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Home , Glove (ice hockey), Third baseman

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Paul Hoynes | The Plain Dealer Bill Lubinger | The Plain Dealer Love for the How to choose a glove try them on experience level break-in time Indians past and present share their tales of the mitt The most important thing is that An elite player will want (and Many gloves come almost game- it feels like you can control it. If need) a pro-style glove that lasts ready; they’re mostly broken in Utility man Jason Donald: nothing else, don’t buy a glove longer than one made for a rec- at the factory. Some come slight- “The first quality glove I had was a Rawlings. It was all black, that’s too big. When in doubt, go reational player. Price dictates ly broken in, and others leave the Shin-Soo Choo: heart of the hide and it was a fastback model. I was in fourth smaller. Consider the player’s ex- one from the other, but so does break-in entirely up to the player “I feel like my glove, bat, spikes are a grade. I remember the catalog I ordered it from. Alex Rodri- perience, how long the glove will the material. T- and rec gloves — the advantage being the play- guez was wearing the same model. I said, ‘I’ve got to have that part of my body. I play in the field so the take to break in, whether it’s for are made of synthetic leather. er can build his or her “perfect” glove.’ “It was like $150 and $200. I begged my parents. It was glove and I are together. The glove is im- or and what po- Pro-style mitts, for high school pocket. a Christmas present. I had it from fourth grade [to] going into portant. I have to trust it. If I drop a ball, sition on the field the glove is for. and above, are made of high-end high school. I think it got passed down to my brother.” I don’t blame the glove. leather, such as kip or steer hide. Reliever Joe Smith: “When I was in Korea in middle

“The glove I remember the most is a Rawlings Shawon Dun- school and high school, I’d sleep with Rawlings ston model. It was my first real glove. I had it from Knot Hole my glove, baseball, bat and spikes. Even Outfield glovesare larger (12½-12¾ Different positions, different mitts inches), for additional range, and have a League into high school. I was a , but that didn’t last my hat. Stupid me, I’d talk to them, deep pocket to secure the catch. very long. I ended up pitching and playing right field. ‘Maybe you could help me tomorrow.’ I “We tried everything to keep that glove together. I had to have don’t do that anymore. Now I leave ev- that glove for 10 years. I had it re-laced a couple times. I think erything in the locker room, but I still it’s still in my parents’ basement. You get attached to a glove. You often prefer a glove Second basemen use small- clean bats, gloves and spikes.” slightly larger (11½-12 inches), er gloves (11-11½ inches) don’t like giving them up. with a standard pocket, to field with a shallow pocket to one-handed when making plays quickly field and transfer “I just retired my gamer in 2010 when I got sent down [to the in the hole and up the middle. the ball when flipping to the minor leagues]. I said it must be the glove’s fault, it ain’t my fault. shortstop or turning plays. (Hall of Fame second So I switched gloves.” baseman used a NOKONA 10-inch glove.) Third baseman : “My first glove, ever? I think it was blue. I think it’s still in LOUISVILLE SLUGGER my dad’s garage. I got it, as far as I can remember, before I first started playing -ball. It’s a little hard now. Since then I’ve had a couple of new ones.” usually use gloves similar to More Hannahan: “How do you break in a glove? I’ve heard of a shortstop or third-baseman, but pre- people dunking them in water, putting them in ovens to warm fer a web that hides the ball to avoid tipping their pitches. ’em up. Put a ball in there, tie it up and put it under your mat- tress. I’ve heard just about every way to do it.”

Closer Chris Perez: “I’ve had my Nike gamer since 2009. Pitchers throw enough so you can break in a glove in spring training. Back when I didn’t get free gloves all the time, I took better care of it. I’d use shaving LOUISVILLE SLUGGER cream on it and kept it real nice so it didn’t get dried . WILSON “When I used to catch (in high school), the clay around home Third basemen typically prefer a First-base mitts are designed as plate really made the glove dry. I used Mink oil on it. It really glove similar to a shortstop in size large, floppy “baskets” to scoop up (11 ½–12 inches) and web, but with errant throws. keeps a glove nice.” a slightly deeper pocket for fielding one-handed on hard-hit balls. Kenny Lofton, Gold Glove-winning : LOUISVILLE SLUGGER “I always used a Rawlings glove, 12½ inches. I used a smaller glove than other people, but I had a deep pocket. I wanted a hard glove on the outside and a soft glove on the inside. So when the ball got caught up in there, it would stay in the soft part and the hardness on the outside would keep it from popping out. “I’ve still got my gloves in storage. I’ve probably got about 20 how they are made of them. I might auction them off. Put them on e-bay. To me my Any glove, no matter the cost, involves being pieced to- gloves were just as important as my bats. I made my bread and gether with sewing machines. Anywhere from 50 to 100 softball vs. baseball pieces of material, based on the size and how elaborate butter with my glove.” Softball gloves have a larger and deeper pocket to help it is, go into making each glove. Material can range from keep the ball from popping out. There isn’t a big difference synthetic leather, at the low end, to the finest leathers in the Rick Manning, Gold Glove-winning center fielder: between slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball gloves. Gloves for world, on the high end. Each glove takes, on average, eight “When you get a glove you like, you stay with it for a long time. fast-pitch softball are generally a little smaller and made of to hours to make. A high-end, complex model can take better quality leather because the game stresses more de- as long as 24 hours. Gloves with player autographs aren’t in I didn’t go through many of them. You have one that fits your fense. Slow-pitch gloves are mainly for rec leagues, so they’re vogue anymore, at least on the high end. They’re known and hand that you love and you stay with it. Then you have a backup. built to be more forgiving and for use at many positions. LOUISVILLE SLUGGER identified by their stock number, such as the Wilson A2K. “I used a McGregor when I won my Gold Glove. I still have it at use a larger padded mitt to home. That’s the glove Willie Mays used back in the day. I’ve still protect their hand from the constant pounding. got most of the gloves I used in my basement. People would look at them now and say, ‘You used that?’ I’d say ‘Yeah.’ I could bring them out and show you and you’d say, ‘No, I’ll get something else.’ Hey, man, this is my glove. This is what I used.” Q&A with Marty Bokovitz, How to break in a glove Right-handed Derek Lowe: “It’s funny how people are with gloves. You get kind of married to one. You feel like it’s part of you. You’ve the Indians’ go-to glove guy (and how not to) been out there before. It’s like an old girlfriend. Bio: Age 40, lives glove needle, which is like a thread A: (Jason) Donald and (Lou) Marson The best way to break in a glove In fact, evidence that heat was used It’s been with you. You talk to it on the mound. It’s like you don’t in Parma, is a 1990 needle only larger. oil their gloves daily. is to play catch, and catch and more on a glove can void the warranty. graduate of Parma catch. Don’t wait until just before Rubbing your glove down with like to get rid of it. Q: How do the players break in their Q: Does anyone name their glove? High School, where gloves? A: Not that I know of, but I call (Jack) the season starts to buy a new glove. shaving cream or oil is only recom- “It’s so weird how you feel about them. They’ve been through he played A: They use Lexol glove conditioner. Hannahan’s glove “Soldier Boy,” be- Get one early enough to get it bro- mended in very small amounts, if at but not baseball; A lot of guys use that daily to keep cause it’s been through the wars. A lot ken in and ready. all. Leather naturally has oil. Add- the wars with you. We’re the only ones out there on the field. We with the Indians their gloves fresh. We also have a tool of guys get their name embroidered When you’re not playing catch, ing oil or shaving cream can weigh 23 years, the last talked to it. We caress it. We throw it. called a “glove hammer.” It’s a base- on the outside to personalize it. place a ball in the pocket and wrap down a glove or make it too floppy. five full-time. “I’m it with a rubber band or some kind “What I tell people is I treat the ball taped to the end of the handle of Q: How do they break in their gloves? We apologize later to it.” the guy who fixes of tie to hold the pocket — but make glove like I treat my best friend,” a broken bat. Players beat the pocket A: They used to tie it off and throw it the gloves whenever anybody needs sure the band isn’t so tight it dam- advises Michael Markovich, glove of their gloves with that to simulate into the whirlpool, and when it sunk something fixed or changed or re- ages the leather. global business director for Wilson playing catch. to bottom it was ready. Or they used paired.” Don’t heat your glove in an oven Sporting Goods. shaving cream on it like glove oil. No- Q: Any suggestions for choosing a or a microwave. Don’t use an iron “I wouldn’t put my best friend Q: How long does it take to fix a body really does that anymore. The glove? on it. Excessive heat will dry out the under a mattress. I wouldn’t put my glove? gloves have become better. They’re A: It’s all feel. leather and crack or break the laces. best friend in a car trunk.” A: If a player wants a web redone or easier to break in now. Better leather. Q: Who uses the smallest glove? something tightened up, it can take Q: What’s your glove? A: I think Asdrubal (Cabrera) has one five minutes or a half-hour. Gloves A: I have a first-baseman’s glove that I of the smallest. with complicated webs can be diffi- use to catch my daughter (12-year-old cult. It’s almost like basket-weaving. Q: The biggest? Lily is a softball pitcher). It’s a Mizu- SOURCES: Paul Jonff, brand of Rawlings Sporting Goods; Michael PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHUCK A: Maybe Shin-Soo (Choo). Q: What tools do you use? no. (Former Indian) Victor (Martinez) Markovich, glove global business director for Wilson Sporting Goods CROW | THE PLAIN DEALER A: A pair of needle-nose pliers and a Q: Who’s the most attentive? didn’t care for it, so he gave it to me.