Anyone who plays baseball knows how important it is to break in a baseball glove and contribute to the game. Players in the game spend about half the time on the field trying to catch a baseball.
Not knowing how to field a baseball well can have a serious deficiency in the way you play and could lead to your team losing the game.
A good baseball glove helps you scoop up ground balls and helps you catch hard lines and occasional pop fly. It is impossible to do all this if your bat isn’t broken properly.
People tend to make the mistake of using the new baseball glove they bought to play the game. It is not a good idea, as you will find out that the ball pops out of your mitt unexpectedly, and you will find it hard to catch even a slow hit baseball.
A game like baseball requires you to have quick reflexes and excellent hand-eye coordination. You will not want to play with a glove that makes it difficult to catch a ball.
Therefore, try to take your time and properly break in the new baseball glove that you bought before using it in the game.
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How to Break in a Baseball Glove?
A baseball glove is an important part of the game, and the way you break it in will define whether it becomes one that serves you right or becomes one you will toss in the trash.
Starting in a good way will reward you with a well-performing and comfortable glove. Several baseball gloves are pre-broken in, but it is best to do it yourself for a custom fit.
A baseball glove is broken in right when it’s comfortable and performs well.
Breaking in a baseball glove takes about a couple of weeks to half a season, depending on how you use it. With a lot of patience and a little knowledge, your baseball glove would endure many seasons.
There are three stages to breaking in a baseball glove: conditioning the leather glove, shaping it, and breaking it in.
Conditioning the Leather Glove
Before breaking in your baseball glove, you should first soften it, which is done by lubricating it. New leather gloves are stiff at first, so you should apply a special glove conditioner.
Kelley and Lexol are the best to use as they condition the leather without coating it and weighing it down. Add a little oil to the sponge and apply to the hinge and palm areas, back, fingers, and the string of your glove. Work it in and remove excess oil. Try lubricating your glove a couple of times a year to keep it soft and avoid cracking.
Now, try working your glove by putting it on and flexing its hinges. The spot that allows your glove to open and close is found at the little finger pad base, near the heel.
Remove your glove and carefully keep folding your glove back and forth at the hinge. Please do it for as long as it takes until it softens.
Shaping the Leather Glove
The next step is to shape the baseball glove. Put a ball inside your glove and secure it by wrapping it in a band to form a pocket and store it overnight at room temperature.
Always keep your glove when it’s not in use, and you should always practice tucking a ball in the pocket and securely wrapping it to keep its shape.
Now you have gone through the first two phases of breaking in a baseball glove. Your glove is now ready to use.
Breaking in the Leather Glove
Now you should go and practice playing with your new baseball glove. Try and use your glove at least once a day because it will help form a pocket for a custom fit.
Some people prefer using a special round mallet in preparing the glove pocket for catching the ball, while others prefer to punch it. Nevertheless, the main idea is to form a deep pocket for catching the ball.
When you are playing, flex your glove at the hinges as regularly as possible, even in between catches, until it feels natural to open and close your glove.
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Things You Shouldn’t Do When You Are Breaking in a Baseball Glove
Do Not Try to Use Heat and Oil at the Same Time
When breaking in your baseball glove, avoid the use of both heat and oil. Both these methods work when used for breaking in your baseball glove but are not meant to be used simultaneously in some cases—for example, oiling your glove and then placing it in a hot oven.
If you have ever cooked before, you will know that this process in which baked foods are cooked is what exactly you are doing to your glove.
In this process, you can be pretty sure that you end up replacing the glove laces and end up ruining your glove.
Avoid Leaving Your Glove Wet for a Long Time
Many methods about breaking in your glove involve water use and help soften and break in a glove. You should avoid leaving the glove wet for a long time because it would become too heavy to use and get stinky and moldy.
So after you get your glove wet and done with what is needed to break it in, use a fan or hairdryer or any other means to get dry but make sure it is done sooner rather than later.
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Conclusion
Here you have it; now you know how to break in your baseball glove properly. It is not difficult and only requires a little time, and once it is done, it will make a huge difference in how easy it is to catch a baseball with your glove.
Try to get your new glove broken in so that you can comfortably play on the field with your new baseball glove.
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