The Zoned Way
The “Ins and Outs” of Baseball Gloves
When buying a glove, there are a few basic terms that have to
be defined first. The most common term when buying a glove
is what “type of throw” the glove is; a righty or a lefty for
common terms. This is asking what hand the player uses to
throw the ball with, not what hand the glove goes on. A right
hand thrower (RHT) throws with his or her right hand and the
glove is on his or her left hand. A left hand thrower (LHT)
throws with his or her left hand and the glove is on his or her
right hand. Other important parts of the glove are as follows:
How to Choose the Right Size Glove for Your Position
The most important thing when it comes to buying a glove, is
buying the right size, which depends on the age and position
of the player. The size of a glove is important for a specific
position because it is designed to maximize the performance
of the player. The charts below show an estimate of the size
range of the glove for a specific player for both baseball and
softball.
Age
Infield
Outfield
Under 8 years old
Nine inches
11 inches
Nine to 13 years
old
Nine to 10 Inches
11 to 12 Inches
High school and
Adult
10.5 to 11.5 Inches
12 to 12.5 Inches
Youth vs. Adult gloves
How to Measure the Size of a Glove
When trying to find out how long a glove is, it is normally
written on the thumb or pinky finger. The sizes range from 8
to 15 inches, and to 35 inches for catcher gloves. To measure
a glove that does not have a size, take a fabric tape measure
and measure from the top of the index finger, down along the
glove, to the center of the heel of the glove.
A youth glove is designed for younger players with smaller
hands. They are typically cheaper than the adult gloves and
are much easier to close. The youth gloves are not made of the
same high quality leather, but the materials they are made of
make them easier to close. Youth gloves have smaller,
narrower fingers and should be used for a player under 10
years old. They can be used for a player up to 12 years old,
but after then, they should be using adult gloves. To fit an
adult glove onto a younger player’s hand, the back of the wrist
can be tightened. This is done on softball gloves with a Velcro
strap, but on baseball gloves, the glove needs a minor relacing.
Catcher’s Gloves
A catcher’s glove is more commonly referred to as catcher’s
mitt because it does not have separately cut fingers like other
positions. A catcher glove is designed to give the player the
ability to catch fastballs all game long without hurting their
hand or wearing down the glove quickly. For this reason,
catcher’s mitts tend to be very stiff right off the shelf and take
a while to break in. Many catchers buy their replacement
glove a few months before they think their old glove will wear
out so the new glove has time to break in. Catcher gloves tend
to have a closed pocket because they can be attached with the
most lacing and take the most abuse without breaking. There
is a difference between baseball and softball gloves, the
softball catcher’s glove has a deeper pocket and thinner side
walls to accommodate for the bigger wall. Catcher gloves are
also measured differently, instead of the standard measuring;
they are measured around the circumference of the glove to
display the catching area of the glove. The standard size range
is from 30.5 to 34.5 inches for baseball and from 31.5 to 35
inches for softball.
First Baseman’s Gloves
A first basemen’s glove is very similar to a catcher glove,
except it is longer and has less padding on the fingers. It is
designed to have the same catching area as a catcher’s glove,
but is flexible for making scoops out of the dirt. The first
basemen’s glove is stronger than a standard glove so that to
fingers do not flop back like how a regular fielder’s glove
would. They also have open web designs to allow the pocket
to be a little deeper and lighter than a closed pocket. First
basemen’s gloves normally start being worn at age 10 or
higher, because it can be difficult for younger kids to close the
big glove. The typical size range is from 11 to 13 inches for
baseball and from 12 to 13 inches for softball.
Pitcher’s Gloves
A pitcher does not need to be as worried about the
performance of their glove as much as other players, and
instead have to worry about comfort. The comfort is important
since they are constantly catching with it. Pitchers in higher
levels of play want to worry about having a glove that is big
enough to hide their hand movement and band to avoid giving
away the pitch to a batter. It is also important to make sure the
glove isn’t too heavy. Many manufacturers make light
versions of the high end gloves with special materials that are
significantly lighter than standard gloves.
Infield Gloves
Infield gloves are designed for the quick plays that infielders
have to make. They are shorter and have a shallower pocket
than other gloves. Infielders typically want an open pocket
that makes it easy to get the ball out quickly. This is typically
an I-web, post web, H-web, or modified trapeze pocket. The
only position that sometimes wants a closed pocket is third
base. This is because third base gets harder hits that a closed
pocket can handle better than an open one. The standard size
for a baseball infield glove is 11.25 to 12 inches, and 11.5 to
12.5 inches for softball.
Outfield Gloves
Outfield gloves are designed to catch high fly balls and
making diving catches. This means that the gloves are longer
and deeper with extra support in the fingers. The pocket
designs are typically open with the main options being a
trapeze and an H-web. These pockets are the best for long
extension plays that need to keep the ball in the glove, such as
diving plays and snow cones. For Softball, the pockets can be
closed webs, because they need to be extra deep to account for
the size of the softball. The typical size of an outfielder’s
glove is 12-13 inches for baseball and 12-14 inches for
softball.