How do you break in a baseball glove?

[scoobdog]

So, I took my little bro to the All Star Game this week.  At the convention center, there's a fan event before the actual game, so we decided to make a day of it and head downtown to look around before heading up the hill.  Like most of these events, its really just waiting in line to get a signature, participation stuff, like virtual batting cages and museum displays, and buying overpriced shit.  Well, I being the sucker I am, I happened across a Rawlings booth where they were selling baseball gloves and they had this special commemorative infielder's glove for sale.

It has to have been like thirty years since the last time I bought a glove, and the last one was already pretty soft as it was.  This thing is so stiff it barely flexes.  Fortunately (or unfortunately) I wasn't in a seat that was remotely close to any foul balls, so I mostly spent the game squeezing my new souvenir in one hand and taking pictures of the LA skyline with the other.  Afterward, though, I got to thinking that maybe now would be a good time to actually break in the glove properly.

I know that there's the whole thing about wrapping the glove around the balls and tying it up.  Is there something else I should be doing (beside, obviously, actually using it)?  Is there like a special oil or something I should be putting on it?

[mthor]

Neets foot oil, baseball in the mitt, rubber bands?

Edited July 21, 2022 by mthor
I dont think that neets foot refers to actual NEETs

[André Toulon]

.....I'm a bit confused. 

Do you not plan on using it....I mean you asked for ways to break it in without using it. But if you're not using it, why break it in. If it's just a souvenir, just hang it up or whatever we're doing here.

I know I missing something 

[DeadwingLazarus]

It depends. If you plan on using it, do what mthor suggested. I always put a baseball in it and wrapped it when it wasn't in use. (I broke my latest and most favorite glove, a Rawlings Ken Griffey, Jr. outfielder's glove, in by just using it, flexing it as much as I could before and after playing catch with my older brother Teddy. It was a real pain to do so, but it made my left hand stronger and I started catching the ball much better. )

Edited July 21, 2022 by DeadwingLazarus

[DeadwingLazarus]

Also, I could get a hold of my first cousin once removed on my dad's side for you. He used to play and his son is currently in the San Francisco area playing summer ball. His son also pitched for the University of Houston and just recently graduated. I know they have some pointers on how to break in a brand new baseball glove. Just let me know and I'll send you his info via Facebook.

Edited July 21, 2022 by DeadwingLazarus

[GuyBeardmane]

Alright, to pull this off you're gonna need a good crew.  You'll want a good scout to report all the entrances from ground level up to the third floor, as well as roof entrances if there are any available.  They'll need to watch the glove like a hawk for two weeks straight, no sleep.  You need to know security rotation, schedules, the works.

Then you're gonna need a good hacker.  They'll be on the job as soon as the scout gives them details.  They'll be responsible for unlocking doors, shutting down cameras, and doing what needs to be done to make your job a walk in the park.

You're also gonna need someone on the inside.  The scout and hacker can only get you in the door, but the face is gonna be the one who shows you how to get where you're trying to go and then get out.

Once your team is together, the break-in is easy as pie.

 

 

 

 

See, the joke I'm going for here is that "breaking in" has another meaning, and I'm referencing tropes from heist movies and television shows about breaking into places.

[scoobdog]

9 minutes ago, André Toulon said:

.....I'm a bit confused. 

Do you not plan on using it....I mean you asked for ways to break it in without using it. But if you're not using it, why break it in. If it's just a souvenir, just hang it up or whatever we're doing here.

I know I missing something 

Oh, no, I plan to use it.  That got worded oddly, but the thing is too expensive to just be a souvenir.

[DeadwingLazarus]

Just now, scoobdog said:

Oh, no, I plan to use it.  That got worded oddly, but the thing is too expensive to just be a souvenir.

You might as well start flexing it a little, broheim. The more you flex it, the looser it becomes. Again, that's primarily how I broke mine in.

[scoobdog]

16 minutes ago, mthor said:

Neets foot oil, baseball in the mitt, rubber bands?

Rawlings website has all these different products you can use, and I have no idea if any of it is worthwhile.  

[DeadwingLazarus]

8 minutes ago, scoobdog said:

Rawlings website has all these different products you can use, and I have no idea if any of it is worthwhile.  

The manufacturer is usually a great source for what you're looking for. It just depends on whether or not you're willing to spend even more money to break in your glove.

[mthor]

1 hour ago, scoobdog said:

Rawlings website has all these different products you can use, and I have no idea if any of it is worthwhile.  

Damned if I know - that's just what I remember my brothers doing when they were in little league.

[UwPp]

Only thing I remember is wrapping the ball in the glove with rubber bands and also using the hell out of it when it wasn’t wrapped up. 

[scoobdog]

See, now I want to go play catch with someone.

Really, it was probably a dumb thing to buy, but there's something about a baseball glove that's kind of alluring.  It's something that when it's on your hand you feel a sense of anticipation.

[Raptorpat]

4 minutes ago, scoobdog said:

See, now I want to go play catch with someone.

when i did junior pee wee, i caught the ball once

except instead of my glove, i caught it with my eye socket

[scoobdog]

I got hella bored playing pee wee.  Like the ball never came my way ever.

[Raptorpat]

one time (of the three times) I hit the ball, i was running from first to second and the other kid had picked up the ball and just stood there and looked at me smugly. so with my expert knowledge of the rules at the time (which was just something like "the running part is tag but it's the ball that's "it"), I brilliantly just stepped around him, stepped back, and kept running as he continued to just stand there and not touch me with the ball.

when I made it back to home plate, the coach said something like "good job, but don't do that" and I was legitimately pissed because i strongly felt i definitely did the right and correct thing in the absence of any additional information.

[molarbear]

6 hours ago, scoobdog said:

So, I took my little bro to the All Star Game this week.  At the convention center, there's a fan event before the actual game, so we decided to make a day of it and head downtown to look around before heading up the hill.  Like most of these events, its really just waiting in line to get a signature, participation stuff, like virtual batting cages and museum displays, and buying overpriced shit.  Well, I being the sucker I am, I happened across a Rawlings booth where they were selling baseball gloves and they had this special commemorative infielder's glove for sale.

It has to have been like thirty years since the last time I bought a glove, and the last one was already pretty soft as it was.  This thing is so stiff it barely flexes.  Fortunately (or unfortunately) I wasn't in a seat that was remotely close to any foul balls, so I mostly spent the game squeezing my new souvenir in one hand and taking pictures of the LA skyline with the other.  Afterward, though, I got to thinking that maybe now would be a good time to actually break in the glove properly.

I know that there's the whole thing about wrapping the glove around the balls and tying it up.  Is there something else I should be doing (beside, obviously, actually using it)?  Is there like a special oil or something I should be putting on it?

Man.. I couldn't tell you. I think I broke mine in just using it, but I've had it for 20+ years

I do wipe mine down with mink oil every fall when I put it away to keep it from drying out

[molarbear]

21 minutes ago, Raptorpat said:

when i did junior pee wee, i caught the ball once

except instead of my glove, i caught it with my eye socket

 

4 minutes ago, Raptorpat said:

one time (of the three times) I hit the ball, i was running from first to second and the other kid had picked up the ball and just stood there and looked at me smugly. so with my expert knowledge of the rules at the time (which was just something like "the running part is tag but it's the ball that's "it"), I brilliantly just stepped around him, stepped back, and kept running as he continued to just stand there and not touch me with the ball.

when I made it back to home plate, the coach said something like "good job, but don't do that" and I was legitimately pissed because i strongly felt i definitely did the right and correct thing in the absence of any additional information.

......How have the Yankees not signed you yet?

 

[scoobdog]

10 minutes ago, Raptorpat said:

one time (of the three times) I hit the ball, i was running from first to second and the other kid had picked up the ball and just stood there and looked at me smugly. so with my expert knowledge of the rules at the time (which was just something like "the running part is tag but it's the ball that's "it"), I brilliantly just stepped around him, stepped back, and kept running as he continued to just stand there and not touch me with the ball.

when I made it back to home plate, the coach said something like "good job, but don't do that" and I was legitimately pissed because i strongly felt i definitely did the right and correct thing in the absence of any additional information.

The issue always is there are too many other dumb fucks on your team so you only get part of the rules.

[Raptorpat]

rules that I definitely didn't break, right? RIGHT????

8 minutes ago, molarbear said:

......How have the Yankees not signed you yet?

I went to a yankees game once around that same time period.

and I fell asleep a couple innings in and woke up when it was time to go.

[UwPp]

5 minutes ago, Raptorpat said:

rules that I definitely didn't break, right? RIGHT????

I went to a yankees game once around that same time period.

and I fell asleep a couple innings in and woke up when it was time to go.

Poor little baby pat learning to hate baseball

[molarbear]

6 minutes ago, Raptorpat said:

rules that I definitely didn't break, right? RIGHT????

I went to a yankees game once around that same time period.

and I fell asleep a couple innings in and woke up when it was time to go.

What you're saying, is, there's a possibility your memories of T-ball were you in fact... playing for the Yankees 

[scoobdog]

18 minutes ago, Raptorpat said:

rules that I definitely didn't break, right? RIGHT????

I went to a yankees game once around that same time period.

and I fell asleep a couple innings in and woke up when it was time to go.

Lol.  The one time I got to go to old Yankee Stadium, I was surprised how laid back it was.  Of course, it might have been because they lost to the Angels.

[Doom Metal Alchemist]

8 hours ago, Raptorpat said:

one time (of the three times) I hit the ball, i was running from first to second and the other kid had picked up the ball and just stood there and looked at me smugly. so with my expert knowledge of the rules at the time (which was just something like "the running part is tag but it's the ball that's "it"), I brilliantly just stepped around him, stepped back, and kept running as he continued to just stand there and not touch me with the ball.

when I made it back to home plate, the coach said something like "good job, but don't do that" and I was legitimately pissed because i strongly felt i definitely did the right and correct thing in the absence of any additional information.

Did you step outside the baseline?

[Raptorpat]

I don't know if I actually touched the grass or not

[discolé monade]

well, i thought with leather breaking in, you need saddle soap. 

then some really good oil, and then all the wrapping and stuff. 

[discolé monade]

13 hours ago, scoobdog said:

See, now I want to go play catch with someone.

Really, it was probably a dumb thing to buy, but there's something about a baseball glove that's kind of alluring.  It's something that when it's on your hand you feel a sense of anticipation.

go help coach the rec. center kids. 

[scoobdog]

3 minutes ago, discolé monade said:

go help coach the rec. center kids. 

I haven't actually played baseball in forty years either, but that's not a bad idea.

[discolé monade]

3 hours ago, scoobdog said:

I haven't actually played baseball in forty years either, but that's not a bad idea.

your company could sponser (or help sponser), a team. (?)

[tsar4]

On 7/21/2022 at 5:22 PM, mthor said:

Neets foot oil, baseball in the mitt, rubber bands?

Just 2 things - 

It's "neatsfoot oil", and while it comes in some very large sizes, you'll only need a small bottle.

Also, make sure that the kid puts his hand in the glove before using the rubber bands but after the oil, to be sure that the glove feels comfortable in the position it is wrapped in.  I made the mistake with one of my gloves of skipping how it felt & just oiled and wrapped it with the ball.  It always felt like it didn't close properly for my hand.