Before you break out your brand new glove and start having a catch with it, you need to decide where this glove is going to see most of its action on the field.
Why?
Different positions call for different ‘catching requirements,’ and therefore need to be broken in correctly.
But before I go any further let me say two things:
- In a perfect world, all caught baseballs would land in the pocket (not web) of the glove.
- The number one rule on defense is: catch the ball. Perfect form, ugly form, unorthodox form. It doesn’t matter. Catch the ball… get the out.
That being said, each position needs their gloves/mitts to act a certain way in order to make their jobs easier.
For example:
Middle Infielders. These should be the smallest gloves on the field (second baseman’s glove is a touch shorter than a short stop). They should also have the smallest pocket, because they need to get the ball out of their glove as quickly as possible when they’re turning double plays, making relay throws, etc. It’s imperative that all middle infielder’s avoid catching the ball in the web of their glove.
Secondly, middle infielders should avoid curling the fingers of the glove in order to create a rounded shape. This was the cool thing to do a few years ago, but it didn’t allow the fingers of the glove to lay flat on the ground when catching ground balls. Former Yankee short stop, Bucky Dent was rumored to put popsicle sticks in the fingers of the glove to keep them as straight as possible. It’s important to note: when you tighten the laces coming out of the pinkie finger of the glove, the glove will start to round off at the fingers.
Third Basemen. The rules for middle infielders pretty much apply for third basemen, with two exceptions. First, the glove will be a bit longer (a half inch to inch) because third basemen have to “snag” line drives and hard hit ground balls when they play in on the grass or even with the bag. This is also the reason why it’s O.K. to have a little bit more of a pocket. Because they have a shorter throw to make (i.e. more time to make the throw) they can spare a split second to “look” for the ball.
Outfielders. These are the longest gloves on the field, for the simple reason: outfielders have more ground to cover and fences to reach over, so every inch of glove helps. MLB states that outfielder can’t use a glove more than 12 inches long, but many outfielders will admit to using a 13 inch model. The only time I can remember a player getting trouble for using a glove that was too big: Luis Polonia and the 14 inch fishing net he used when he played left field for the Yankees.
Outfielders also need to adjust how their fingers fit into their glove. In order to squeeze out some extra length on the glove, outfielders shouldn’t put their index finger in the index finger “sleeve” of the glove. In fact, two of the finger sleeves will be vacant. I know it seems funny, but in order to get the most out of your outfield glove, put your middle, ring and pinkie finger in the pinkie finger sleeve of the the glove, and have your index finger right next to them. If you do this right, part of the palm of your hand should stick out of the glove.
Catchers and First Basemen. These two are paired together because they both require mitts, and the first baseman is often called the “Catcher of the Infield.” They take the most throws during a game, and might require a back up because of the overuse one mitt gets during the course of a season.
They also require a unique finger position in the glove, although it’s not as drastic as outfielders. The index “finger sleeve” is once again empty, and all fingers will move over one spot. This means the ring and pinkie finger will share a sleeve. The reason behind this? This move will save the index finger of the catcher, and develop a bigger pocket for first basemen.
Pitchers. There was a brief period when pitchers wanted their gloves to look like a middle infielders glove. I never got this one for two different reasons.
- Pitchers need space in their glove to grip what pitch they’re throwing – and hide it from everyone else. Greg Maddux did this to perfection. He used the glove as a shield by fanning it open while he twirled the ball around in his pitching hand.
- Defense! The pitcher is the closest defensive player (in fair territory) to the guy with the bat! They need as much “protection” as they can get.
That being said, I think an outfielder’s glove might be a touch too big. I would opt for a “bigger” third baseman’s glove. Also, avoid the “open web.” You don’t want anyone peeking in on your next pitch!
To break in these gloves, remember two things:
- For gloves/mitts that need a big pocket, push down on the area between the webbing and the first finger of the glove, in order to make it fan open. This will allow the ball to hit the right spot, and because of the finger position, create a bigger pocket.
- For gloves that don’t need a big pocket, pull the thumb of the glove as if you were pulling your own thumb back toward the radial side of your forearm. This will not allow the fingers to round “shut” and also not allow a huge pocket to develop.
One last thing: If you can’t find anyone to have a catch with you, head to the batting cages. Instead of taking 1000 swings, use a few tokens to have the machine throw a few balls into your new glove. This works for everyone, but pays off in more ways than one for catchers.
Coach Bones
