Best infield glove?

[scudly12]

DD has an A2000 and hates it. Crazy stiff despite using it for a year and breaking it in as best as she and dad could. Suggestions for another infield glove that is a more tactile?

My daughter uses Rawlings HoH gloves and has since 11U. She hasn’t had issues with them (other than one was chewed up by the dog). We did all the “break-in” things with the first one. The others after that we put in a two gallon sealable bag and put it in the front window of the car on a hot sunny day. As soon as we take it out she plays catch and then keeps a ball in it (always stored with a ball in the pocket). Essentially the bag steams the glove. You might try the bag trick with the A2000…


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[MadBandit22]

We had several custom Vinci and DD decided she wanted to switch to an A2000.

I got her a 2021 12” Kelsey Stewart for pitching and a 2021 12” Sierra Romero for MI.

She loves them both and only took a couple of weeks to break in. Vinci conditioner, play catch & some as fielding practice.

The A2000 catchers mitt took a couple of months to break-in. It was stiff and balls would pop out initially. Conditioner and put under my mattress and that did the trick. Perfect now.

You may want to try a lesser glove like a Mizuno MVP Prime or Rawlings R9/Encore for softer leather that breaks in quickly.

 

[Thunder17]

I have used a A2000 in college and had another out of school which I still use for coaching/playing catch with my kids. The A2000 is definitely one of the most firm/stiff gloves made. The Rawlings Heart of the Hide will be a bit easier to break in, but not by a lot. It does take a ton of effort to break in and it will not happen overnight. I would either keep working it in with conditioner, a glove mallet, and playing catch, or get rid of it and find something else. It won’t do your daughter or you any good for her to use a glove she has no confidence in.

 

[nchesher]

Mizuno Pro Selects have been great for my daughter. They broke in really easily.

 

[dmcwhinnie]

I agree that when you get a Wilson A2000 it is very stiff, but I think that is true of all higher quality gloves. They take a while to break in, but they will last for years. You might be able to get a Mizunp or some other type of glove and be able to play right away with it. but if you play year round you might have to get another one next year. Wilson has a you tube video where a guy name Aso shows you how to break in a glove. He tells you what to do and how to do it. He also tells you what not to do. I think it took me and my granddaughter about a month and half to break in a new A2000 last spring. she was playing high school ball so they were practicing 5 days a week so the glove was getting lots of work.

 

[specialk]

When my daughter got her A2000 I didn't want to steam it to break it in and it was super stiff. Ours was very stiff for quite a while and I had to pound that thing for weeks/months with the glove mallet and work it with my hands on the joints to get it to feel more tactile . Once I got it to a certain point, the thing has been awesome. My daughter has had it for four years now and it is still going strong. Great glove that is extremely tactile and molded perfectly for her hand. Make sure you work the heel joint and seam where it folds to get that more tactile feel. The girls hands aren't strong enough to work that lower joint and the glove feels stiff until you get it working the way you want it to feel. Once you have it broken in, you will have a very long lasting glove. I would tell you to not give up on it and keep pounding on it, working it with your hands and storing it with a ball in the pocket until you really get it broken in.

 

[_MIA_]

I bought (my then) 10 YO DD a 12" Rawlings Pro 206 when I could get one cheap knowing she would need it eventually. Took us a year of slow break in (first just playing catch and then working in GB,etc..never did anything else besides play with it) before she could use it in a game.

With gloves a little foresight is often useful in order to get the best deals you can on quality gloves which will last.

 

[Lemond]

I don't recall which MLB player I heard this about, but on the subject of breaking in gloves, he said that he would have a new gamer each year. In order to get a new glove ready, he would use it during practice for a season to have it ready to be his gamer for the following year. I'm guessing that there was also a break-in routine to get the new one read to practice with, but he did not mention that. I also am guessing that he did not exclusively use the new glove during practices, as I can't imagine not practicing with his gamer. Point being that even at the MLB level, glove break in is not a quick thing.

I find it amusing/sad that we continue to moan about how long it takes to break in a new glove. I really wish we could get over our need for instant gratification in all things. Some things just take time, and, more importantly, EFFORT to do them properly. More mature/stronger athletes should be ready to put in more time/work for a high-quality glove, younger/weaker athletes may not be ready for that. Adjust for each kid.

 

[MaverickAH]

I developed a process for difficult to break in gloves:

Get 3 or 4 mid weight bar rags. Saturate them with water, put them in a microwaveable bowl & put the bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Have a pir of tongs handy to handle the hot rags. Place one rag in the hand stall, two rags in the pocket & web & one rag optionally on the back of the fingers until they cool down. Once you remove the rags work the glove with your hand & beat it with a mallet. Place a ball in the pocket, condition, wrap the glove up & let it dry out. Continue to break in the glove normally & if the glove is being particularly difficult, it's okay to repeat the process in a few days.

What this process does is simulate a more gentle, safer way of steaming/dunking. I've been able to cut break-in time in half on some gloves. At the very least it'll save you a couple of weeks.

FTR, NOW, during the winter months, is the time to fully break in a new glove for the upcoming season. Break it in to about 85% to 90%, then finish the job during pre-season practices. You should not be trying to break in a glove in season or during meaningful game play. I would urge everyone to anticipate their need for a new glove at least a half year in advance. That give you plenty of time to get it game ready & for you to develop a good feel for it. Also, the slower you break in a glove, the better it will conform to your hand & the longer it will last you.

 

[AC22]

Rawlings ready to go has been great for my daughter. 12.25 model h web. Narrow hand stall and the factory break in is real.

Held up great to a spring school ball and a summer travel season.


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