Baseball players need equipment to play the game. While basics are obvious--glove, bat and baseball--each piece of equipment has to fit the individual player using it. In addition to the basics, there also are specific pieces of equipment for certain positions as well as protective equipment to keep players from getting injured.
Glove
The baseball glove is used by the player when he goes onto the field to play defense. The glove is made of leather and consists of a pocket, a web and a spot for four fingers and a thumb. First basemen and catchers use a mitt to receive the ball. The first baseman's mitt is long and lean and allows him to catch a poorly thrown ball, while a catcher's mitt is thick and padded and allows him to catch fastballs thrown by the pitcher. The difference between a mitt and a glove is that the mitt has one slot for all four fingers, similar to a mitten. The glove has a space for each finger.
Bat
Every player who comes to the plate needs to bring a bat to hit the ball. Depending on the level of the game, the bat can be made of wood, aluminum or some type of composite. The bat can weigh anywhere from 28 to 40 oz. Bats can be up to 42 inches long and 2 3/4 inches in diameter. Professional hitters use bats that are molded to their specifications.
Catcher's Equipment
The catcher is in the direct line of fire on every pitch. As a result, he must wear protective equipment that includes a catcher's mask, a chest protector and shin guards. All catchers must also wear a protective cup as well as a throat protector that hangs from the lowest rung on the catcher's mask.
Protective Equipment
All batters who come to the plate must wear protective batting helmets. These helmets are made of hard plastic and must cover both ears. At youth levels, face masks are not required but they can be worn. Batters also may wear arm guards and shin guards to protect against inside pitches and foul balls, respectively.
Batting Gloves
Many hitters will choose to wear batting gloves when they go to the plate. Hitters who take batting practice and then swing in the game might swing the bat as many as 100 times in a given day. This can result in hands that get torn up, injured and bruised; gloves allow the hitter to swing the bat without pain.
Baseballs and Bases
The baseball features a rubber cork center wrapped tightly by yarn and covered in leather. The leather is stitched to the outside of the ball in two pieces. It takes 108 stitches to sew the leather properly to the baseball. The pitcher begins play by throwing the ball toward home plate and the hitter attempts to put it in play and then run the bases. First, second and third base are each 15 by 15 inches and at least 3 inches thick. Home plate is a five-sided slab of rubber that is white in color although it has a black edging. Home plate is 17 inches wide and 12 inches from the back point to the front.
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