Good Quality Baseball Gloves
can improve Performance
Baseball gloves, usually made of leather, are worn by the infielders, outfielders, pitcher and catcher when playing defense. Gloves are available for men, women and youth players.
The catcher and the first base player are allowed to use mitts. All other infielders, outfielders and pitcher wear gloves. Gloves have fingers, while mitts don't have fingers. Mitts make it easier to stop ground balls.
Infielder baseball gloves are five finger gloves used by second basemen, shortstops and third basemen. They are usually size 10.5-12 inches. They feature shallow pockets to allow the player to get the ball out faster. Many infielders prefer a wide opening and a closed web that allow them to grab the ball faster. Most gloves are available for right handed and left handed players.
Outfielder baseball gloves are five finger gloves and are usually 12-13.5 inches long. They have deeper pockets to help catch fly balls. Most outfielders prefer open web gloves, because they hold the ball better.
There are two types of backs, open or closed. Outfielders prefer a closed back with a finger hole.
Major glove parts:
1. The pocket is the middle of the glove. This is where the balls are caught.
2. The web is the part that connects the thumb with the fingers.
3.The heel is the bottom of the glove.
Most gloves have a fit system to get a better fit. There are several adjustment types available. A Velcro strap lets you make an adjustment fast. A buckle system adjusts the glove with a buckle.
Material used for top quality gloves is full grain leather or premium steer hide. For youth gloves, it is probably not worth buying premium leather gloves. Synthetic gloves are cheaper and will do the job for young players.
High quality gloves cost about $100-200+. With proper care these gloves should last longer than cheaper models. Most new gloves need to be broken in.
Proper care can substantially improve the life of the glove. Good care can add years to the life of the glove.
It is important to select the right baseball glove size for the position you play.
Outfielders generally wear 12.5-13.5 inch gloves while Infielders use 10.5-13 inch gloves.
Pitchers usually use 12-13 inch sizes with a closed web, which allows them to hide the ball from the hitter.
Catchers use fingerless mitts with heavy padding to reduce the sting from the pitcher's throw. They are large to provide an easy to see target for the pitcher.
First basemen also use a larger glove comparable to the catcher's mitt, but with less padding.
Glove Sizes for youth players:
- Up to 8 year old players, use 9 inches for infielders and 11 inches for outfielders.
- 9-13 year old players, use 9-10 inches for infielders and 11-12 inches for outfielders.
- Older than 13 years and adults should use 10.5-12 inches for infielders and 12-13.5 inches for outfielders.
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