Buying a First Glove
Whether you
are looking for a girl's first baseball glove, or replacing one
that's worn out or outgrown, there are choices to make that can have a
big influence on the player's performance, success, and ultimately,
her fun.
The first glove is perhaps the most important piece of equipment a
player will ever own. Why? It's her first connection to the game, and
a glove that works well for her will help her play her best, whereas
the wrong glove will inhibit her success, reduce the amount of fun,
and possibly discourage her from continuing on in baseball after the
season is over.
The key to that beginner's glove is control. She must be able to
move the glove quickly to the ball, which requires a glove that's not
too big and heavy for her. She must be able to close the glove with her
hand, so that the ball does not pop out. Thir requires a glove that is
soft and pliable enough when purchased, or after a very short
break-in, that she can close the pocket and 'squeeze' the ball. And it
requires a glove that is comfortable and fits her hand well, so he's
not constantly fooling around with it in the field.
We recommend a glove that is in proportion to the player's size.
We've seen T-ballers, all of four feet tall, lugging around huge
13-inch outfielder's gloves. The parent thought it would help them
catch more balls, but the truth is, it is a huge handicap as they have
no glove control. They'd do better barehanded than with that leather
mattress on their little paw!
As youth sizes begin around the nine-inch pattern range (the
measurement is from the bottom of the heel of the glove to the top of
the longest finger or webbing), there is a proper glove for every kid.
The new generation of pre-oiled gloves are usually excellent, as they
are very supple and require little or no break-in. For a very small
child, or one with less strength than her peers, you can look into
some of the vinyl, or combination vinyl-and-leather models. These are
very inexpensive and, while they will not last as long as higher
quality gloves, they bend easily and allow the player to catch the
ball from day one. There are also full leather gloves in the under-11
inch size, which cost more, last longer, and might require some
break-in.
Some new models even have a notch designed into the heel of the
glove to allow easy and immediate flexing of the pocket.
Beware of small (11 or 111/2 inch) professional model infielder's
gloves. Professional shortstops and second basemen use small gloves,
which can be mistaken for youth models, except for their high price.
These are usually a very good, durable, and stiffer hide, which
requires break-in even for the bigger guys and pros, and will never
break in sufficiently for a beginner. As much as you want to buy the
best for your kid, avoid the expensive, stiff gloves for players under
10 or so. They'd have to play eight hours a day, seven days a week,
for six months before it was broken in. And in that time, they'd make
so many errors that they'd be shopping for soccer cleats by then!
Replacement Glove
As the player advances up the ladder, she may outgrow her glove, or
it may be worn out. 
A
good quality leather glove, if it still fits her and she plays well
with it, is worth having repaired. New lacing, webbing, patching, and
any other repair can be carried out by specialists.
If it's time for a new one, however, there are again a lot of
choices. Is the player significantly larger than she was when she got her
first glove? Is she playing outfield or infield more?
There are four basic glove types: infield, outfield, first baseman,
and catcher. Most youth players are not yet specialized enough to
invest in a first baseman's mitt, and their regular glove will suffice
for duty at the first bag. Catcher's mitts are often supplied by the
league, but if he's on a club team, and she catches, he'll have to buy
her own catcher's mitt. Without going into detail here, simply get the
size that fits her - youth or high school. The adult sizes will
probably be too large for good control.
For a youth playing different positions, a good range of fielder's
gloves would be the 11-1/2 to 12-inchers. These are not too unwieldy
for the quicker moves required in the infield, yet offer enough
'reach' in the outfield. As the glove increases by half-inch
increments, its overall dimension increases geometrically, and weight
increases as well.
At this stage, a higher quality glove is a good investment. Again,
fit is crucial, and if it doesn't feel good in the store, it's not
going to get much better after break-in. Sort of like buying a pair of
shoes. Gloves in the $50 to $100 range include just about every style,
size, and quality level you'll need. We'd avoid any gloves constructed
with vinyl, and it's up to you if you want to spend upwards of $200 or
more for the top, premium 'pro' gloves.
For a player who logs most of her time in the infield, stick to the
smaller 11 or 11-12 inch gloves. A pre-formed pocket is preferred,
deeper for third base and shortstop, shallower for second base
(although this sort of specialization at the youth level is not
recommended). The outfielders have a larger selection, it seems, with
a huge selection of 12 to 12-1/2 inch models. Anything larger than
12-1/2 inch is too much glove, generally, unless she plans to play
softball!
There are as many theories regarding glove break-in as there are
players. But some are pretty far-fetched. One we've heard is to soak
the glove in water, then place a ball in the pocket, wrap it with a
leather belt, place it in a plastic bag and store it in a warm place.
I think you'll end up with a waterlogged, mildew-covered chew toy for
the dog when you're finished.
Another had you oil the glove and place it in the oven on low for a
couple hours, to get the warm oil to penetrate the pores. We know of
one very impatient player who tried it in the microwave! Her result?
Beef jerky!
We asked some experts their methods of glove break-in:
Rawlings' "master glove designer" recommends:
1. Press a small amount of shaving cream with lanoline on a
clean, dry cloth and carefully work the cream around the outer shell,
palm, and back. A light coating is all the is necessary. This will
lubricate the leather fibers.
2. Allow the cream to dry thoroughly for 12 to 24 hours.
3. Wipe off the glove and play catch for 10-15 minutes, or
50 to 70 throws.
This stretches and conforms the glove to your hand and speeds the
break-in process,
4. Position a ball in the pocket and tie the glove closed
for a few days with a string or rubber band around the outer
perimeter. An option is to use the new Rawlings "Mit Kit",
which is designed to quickly form the 'ideal' pocket. It includes a
double-ended pocket form with a large sphere on one end and a smaller
sphere on the other, to form the pocket and the web area
simultaneously, and a wide elastic 'figure 8' to hold the glove firmly
around the form.
5. As the glove starts to break in, pour a small amount of 'Glovolium'
on a clean, dry cloth, and carefully work the oil around the outer
shell, palm, and back. A light coating is all that's needed.
6. Allow the glove to dry thoroughly for 24 hours so the oil
has time to penetrate and condition the leather.
7. Store the glove in a cool, dry place with a ball in the
pocket, or a Mit Kit when not in use.
8. Lace will stretch with use. Keep laces taut but do not
overtighten. Check for replacement if necessary after each season.
9. Do not over oil your glove! Twice a season is sufficient!
Wilson's Jim Hackett explains his favorite method:
"With full-grain leather, most major leaguers use foamy style
shaving cream to break in their ball gloves.
On a clean glove, spread the shaving cream all over using your hand
or a towel. Let the cream-covered glove sit for at least 15 minutes,
then wipe off the excess shaving cream and pull/push/pound/massage the
glove for a while, shaping the pocket the way you want it. Play some
catch and keep pounding it. Sometimes a bat works as a good mallet to
pound the pocket (or get a Pocket Shaper to do the job).
Clean the glove off and repeat the process. Depending on the
stiffness of the leather, the glove should be ready in an hour or
less, but the pocket will continue to improve over several practices
or games."
Cal Ripken, Jr., says:
"I don't do anything strange, like soak it in water or
anything. I play with it in practice a lot, and maybe rub a little
vaseline into the palm. I break in a couple of gloves, and if one
seems to have the potential to be a game glove, I save it for games
once it's ready. I tighten the laces as the glove breaks in over a
period of time, so it forms closely to my hand. I don't let anyone
else put their hands in my gloves, as they can change the fit and
feel. Practice gloves get a lot more wear with all the ground balls
and drills. I've had one game glove that lasted me three years, but
most last only one."
Bat
barrel diameters are usually 2-1/4 inch, 2-5/8 inch, or 2-3/4 inch. The
smallest size is required by Little League (up to age 12) as well as
some lower divisions of other organizations. Be clear on what limits
there might be in your child's league before buying a bat. The larger
barrel diameters decrease length-to-weight ratios due to the increased
material to make them. They usually have more 'pop' in them and hit the
ball harder too.
