One of the most crucial purchases a baseball or softball player can make for their equipment is a premium glove.
How to break in a baseball glove. A significant impact on your performance may be made by selecting the appropriate mitt for your position and playing style. Selecting a glove that fits well and feels comfortable can boost your confidence on the field and enable you to make plays more cleanly and consistently, even if it won’t make you a great defender by itself.
But such assurance comes at a price: premium softball and baseball gloves normally run between $300 and $400. Even if you choose a model that is just below the “elite” standard, a good leather mitt will cost you between $150 and $250.
HOW TO BREAK IN A GLOVE IN 7 STEPS
Step 1: Get some water warm.
To make sure water doesn’t enter the finger stalls, get some warm (not boiling) water and pour it into the glove’s pocket or palm, finger side up. You will be able to form the glove more successfully because the water will facilitate the stretching of the leather.
Step 2: Place the glove in place
The back fingers of the glove should be pointed up and facing your chest. Squeeze it while holding it by the thumb and pinky, moving each side back and forth. As a result, the heel pad becomes softer and is getting closer to being ready for play.
Step 3: Extend it out
Stretch out the glove by holding it by the thumb and pinky. After drying, the fingertip tips and web lace will partially revert to their former shape. Don’t pull too hard at this step if you don’t like loose finger top lace.
Step 4: Form the pocket using a mallet
With your mallet, open the glove and start forming your pocket. Before starting this process, consider the position you play and if you want a deep or shallow pocket. Create the pocket in which you intend to capture the ball.
Step 5: Hammer
Shut your glove and start hitting the W emblem with your mallet on the thumb side, moving the glove back and forth. To make it simpler to open and close the glove, flip it over, fold the pinkie side, and pound from the back. This will set your break points.
STEP 6: DISCOVER THE TOP LACES OF THE WEBSITE (OPTIONAL)
Squeeze the web top into a ‘S’ shape and hold it there for five to six seconds. Folding the web top of the glove will make closing it easier. This aids in loosening the web top laces, which facilitates even easier closure of your glove to the desired closure.
STEP 7: TEST IT OUT
Play catch to finish the break-in process.
Want to see glove break-in process in action? Check out more below
How to Break in a Baseball or Softball Glove?
Congratulations on your most recent acquisition! Although they are pricey, premium leather gloves demonstrate your commitment to the game and readiness to advance it.
High-end versions such as the Rawlings Heart of the Hide and the Wilson A-2000 are expensive, but with proper care and upkeep, your new glove should last you many seasons.
How to Break in a Baseball Glove? – The Best Way
Nomar Garciaparra, the former shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, had a rule: no one else’s hand was allowed in his glove. Pro ball players generally follow Nomar’s guideline.
Why? Because a glove’s leather expands and molds to suit your hand and fit your movements as it breaks in. You want a glove that fits your hand naturally and makes you forget it’s there—like it’s an extension of your arm.
Because of this, the easiest method (which is also the best, if at all possible) for breaking in a glove is to catch baseballs with it. The glove will eventually mold to your hand with use, offering a personalized fit and a pocket that changes to accommodate your unique style of ball catching.
While there are certain quick fixes that can speed up the process of softening a leather glove, none of them will yield as good of results. You must use the glove to break it in if you want the finest fit and performance possible. Additionally, playing catch while breaking in a glove doesn’t damage the leather, unlike other of the accelerated methods mentioned in this article.
Thus, whenever you can catch a ball with your gloved hand, do so. You can also shag fly balls and take ground balls. Although it will require time, the effort will be well worth it.
Related: https://barneysbaseball.com/how-many-baseball-games-in-a-season/
How to Break in a Baseball Glove Fast?
Using warm water and gentle handling is the fastest technique to break in a glove.
Expert on gloves from Wilson Sporting Goods, explains the procedure step-by-step.
What you will require:
- A pail of warm (not boiling) water
- A mug
- a cozy area (like a carpet or pillow)
- A glove hammer or mallet
Prior to getting into the details, it’s important to note that, despite Aso’s well-deserved reputation, there is some disagreement on the effectiveness of his approach.
The best gloves in the world are made by expert leather artisan Aso. He is skilled at what he does. Aso’s technique involves water, which facilitates work with the leather but, if not used correctly, can leave it dry and brittle. Therefore, if you decide to use this method, be sure to carefully follow the directions and be aware that mistakes can harm your mitt.
Other Tools and Methods How to break in a baseball glove
- Glove Steaming
- Glove Wrapping
- Glove Conditioners and Oils
The Wrong Way to Break in a Baseball Glove
We covered a few different ways to break in your new baseball glove above. It’s time to list the things you should never, ever do.
Avoid Baking or Microwaving It
Ovens and microwaves are used for food. Leather, the material used to make gloves, is not edible. So let’s avoid using the glove in the oven or microwave!
Ovens are said by some to soften leather. Given that heat softens leather, it may initially be the case. But hot air generally has a tendency to be dry, and the hot air within an oven is no exception.
A glove that has been baked loses moisture to the leather. This implies that the glove will be dry (and occasionally brittle) when it cools.
Avoid: Leaving Your Glove in the Vehicle
When you leave your car in the sun, it gets hot. Actually, they resemble portable ovens. This causes some people to believe that placing a glove on a heated dashboard is a good way to avoid baking or microwaving it.
However, you’ll have the same outcomes (as previously mentioned): a dried-out glove that cannot be repaired using a glove conditioning product.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most frequently asked questions regarding breaking in baseball gloves are addressed here.
How can a baseball glove be broken in over night?
A baseball glove cannot be safely broken in over night without also causing damage to the leather.
Theoretically, a glove might be made so quickly soft by applying extremely high pressure (like running a car over it) or extremely high heat (like an oven). However, using those techniques will result in a distorted, dry mitt that is not durable or performs well. You might be better off purchasing a used glove that has been fully broken in if you need one for the game tomorrow.
Can you use shaving cream to break in a baseball glove?
Because shaving cream contains chemicals and compounds that dry up leather over time, such as propane, isobutane (a gas used in industrial manufacturing), sodium lauryl sulfate (a detergent), and triethanolamine (an alcohol), it is not a good glove conditioner.
Conclusion
Just keep in mind that breaking in a new baseball glove will take some time as you get to work on it.
Individuals enjoy suggesting various ways to expedite the process, but these approaches frequently cause more harm than good. Catching balls with a glove is the ideal method for breaking it in. All alternative approaches have drawbacks and hazards and are to be shunned if feasible.
Warm it up during warm-ups if you don’t need the glove to be game-ready right away. Catching balls thrown by a pitching machine can be a useful method to speed up the procedure if necessary.