There are different types of gloves that are used on the baseball field, and one of the most important types is the pitcher’s glove. Pitchers often use a different glove compared to those that are worn by other players, as pitchers wouldn’t be able to pitch or throw the ball accurately when they wear regular baseball gloves that are made of thicker materials and are too big for the pitchers’ hands.
So, what exactly is a pitching glove? And what makes it different from other baseball gloves? We will find out more as we dive into the introduction to pitching gloves.
What are Pitching Gloves?
Pitching gloves are slightly smaller than regular baseball gloves that are worn by infielders (the players that catch the ball in the inner areas of the field). The smaller size of pitching gloves makes them the perfect baseball glove for pitchers, who are the players that are responsible for throwing or pitching the ball toward the batter or hitter.
To be a good pitcher, you wouldn’t simply have to throw the ball toward the batter, who is your opponent. So, you also have to find a way to make it more difficult for the batter to hit the ball, and one of the best ways to become a good pitcher is to know different pitching techniques.
These pitching techniques, which include fastballs, breaking balls, and changeups, allow you to change the speed or trajectory of the ball, so you can make it go faster or you can curve its direction or trajectory slightly. By knowing how to throw a ball in various ways, it would be hard for the hitter to guess where the ball is going.
Unfortunately, good batters or hitters would also know about the different pitching techniques, and they will already have an idea of the technique that will be used by just watching the pitcher’s hands. This is where the pitching glove will come in handy, as it can be used to hide the pitcher’s throwing hand from the batter or hitter.
What are the Benefits of Wearing Pitching Gloves?
There are several benefits of wearing pitching gloves as opposed to other types of baseball gloves. Continue reading below to know more about these benefits and how they can help pitchers on the baseball field.
Closed Web to Hide the Pitcher’s Throwing Hand
The pitching glove, as we have discussed earlier, can be used to hide the pitcher’s throwing hand, thus making it difficult for the batter or hitter to guess what type of pitch or technique the pitcher will use. So, the pitching glove isn’t necessarily used to catch baseballs, which is the purpose of other types of baseball gloves but to hide the pitcher’s hand and the technique that he or she will use.
In order for the pitching glove to be more effective in hiding the pitcher’s throwing hand, the web or pocket between the thumb and the pointer finger has a closed-web style, meaning that the web doesn’t have openings that are usually found in other types of baseball gloves. While the closed-web style can make it hard for you to close your gloved hand, dexterity on the gloved hand isn’t really needed since you just use it to hide the throwing hand, which you will use more often as a pitcher on the field.
Padding for Comfort
Despite being thinner and shorter compared to other types of baseball gloves, pitching gloves still have a little bit of padding for comfort and protection. In fact, pitching gloves are one of the most comfortable baseball gloves today, as they have enough padding to make them comfortable, and they are also light enough not to make the gloved hand feel heavy.
Other types of baseball gloves can really feel heavy on the hands, which can then lead to fatigue and hand pain. Moreover, other baseball gloves can also have so much padding that they can cause overheating, a primary factor in the soreness of the gloved hand. So, the pitching glove just has the perfect amount of padding for comfort and lightness in terms of weight.
Deep Pocket for Catching Baseballs and Hiding the Throwing Hand
The closed-web style of the pitching gloves enables them to have a deep pocket that is suitable for catching baseballs thrown by the catching and effectively hiding the throwing hand. Even though the pitching gloves aren’t really designed to catch baseballs from the areas where the infielders and outfielders are positioned, they are still useful for catching balls from the catcher, who is the player positioned at the back of the hitter. The deep pocket can then help the pitcher to keep a hold of the ball before transferring it to the throwing hand.
The deep pocket of the pitching glove can also be used to hide the throwing hand not only from the batter but also from other players on the field. So, only the pitcher will know what technique or pitch will be used. Make it hard for batters and other players to guess your moves by placing your throwing hand and the baseball in the deep pocket of your pitching glove.
The pitching glove is a must-have for baseball players that want to specialize in pitching. Without a pitching glove, you will most likely have a hard time going against a batter that will know all your moves or strategies based on where your throwing hand is positioned. So, get the best pitching glove and utilize it to play better on the baseball field.