Do you think you have to obviously put your five fingers in the baseball glove’s slots?
Inserting one finger into each slot does the trick. You may make a few more adjustments to improve the glove’s fit on your hand.
As a baseball player, my team supplies all the equipment, like uniforms, helmets, and such. However, I would like to opt for using my own glove.
I was under the impression that there’s just one correct method to put on a baseball glove for a very long time.
The conventional method of wearing the glove involves assigning a finger to each slot, while some players choose to leave the index finger free.
I’ve observed people try to fit two fingers into the pinky hole of a glove.
Having a firm grasp on a glove will allow you to exert maximum control over the ball during catches. Wearing the glove in a manner that is most comfortable for you is essential to getting the most out of it.
I’ll explain how to wear a baseball glove in different setups so you can choose the one that best suits you.
Fantastic Baseball Gloves and How Do You Wear Them?
Defensive players in baseball are referred to as “fielders”. They wear gloves to protect their hands while fielding balls.
Catcher’s mitts are the gloves used by the catcher to collect balls delivered by a pitcher.
The first baseman’s glove aims to grab the ball when other infielders toss it to get the runner out. Fielders use a variety of gloves, each with distinct looks and features.
However, they all serve the same basic purpose: to keep the player’s hands safe.
Why do you need baseball gloves?
There are several reasons why baseball players wear gloves. The main reason is to protect their hands from injury while catching and throwing the ball.
The gloves also help players grip the ball better, which can improve their performance on the field.
Additionally, gloves can help reduce the ball’s impact on the player’s hands, which can help prevent long-term damage or injury.
Should I know how to wear them?
Baseball is a game that calls for a specific combination of abilities and equipment. Having a pair of gloves to play the game is considered among the most essential instruments.
However, more than having a baseball glove is needed to guarantee success on the field. You have to know how to hold it properly if you want to succeed on the field.
Things To Consider When You’re Wearing
There are two schools of thought when it comes to baseball gloves:
- You should have a specific glove for every position on the team. Or,
- You should have a universal glove.
Consider these guidelines before you go out and buy a baseball glove.
Refrain from believing the hype that says a particular brand or glove style is superior or can improve your game. It all depends on your perspective, your role, and your tastes.
If you’re playing baseball at the amateur level, you probably won’t stick to one position for the whole season.
Multiple positions in the infield and the outfield will be assigned to you. You should probably just acquire gloves that will suit all of it.
A baseball glove with a universal fit may be the ideal option if you have a preference for one position over the others.
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind while making your baseball glove purchase:
- Find the right glove size.
- Pick up a glove that fits your role.
- Choose the one that can be used in a variety of situations.
- Make sure the leather is strong and of high quality.
- Find some gloves that you can afford.
- Check your glove’s webbing and other components to ensure it fits properly.
How To Wear A Properly Fitted Baseball Glove
Even if you’ve been playing baseball since you were a kid, you might be wearing your gloves wrong or could be wearing your gloves better.
The potential for development is infinite. I’ll quickly go through a few of the most common methods for sporting a baseball mitt.
I’m not suggesting you settle on just one of those techniques, but it certainly helps to have choices.
Thus, you may experiment with several grips until you find the one that feels most natural.
Traditional Way
Let’s begin with the tried-and-true approach because you know best.
In this technique, you’ll position your fingers in the five openings in the baseball glove. Your wrist may glide completely inside the glove, making it feel nice and secure in your hands.
Although this is the more convenient option, it has a few drawbacks. Even an outfielder’s baseball glove will have a shallower pocket than usual when worn this way.
The top of the palm will naturally slip into the interior pocket of the glove, forcing it forward.
As a result, this approach has certain drawbacks, even though it is the most natural and familiar technique. Of course, you should wear your glove in this manner only if you feel most at ease doing so.
With One Finger Exposed Outside of the Glove
You’ve heard about the conventional approach; now I’ll explain an alternative technique.
This is, simply, an often emulated fashion choice among young players, although with varying degrees of success. Well, I’ll show you how it’s done and explain the logic behind how to do this successfully.
With this method, you won’t be slipping all of the fingers inside the glove; instead, you’ll leave one finger, often the index finger, standing out from the rear.
Catchers and infielders seem to like this fashion. And I observed two main factors contributing to this strategy.
For starters, it safeguards the index finger from fastballs, which is very useful for catchers and infielders.
Also, it widens the pocket, making it simpler to scoop up the ball from the ground or catch it in midair.
Some players also say they have better control of the glove because of this, but I attribute it to familiarity. When you wear it in this manner, your glove provides exceptional comfort. But initially, it may take considerable time to adjust.
Two Fingers In The Pinky
When a young player’s glove seems a little too big, the two-in-the-pinkie approach is the way to go.
Getting the appropriate size baseball glove may be a real pain. There is always the risk that your fingers will take up extra space in the baseball glove, no matter how well you research baseball glove sizes beforehand.
People have devised this strategy to combat this issue. Simply insert your pinky and ring finger into the corresponding slots on your pinky glove pinky, and you’re good to go. It is very normal for it to stop short of entering completely.
The ultimate result of this design is a glove that is both snugger and better balanced. After that, you slide the index finger into the glove’s middle slot and your middle finger through the ring finger’s slot.
This grip is also widely used in professional and high school baseball leagues to improve players’ ability to keep their gloves in place. Pocket depth is increased, facilitating simpler ball collection.
You may take it to the next level by leaving your forefinger out of your glove. If you play an infield position, you will benefit greatly from this.
Wear it like the pros (bare more palms):
Most major league baseball players don’t put their whole hand inside their glove.
This helps to produce an air pocket that prevents stinging, makes the glove seem like a part of your fingers, and promotes a smoother hinge movement with your glove.
How can MLB players recover control of their glove fingers if they aren’t able to slide their hands completely inside the glove?
They insert their pinkies into the pinkie slots, their rings into the ring slots, and their middle fingers in their middle finger slots.
Once again, this does not fill the position of the forefinger.
Should kids wear it this way? I recommend that they give it a go.
However, remember that since their fingers are still developing, if the glove is too large, it may be challenging to open and shut it.
In such a scenario, until the fingers grow larger, it’s advisable to revert to the previous technique that offered the optimal compromise between control and ease of use.
Since “showing palm” is now the standard technique for both collegiate and professional players, young athletes should get used to it as soon as possible. You can expect some initial discomfort before becoming used to it.
Choosing The Right Baseball Glove For Your Position
The four main categories of baseball gloves are all somewhat unique in appearance and purpose.
Infielder
The smallest form of glove is known as an infielder glove. The average length is 11 inches to 12 inches. These gloves are designed to be more compact to improve the wearer’s quickness and mobility. This is because ground balls thrown to infielders might go in any possible direction at any one time.
Advantages:
- Allows an infielder to switch between glove and throwing hand quicker
- Increases opportunities to deliver a powerful and precise throw.
Outfielder’s Gloves
Outfielders, whether they play left field, center field, or right field, need a certain kind of glove. The outfielder’s glove is larger and has a deeper pocket compared to the infielder’s glove.
The safety of the baseball is the primary concern of an outfielder; hence, outfielders place less emphasis on making a speedy transfer of the ball.
This is accomplished by giving outfielders a larger glove with a deeper pocket, allowing them to keep the ball safe when running, diving, or simply completing regular play.
Advantages
- A bigger glove and a more substantial pocket provide a greater chance of successfully securing the ball during any play
A bigger glove and a more substantial pocket provide a greater chance of successfully securing the ball during any play.
Catcher’s Gloves
The most distinctive glove in baseball is this type, built specifically to cushion the catcher’s hands and protect him from injury.
The catcher is responsible for frequently catching baseballs. Often traveling at speeds of 95 miles per hour or more, a catcher’s glove is essential.
Advantages
- It provides the extra thumb and pinky protection batters need to feel at ease while facing tough pitches.
- Padding and deep pockets protect the baseball during the catch, and the player benefits from comfort and support.
First Base Gloves
To ensure first basemen can catch any ball sent their way, special gloves have been developed for the position. The first base mitt serves two purposes: it secures the normal throw and offers the player a greater chance of controlling a ball hit into the ground.
Advantages
- It allows you to catch routine tosses and ground balls effortlessly
Catcher Glove
Different from first-base mitts, catchers’ gloves have their own unique characteristics. As the catcher faces fielding pitches of as much as 100 miles per hour, the glove must be well padded in order to prevent injury.
Catcher’s gloves also have no fingers that are carved out separately. So as to prevent the glove from deteriorating too quickly, most of the catcher’s mitts’ pockets are solid rather than perforated. These gloves are typically between 32 and 34.5 inches in diameter instead of length.
Advantages
- Protects players from getting palm injuries or sore hands
- The mound’s obvious cushioning, which is rather substantial, helps a catcher instruct the pitcher on where to throw the ball. So the pitcher can easily interpret the indications and make the necessary adjustments to the pitch.
Breaking in a New Baseball Glove: What About the New Players?
It was not uncommon to observe first-time players wearing brand-new baseball gloves on the baseball field.
It was thus not shocking to witness a rookie outfielder grab a fly ball but then throw it back, as he could not clench the glove tightly enough.
How pricey your glove is doesn’t matter. If you can properly break into it, even your hundred-dollar glove will give you excellent performance compared to any expensive one.
Until you have broken your glove, you shouldn’t attempt to close it with your hand. Forcing an unbroken glove to close might cause unsightly wrinkles or bubbles in its pocket.
To beautifully break in gloves, here are some steps to follow:
- Initially, you should apply as much pressure as possible while squeezing your brand-new glove. Don’t go there. Doing so will simply result in an unsightly and somewhat painful bubble on the ring finger where you popped the glove.
- A glove should not be steamed, placed in warm water, or run over by a car. These dangers will not only tear holes in the glove, but they will also damage its durability.
- Loosen the glove’s leather.
- The easiest approach to breaking in a new glove is to use it as often as possible. It may be worn during sports and utilized for playing catch or practicing catching ground balls. Wearing the glove often can help you get used to it quickly.
- It’s time to crank up the intensity after the glove feels approximately 70%-80% broken in, meaning you can get a reasonable estimate of the final form.
Now get on board with its use in baseball right away. At first, it may seem less comfortable than your previous glove, but that will change with time.
How to Properly Care for Your Baseball Glove
- After each usage, clean dirt, turf, and dust from your baseball gloves by wiping them down with a towel or gently brushing them with a bristleless brush.
- At least once every week, apply leather cleansing to the gloves and then allow them to dry completely.
- Keep your gloves in a dry and cool area, out of the path of any adverse conditions or moisture, and replace them every few months.
- At regular intervals during the season, you should inspect the glove’s laces and either adjust or repair them as necessary.
Tips for Improving Your Fielding Skills With a Baseball Glove
Here I suggest some tips for improved glovework while playing fielding positions:
- Your glove’s wrist should be pushed toward the baseball’s heel. The glove’s orientation relative to the floor should be more oblique than parallel. This way, you can keep hopping balls from sliding up your arm and utilize more of your glove.
- While you’re fielding a ball, keep your glove hand relaxed. Staying calm and relaxed improves your reflexes and makes it simpler for the ball to catch in your glove.
- When the ball is expected to take just a brief hop, such as after being thrown or struck forcefully, begin fielding the ball by putting your glove near the ground and working your way up. Moving upward is less difficult and takes less time than moving below.
- Raise the ball to your upper body after the ball is completely encased in your glove. Maintaining your balance and getting into a good position to throw the ball are both helped by holding the ball within your center body.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which hand is best for wearing a baseball glove?
Gloves are worn on the opposite hand for right-handed and left-handed players.
Because they aim to have complete freedom of movement of the hand used to throw, this allows them to switch the baseball from the hand they catch it with to the one they throw with as soon as possible.
This is a difficult question to answer while looking for a first glove. The glove’s label indicates the player’s throwing hand, not the hand he uses to catch the ball. If you are right-handed, you should wear your gloves on your left hand, and if you are left-handed, you should wear your gloves on your right hand.
Can one’s hand position vary between striking and throwing?
The answer is yes. You can throw right-handed and hit left-handed. Since left-handed hitters are versatile and can play several positions, many athletes choose to do this.
How does it work, and what are the benefits of “switch-hitting?”
Some batters can switch between hitting with their dominant hand (left or right) and their non-dominant hand (right or left).
Batters that are versatile can do it. While confronting a pitcher who throws with the exact opposite hand to a batter, the batsman is more likely to perceive the thrower’s release point and may begin analyzing the pitch better instantly.
Being a naturally left-handed batsman against a right-handed pitcher is beneficial since right-handed pitchers are more common than left-handed pitchers in the big leagues.
So, How Should You Wear the Gloves?
If I’m being completely forthright, donning a baseball glove is not mandated by any higher authority. Although there is a customary technique to don your gloves, no one is making you conform.
My recommendation is for you to play around with yours. You can only learn the right method of how to wear a baseball glove by experimenting.
