Should I buy her a catcher's mitt?

[MsDinosaur]

DD was definitely bigger than 4'9" 80 lbs. I'm thinking she was around 5' 105-110 lbs when we got that mitt. I do think she would have been able to wear it much sooner, but she loved her old glove and wasn't ready to change until she went from the 11" to the 12" and started having issues.

 

[Grogger31]

Since I'm new to the forum, is there no Buy/Sell (WB/WS) section of the website. It seems that it would be a great feature since so many people have old equipment. Just a thought ...

 

[marriard]

@MsDinosaur - Thanks for the response. I've seen justballgloves.com. I'll have to look and see if I could do something similar to the other poster.

@Marriard - Great info

To both of you, can I ask how big your DD's were when they used the GSX92? As I mentioned early in the post, my DD is a peanut at 4'9" and 80 pounds. Thanks!

My second catcher was 4"6" if lucky and she has had the GXS92 for a year now.

 

[Grogger31]

My second catcher was 4"6" if lucky and she has had the GXS92 for a year now.

I love that answer, marriard!!!! For the price of the GXS92, maybe I'll just order one and return if it's obviously too big/heavy for her.

 

[coach james]

My homemade method of glove steaming...
1. Take a large pasta pot and boil water
2. Place a strainer over the boiling water and set the glove in it.
3. Steam both sides for 2 minutes, then use the capped end of a bat and beat in the pocket.
4. Repeat step 3 at least three times and then apply a healthy dose of conditioning oil.
Note: Be sure to steam before oiling otherwise the oil will prevent the moisture from getting in. The steam will open the pores and the glove will be much more receptive to absorbing the oil.

 

[MsDinosaur]

I've never tried anything like this, but we have a Lousiville Mitt that is still as hard as a brick. I ended up buying her something else years ago when I couldn't get it broken in after hours of pounding with a glove mallet, many sessions of slathering it with lanolin shaving cream and months of keeping it wrapped up tightly with a ball in the pocket under a mattress... This sounds pretty easy; I think I'll give it a go. The mitt's never been usable, so I don't think there's anything to lose.

 

[tsryan71]

Louisville Valkarie 33" catchers mitt, steamed by JustGloves.com broken in with infield dirt and barbosol shaving cream. Using in for team practice and catching her pitcher during her lessons... 2 months and it was broken in perfectly!! DD was 5'3"/120# at the time.

 

[Grogger31]

As a follow up, I spoke with DD's clinic coach about getting her a mitt. He actually recommends getting her a first baseman's mitt. He thinks they are more flexible and will give her more options for catching and scooping. Another wrinkle in the fabric!

Thoughts?

 

[gatorcoach]

My 11yo dd is 4'8 102lbs, but looks more like 75lbs. She has used this glove Mizuno GXS92 for last 2yrs and just bought her an A2000 to start breaking in. GXS is like $50 bucks at Buy Baseball Equipment | Baseball Bats, Gloves & More | Baseball Plus and is a great glove and easy to break in. BUY HER A CATCHERS GLOVE!!!!!!!

 

[Greenmonsters]

As a follow up, I spoke with DD's clinic coach about getting her a mitt. He actually recommends getting her a first baseman's mitt. He thinks they are more flexible and will give her more options for catching and scooping. Another wrinkle in the fabric!

Thoughts?

I guess the clinic coach doesn't understand that catchers should be blocking, not scooping balls in the dirt. Use the right tool for the job!