Mitt---Ball bouncing out

[Carolina Gonzales-Branson]

We bought my daughter a new catcher mitt this year... previously she used her team glove (a mizuno gsx 100) she was able to catch w/ it but it was too big and sloppy in the wrist. After looking for months we came upon a Louisville Slugger 29.5 mitt. PROBLEM: The ball keeps popping out of the mitt!! Initially we thought it was the mitt just need time to break in....wrong. We are still having the same problem. She is the best catcher on the team w/ a fielding mitt.... So I am not sure what going on. Any advice would be appreciated!

Background she is 11 and plays 12U but is very small and built more like a 8 or 9 year old)

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I didn't know that they made a mitt that was 29.5. That is tiny. Can a 12 in ball fit into the pocket? I am thinking that the mitt is too small.

I understand that she is small, but as long as her thumb and little finger, fit in the inside loops (they are adjustable) she can handle the glove. I would buy her at least a 32 inch mitt.

Recently, I started putting an Xprotex catcher's glove inside my mitt. That would help her, too. I just let a 12 YO use my Xprotex today and she loved it.

 

[Carolina Gonzales-Branson]

Amy,

Yep. They do make them that small and yes the 12" fit into the pocket but, I am thinking it might be too small myself. I wanted to get some opinions though & make sure it was a mitt problem and not a mechanics problem.

I like the idea of the Xprotec.... she currently wears her batting glove.

 

[chinamigarden]

My DD used the same glove, it has a fairly deep pocket for a catchers glove. She used it in her first year of 12U when she was still catching a lot, and had very good success with it. Just work with the mitt, keep breaking it in. It should be fine.

 

[GI Tom]

Sometimes the mitt can get "slick" and that doesn't help matters. Get some conditioner and rub that in and try to get the leather back to a supple state. Catchers mitts should be conditioned often in my opinion because dirt builds up and then gets ground in and gets the leather hard and slick. Make sure it's the stuff that can be applied and rubbed off quickly. You may have to do it multiple times to be effective at first if there is a lot of buildup. It does help in my experience.

Also, let your daughter help you do it, sometimes it is a little bit mental and if she believes it fixes the problem, that can help too. Sounds crazy, but I have seen it work.

 

[starsnuffer]

At 12u they shouldn't need a batting glove or other glove inside their mitt, this will hinder their ability to catch the ball. When they start catching pitchers throwing 55+, then they might, as in MIGHT need an inner glove of some sort.

The mitt is really small, honestly she would be better off with a well worn mitt that you pick up used, the bigger the better, so long as she can control it. The problem with the smaller gloves is she has to catch the ball perfectly in the pocket for it to close properly. Bigger mitts are more lenient.

-W

 

[Hoover's Dad]

My 9yr old has that same mitt and cannot hold on to an 11'' ball with it. I thought it was her, until I tried to catch her at pitching lessons one day. I did not care for it at all, way to small for a 12" ball.

 

[CPSBDad]

My DD uses the Mizuno GX100. It's pretty well broken in after a season of use. I know of a HS catcher who uses the same mitt and does well with it. We also have a Louisville Catalyst that DD likes to use for playing catch with me, but doesn't like to use it in games--still too stiff she says.

Maybe look at the GX100 again.

 

[guero_gordo]

DD has a 32.5" mitt, which is the smallest I would ever use for a 12" ball.
She had a tough time keeping the ball in the mitt until it got broken in, particularly weaker throws and when she caught closer to the heel.

 

[redhotcoach]

I had a thread about two or three months ago, same problem. I tried cleaning, conditioning, watching her technique, nothing helped. Though dd mitt was 32". (I have learned the glove size is very inconsistant from model to model). DD catches travel 10u with 11inch ball and 14u rec league with 12 inch ball. End of story, she uses the 32" for 10u and now she has a 34" for rec and the 12 inch ball. No more problems!

Also, she has both a palm guard and xprotec she used to use. Now she won't use either, says she can't hold the ball with them on.