BASEBALL GLOVES

Whether you're a pitcher, infielder, outfielder, or catcher, Eastbay has a glove style for you. The fielding glove design you choose is based on the position you play. Pitchers should look for a closed web style, like a basket or trap web. This helps hide the ball from the batter, keeping them from predicting what pitch will be thrown. In the infield, you'll find gloves that are designed for scooping up grounders and easily transferring the ball to your throwing hand. These models are usually shallow, with an I-Web or H-Web. Moving into the outfield, gloves become longer to help pull down fly balls. They need to add extra support to the hand and may have T-Webs or dual-post webs. Catchers' or first base mitts are made with extra padding that stops the sting of hard throws. They are completely closed and allow for easy squeezing of the ball.

Especially lately, gloves have become more varied in color and material. While synthetics are available, they are generally only a good choice for beginning players. The light weight helps control the glove, but they are often not very durable. If you decide to use leather, you still have quite a few choices. Full-grain leather is mid-range in quality and price, with good durability and a classic feel. Steer hide is a premium material used by a lot of professionals. It can take awhile to break in but does add increased durability. Yak leather is still new on the market but is a great lightweight choice. Because of the material's natural strength, the amount of material can be reduced. Kip leather is known for being soft and supple. Because of its smooth quality, it's often preferred by elite infielders who need quick hands.

No matter what you choose, you can find it among Eastbay's glove and mitt selection. With brands like Nike, Mizuno, Rawlings, and Wilson, we've got both adult and youth players covered.