Helping you choose the right baseball glove is the goal of this web page. We explain why different positions need different gloves, and what’s right for you child. The right baseball glove can help with those embarrassing dropped balls!

A glove is a piece of equipment that every player absolutely needs to play baseball. However, if you don't know much about baseball, choosing a glove can be very confusing. There are many types and styles of gloves out there to choose from; does it really matter what you get? The short and simple answer is: YES. Whether your child is just starting out in Little League, or is trying out for the high school team, getting the right glove is important. For older children, the kind of glove you get will depend upon the position he's playing. For a very young child, this isn't as important as he'll probably be switching positions a lot; however, getting the right size is important, as one too large will make it very tough to catch the ball and he'll end up being too frustrated to continue playing. So for any age, choosing the right baseball glove is important!

Before choosing a baseball glove, you should be aware of the major parts of the glove. The pocket is the middle of the glove and is where the balls are caught. The web is the part in between the thumb and the first finger and is made of strips woven together. The heel is the bottom of the glove.

Let’s first talk about the web design, since it's really the least important. There are many styles of web design and what you choose is really a matter of personal preference. Some people want an open web design (one you can see through) because this will make the glove a little lighter and dirt can fall through. Some people want a closed design so that it is not possible for the ball to get stuck in the web. The only position where the web design (open or closed) is really a consideration is the pitcher. He should use a closed design so that it's not possible for the batter to see the placement of his fingers on the ball, which would give him an idea of the type of pitch he'll be receiving. For any other position, if you go with an open design, I'd go with a tighter weave as I have seen balls getting stuck in the web, causing the player to take a few extra seconds to throw the ball. Those extra seconds make a significant difference!

Baseball gloves will come in either synthetic or real leather. Synthetic leather gloves are very cheap (less than $20), whereas real leather gloves can be reasonably priced all the way up to $300 depending on the quality and craftsmanship. So you can easily find a glove to meet your price range. For T-ball and beginning Little League, I'd definitely recommend a synthetic leather glove. Not only will he outgrow it, but you should wait until he shows real commitment to the sport before investing in an expensive glove.

The following chart is a general guide to the right size glove. However, it is only a general guide. The final decision should be made by how well the glove feels to the child.

Age	Position	Glove Size
5-6	General	9 to 10
7-8	General	10 to 11
9-13	Infield	10.5 to 11.5
9-13	Outfield	11.5 to 12.5
High School/Adult	Infield	11 to 11.5
High School/Adult	Outfield	12 to 12.75