Breaking in a Glove

Some people have asked recently about the best way to break in a new glove. I would recommend more than anything that you try to use little or no oil or glove conditioner on the glove, simply break the glove in by playing catch or using a glove mallet. Find a hard throwing partner and play catch a lot. When you sit on the couch, pound the glove mallet or your fist into the glove. Take the glove to the park and have someone feed the pitching machine at a higher speed while you catch the balls it throws.
Never leave your glove to sit without putting a ball in the pocket. I like the softball sized wiffle balls myself. I keep one in every glove we own, and I wrap the glove around it using a velcro strap used for securing hockey shin guards. It works like a charm.
If the glove gets dirty, it is okay to use a little conditioner to clean it. Personally, I like the Nokona brand glove treatment that is available at Dick's Sporting Goods. I am told it is simply petroleum jelly, so that can be used as well. Another good conditioner is gel shaving creme with lanolin. The lanolin softens the glove and also kills microbial nasties on and in the glove. Whatever you decide to use (Nokona, petroleum jelly, or the lanoline shave gel), use it sparingly. Too much oil will weigh down the glove. Put one tiny drop in the middle of the palm and work it in hard. Don't smother it in goop. When finished, wrap the glove up with a ball in the pocket. Good luck.

Rawlings Pro Tapered Gloves

These gloves mentioned earlier in my post on gloves are now on sale for great prices at Home Run Monkey player. The small finger stalls and nice leather should be perfect for a travel player age 10-12. The page is here.

Priority on Fly Balls

Our system has been working pretty well for us since we started teaching it last year. When a ball is in the air in the infield, there are some simple rules we follow:

1. Every infielder has precedence over the pitcher.
2. Generally, the deeper the infielder plays, the more we want them to call off the other players. So, 3b and 1b have precedence over the catcher. SS and second have precedence over 3b and 1b.
3. SS has precedence over all infielders.
4. Outfielders coming in have precedence over all infielders.
5. CF has precedence over all fielders: infielders and outfielders.

So, if we were to rank the fielders in order of precedence, they would be"
1. Center field
2. Left field or right field (depends on whose side the ball is hit to)
3. Shortstop
4. Second base
5. Third or first base (depends on whose side the ball is hit to)
6. Catcher
7. Pitcher

Lastly, players need to communicate. There is no worse feeling than thinking that someone else is going to run into you when a fly ball is hit. The player who has the ball in his sights and has the precedence calls out "get out, get out" and the players who defer to him call back "you, you, you" to let him know they are not coming to get the ball.

Choosing a baseball glove.

One of the most important but least understood decisions a parent can make is in choosing the right glove for their baseball player. I find that there are really two important considerations to the choice:

1. What quality of glove am I looking for? The price of a good glove is hard to determine nowadays due to the fancy labels and dyed leather that imported gloves have. Depending on the level of play, the thickness and stiffness of the glove factor big into the decision. The $39 glove is okay for a house player, but last year our 9u team played 45 games if we included house ball, tournaments, and the PAL summer league. An elite youth player needs a glove that will last and remain stiff enough to catch anything that is hit or thrown at it. I would say that bare minimum, these gloves will run upwards of $79. Luckily there are many good choices out their. the Mizuno MVP series is a solid glove with good leather at around $89. The TPX H2SL is one of my favorites because it offers several sizes, but is made to fit a smaller hand. The Rawlings Pro Taper models are also meant to fit a smaller hand. They possess smaller finger stalls that allow the youth player to more comfortably open and close the glove. Lastly, an even nicer alternative is the Rolin Kid's glove. At $139 shipped, they are a great value with great quality leather. The finger stalls are sized for a smaller hand.

2. What size glove am I looking for? This is an important consideration, and I see way too many kids playing with gloves better used on a softball diamond. For middle infield (SS or 2nd), I would recommend a 10.5" or 11" glove at most. This will help the player get the ball out quickly. I would recommend an 11.5" glove for the corners and the outfield. Some models like the TPX H2SL have a nice 11.75" model that is able to be handled by a ten year old. Too much glove lengthwise is a bad call for our kids. When in doubt, the smaller glove and good technique will always trump a glove the size of a fishing net.

I have bought gloves from both http://www.ballglovewarehouse.com and http://www.gloveguy.us/ with good service and price. If you are in the market for a new glove, let me know, and I will be glad to help you in your search.