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.
