I have both balls and like both balls for the condition they work on.
The Big Blue Pearl seems to have a major difference in reaction dependant on the drilling. Mine is drilled with the pin just right of the ring, mass bias under the thumb (#1 on the drill sheet). It is a good medium lanes type ball until you start to get some carrydown, then it quits. For a fresh condition with clean back ends, it is a great ball. My son has one with the pin above the ring finger and the mass bias out on his VAL with a weight hole. His ball is very aggressive. It gets down the lane decent and then it looks like someone kicked it. He has not experienced the same lack of hit on carrydown that I have. When we throw the two balls side by side, we can't hardly believe they are the same ball. He has more hand and revs than I do, but often the differences between ball roll and hit are not nearly as dramatic as with the Big Blue Pearl. Covers are the same, only the drilling is different.
The Deal is a very good down and in type of ball for me. The highly polished cover gets the ball exceptional length and when it hits the dry, it moves very hard and continuous. The back end is very sharp for me. It is not an oil lover though and can skate with the best of them. I have found I must have dry in the back for the ball to actually pick up a roll. I have not had a lot of success swinging the ball at all either. It is pretty much straight and then flip to the pocket. When the condition gives me this shot, the ball works well. When I don't have this condition, I usually bag it.
I would say the Big Blue Pearl wants to move a little earlier than the Deal. The Deal is sharper on the back end (with my drilling). They overlap a little, not sure a person would need to carry both in their arsenal.
Hope this is helpful.
Scott
