Questions to ask yourself before purchasing a glove

First, a little primer...

A glove's main components are the pocket, the webbing, and the back. The pocket is the "palm" area of the glove, just below the fingers. The back of the glove is on the reverse side of the palm, and is either "open" or "closed." The webbing is the part that connects the thumb of the glove to the fingers, and comes in a very wide variety of styles, including the single post, the one piece, the solid two piece, the basket web, the I-web, the H-web, and the Trap-eze.

Gloves also come with a wrist adjustment to keep it snug on your hand. A D-ring fastener allows you to pull on the lacing and make the glove tighter or looser. Velcro fasteners are typically found on lower-end children's models so they can easily adjust the glove without having to deal with laces. A lacing adjustment allows you to loosen or tighten the wrist fastener with leather laces. A buckle system adjusts the glove with a system similar to that of a baseball cap.

What kind of webbing should I get?

This is a bit tricky because preference in webbing is based on feel and sense more than anything else, but there are some trends among players. Many professional infielders, including Alex Rodriguez, prefer the I-web because it aids in scooping ground balls. Most second baseman will use single patch webbing or a simple basket web. I webs and H webs are favored by second and third basemen, but some third basemen prefer "trap-eze" models. Pitchers should definitely get a "closed web" like the basket web so they don't telegraph their pitch to the batter before they throw the ball.

Outfielders should think about getting a glove that help them grab those high flying balls, and for that reason the Trap-eze models, with their special construction for ease in closing the glove, are very popular.

What size should I get?

For children, optimal glove size is determined primarily by age. Youth models are smaller to help kids maintain glove control. Children under the age of 8 should stick with a glove from 9 to 11 inches, while kids from 8 to early teens should consider 11 inch models.

For the high school level and higher, position is the most important factor when considering size. Second baseman usually have the smallest gloves on the field, ranging from 10 1/2 inches to about 11 1/4. Most players playing shortstop prefer gloves in between 11 and 12 inches. Third basemen usually wear 11 1/2 - 12 inch gloves. Outfielders should have the biggest gloves on the field, usually 12-12 1/2 inch, to help catch those fly balls. Pitchers gloves widely vary in size, though most prefer 11 3/4.

How often will this glove be used?

If you expect the glove to endure heavy use, such as in a league, investing a few more dollars in to get higher quality leather will save money in the long run. If the glove is for occasional or recreational use, or if you are buying it for a growing child's first baseball season, a lower end glove will function just as well.