What size baseball/softball glove does my son/daughter need?

Fielding gloves have less to do with hand size than they do with the position you play.  Of course, you don’t want the glove to fall off of your hand, but it’s not supposed to fit like a pair of shoes would.

There are general rules when purchasing for a younger player.  We would recommend the following:

• 6 & under – 9” to 10” (fastpitch softball 10” to 11”)
• 6 to 8 – 10” to 11.5” (fastpitch softball 11” to 12”)
• 8 to 12 – 10.5” – 12” (fastpitch softball 11.5” to 13”)

While this is what we recommend, by no means is this a black & white line.  If your child is more comfortable in a slightly larger glove, or a slightly smaller glove, that’s fine. 
The primary goal of any equipment for a younger player is getting them something that helps them feel confident.  You can adjust glove sizes as they get older to a more appropriate, position specific glove.

Once your child reaches an age or skill level that they are ready to move into position specific gloves, the following would be our recommendation for baseball:

• 2nd Base – 11” to 11.5”
• Shortstop – 11” to 11.75”
• 3rd Base – 11” to 12”
• Pitcher – 11.5” to 12.5”
• Outfield – 12” to 12.75”

For fastpitch softball:

• 2nd Base – 11.5” to 13”
• Shortstop – 11.5” to 13”
• 3rd Base – 11.5” to 13”
• Pitcher – 11.5” to 13”
• Outfield – 12” to 14”

Whatever size glove you choose, just get out there and enjoy it!

How do you break in a baseball/softball glove? 

There are MANY ways to break in a glove.  The absolute best way is just to play with it.  Keep pounding it, catching with it, working it open and close while watching your favorite team on TV.
While that may be the best way, that’s definitely NOT the fastest way.

There are a lot of glove conditioners on the market from sprays like Glovecon, or Wilson Glove Conditioner, Mizuno Strong Oil, etc.  All of these will help condition and soften the leather of the glove.
The only problem is that they do very little to the felt interior of the glove.  Something needs to be done to break down the felt in the flexible points that you want out of a glove.  Once you know how you want your glove to break in (thumb to pinky, thumb to index/middle finger, or anywhere in between), be sure to really work those hinge points. 

You can also have your glove steamed.  This can definitely speed up the break in process, but it can also really damage the leather if done incorrectly.  In fact, some companies like Wilson will void any glove warranties if they can determine that the glove has been steamed.
 

In our opinion, the best way to break in a leather glove is to use Shigeaki Aso’s method.  Mr. Aso is known as the “Glove Master Craftsman” and has been designing gloves for MLB players for Wilson Sporting Goods for over 40 years.
You can view many of his break-in videos on YouTube, but it basically consists of the following: 

• Heat a bucket of water between 150° and 160° (DO NOT BOIL)
• Pour the hot water all over the glove (do not pour down the finger stalls, as it may not dry out properly)
• Using a soft pad, work the hinge, heel, web, pocket, etc.  
• Play catch

You can repeat the process as needed. 

Whatever way you choose to break in your glove, just get out there and enjoy it!

Do you do glove repairs? 

We can re-lace any brand glove in a number of colors.  If you’ve just had a lace break and need a quick fix, or if you want the entire glove relaced, we’ve got you covered.  

Timeframe can depend on how busy we are, and glove work is done outside of store hours, so it normally will take anywhere from 1 to 7 days.

Glove repairs can range from $10 to excess of $75.  Every glove repair is different so send any repair questions (preferably with pictures) to [email protected] and an associate will get back with you as quickly as possible.

Will a baseball glove work for softball (or vice versa)? 

In a nutshell, yes.  You can use any glove for either sport (although baseball gloves normally max out at 12.75”). 

It may be advantageous for you to use a glove specifically designed for whichever on you are playing, but if you prefer one over the other, there is nothing wrong with it.

Just be aware that if you are playing both with the same glove, catching a larger softball can eventually stretch out your pocket so that a baseball may not ‘stick’ in the pocket as good as it once did.

Whatever sport or glove you choose to use, just get out there and enjoy it!

What size bat should I use? 

There are a lot of factors that can affect the size bat you need.  Height, strength, skill, etc.; just don’t use size to fix an issue caused by the player, not the equipment. 

For example, if you’re missing the ball on the outer half of the plate, but you’re also stepping in the bucket (stepping away from the plate), the problem isn’t the length of the bat. 

That being said, we have a general rule of thumb for bat sizes by age.  This isn’t set in stone, but if you’re new to the sport, this can give you a good starting point. 

• 6 & under – 24” to 26”
• 6 – 25” to 26”
• 7 – 26” to 27”
• 8 – 27” to 28”
• 9 – 28” to 29”
• 10 – 29” to 30”
• 11 – 29” to 31”
• 12 – 30” to 32”
• 13 – 31” to 32”
• 14 – 31” to 32”
• 15 – 31” to 33”
• 16 & up – 32” to 34”

These lengths should work for both baseball and fastpitch softball.