After the initial excitement of getting a new baseball glove, a little frustration may set in when you realize that the new glove requires considerable effort to properly break in. Until that happens, the glove will remain somewhat stiff and practically unusable in a game situation. There are several methods you can use to effectively break in a baseball glove and get it ready for real play.
Heat
A baseball glove is made of leather, which is a porous material. A few minutes in the heat of the sun (or a hair drier, for example) can open up those pores, making the glove not only more malleable to the shape of your hand and the ball, but also more responsive to whatever product you may be applying to your glove to break it in. Remember, however, that the quickest way to cut down the lifespan of a glove is to leave it out in the sun; only leave the glove purposefully in the sun during this break-in stage.
Conditioner
Many conditioners and oils made specifically for baseball gloves (like, for example, Glove Stuff) can help break in a mitt. Avoid simply dumping the stuff onto the glove. Instead, use a rag to apply a few drops of the conditioner or oil to the glove, rubbing it lightly into the glove's surface. Too much can actually damage the glove; along with heat, exposure to moisture is one of the fastest ways to ruin a glove (or at least wear down its lifespan). You may want to test a small amount on a small part of the glove first to see how the glove absorbs it, before applying the conditioner or oil to the rest.
Stretching
Even with a little heat and the application of conditioner or oil, stretching out the baseball glove's web is still best accomplished by several long sessions of catch. At first this may be difficult as the web will be tight, but over time, the ball's round shape will pound itself into your mitt until your can cradle the ball easily into your glove. You may want to further stretch your glove's web over the top of a baseball bat (with the bat resting on its handle on the ground), pushing down firmly (but not too hard). Finally, when storing the glove, place a ball in the pocket of the glove and wrap it in something (like a nylon rope or even a T-shirt). This will further stretch the mitt over the shape of a baseball, and will help to speed up the break-in process.
Member Comments