Have you ever noticed that the simplest things often turn out to be the most complicated? If you, your son or daughter have just joined your first baseball team then getting equipped probably seems easy. Just grab a bat, ball and glove then hit the field! But, if you want to play your best then you need to get a glove that is comfortable and one that was made for your position.
Each position in baseball uses a glove in a slightly different way so you need to choose from one of these 5 types:
Outfield gloves – When you play outfield, you have to get in front of a lot of high fly balls as well as make a few diving catches. To make that easier, the gloves are longer and deeper. Plus they have a lot of extra support for your fingers.
- Infield gloves – When you play the infield the action is fast and furious. Your gloves need to be shorter and have a shallow pocket to keep you moving. This lets you get the ball in and out of your glove quickly.
- Pitcher’s gloves – Pitchers are not as dependant on their gloves as most of the other positions. If you are a pitcher, you need a glove that is comfortable and you need one that is big enough to hide what your hands are doing so you don’t give away a pitch.
- First baseman’s gloves – Most people don’t realize it but a first baseman’s glove is a lot like a catcher’s mitt. It’s just a little longer and it doesn’t have as much cushion over the fingers. This allows it to have the same catching area as a mitt but you can also use it for scooping the ball out of the dirt.
- Catcher’s gloves – These are usually referred to as mitts because they don’t have separate fingers like the other gloves. If you are going to be a catcher then your priority is finding a glove that can take fastballs all game without hurting your hand.