCOR today than they were a few years ago, that same trend has not stayed true for USSSA, which is dominated by composite barrels on two-piece bats. Still, though, bats like The Goods have made some headway in the hybrid USSSA market. We think a bat like the 2022 Rake in a drop 5 makes plenty of sense for the big hitter who wants or needs a drop 5 and a less flexible connection when compared to a bat like the HZRDUS (True Temper) or The Goods (DeMarini). The smaller drops in the Rake won’t be as loved as two-piece composite bats in the space, but the light swing and good flex should make them decent fits for the serious player who wants a good feel on an alloy barrel in USSSA.
Two piece hybrid bats in the USSSA space are somewhat rare and that is by design. Few think it is their go to. But, bats like the HZRDUS (a heavier swinging version of the same bat from the same company) and the USSSA The Goods from DeMarini are reasonable comparisons.
There are no version of the Rake before the 2022. This is the first time True has released the bat.
The 2022 True Rake is a two piece bat built with an alloy barrel and a composite handle but seamlessly fuzed together to make it look like a one piece bat. Its most unique feature is the seamless construction between the handle and barrel. While other hybrids have some type of connection piece, the Rake uses some proprietary True Temper skills to make for a seamless connection piece.
The world’s first one-piece hybrid is now optimized for maximum contact. The ALL NEW RAKE USSSA (-10) delivers maximum pop without sacrificing barrel control. The RAKE USSSA (-10) was designed for players that want to hit to both sides of the diamond. The RAKE USSSA (-10) bat features our proprietary AXENIC™ Technology that seamlessly connects the high performance EVMAX™ Alloy barrel with our SMARTPLY™ composite handle to deliver a hybrid bat with no connection joint. This unique construction removes all of the inefficiencies of traditional 2-piece bats. The AXENIC™ technology delivers the purest energy transfer from the swing to the ball on impact for maximum control. The composite handle reduces bad vibration on mishits, so it feels as good as it rakes. Finally, no connection joint means improved durability, less barrel lag, and more pop out of the wrapper.
The overall rating uses seven different weighted metrics to determine our overall score. Half of total rating comes from the player and our exit speed tests (Player Rating: 25%, Performance: 25%).The other categories are Relevance (20%), Demand (10%), Durability (10%), Resell Score (5%), and Tech Specs (5%).
*: When a bat is denoted by a star (*) it is a preliminary rating. Expect it to be updated as we learn more about the bat and gather more data.
(PlaRa) Player Rating: We measure player rating from user reviews. Those users include our own hitters that we test at the lab as well as reviews we find online.
(ExVe) Performance: Performance measures the exit speeds and distances we capture in our hitting lab with HitTrax using these bats.
(Relv) Relevance: We measure the number of sizes and the MOI of the bat. Bats with a wider range of options get a better score.
(Dmnd) Demand: Demand is measured by consumer sentiment and the buzz around the bat.
(Drb) Durability: A bat’s durability is measured by user reviews as well as feedback from manufacturers.
(ReSl) Resell Score: Based on the price the bats go for used. Higher prices mean greater user demand which means, generally, a better bat. A resell value closer to its original price means a higher score.
(Tech) Tech Specs: We rate the bat on its technological advancements from previous years and compared to the industry at large. This is our chance to reward companies who are trying to innovate.
MOI
MOI or Mass Moment of Inertia is a measurement of bat swing weight. This quantifies how difficult it is to swing a bat. The industry often refers to this as things like End Load or Balanced but those words have been overused to the point of meaninglessness. We measure the actual swing weights of each bat we test using the industry-standard pendulum period, balance point, and scale weight. You can read more about that here.
Price
The price is the original MSRP price of the bat.
Type
The types of bats are single-piece alloy (SPA), two-piece composite (TPC), single-piece composite (SPC), hybrid (Hyb.), and wood (Wood). Hybrid bats are made of composite handles and alloy barrles.
Date
The estimated date the bat began distribution.
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