Baseball gloves are considered a part of the player. Since players have individual differences and preferences, there are many ways to tailor-fit a glove to a person.
Did you know that you can flare a baseball glove? This is a technique players do to make their gloves flat and shallower. But why? Flared gloves can help you catch the ball better and switch to a throwing hand in a snap.
The process is straightforward but this article will show you how to flare a baseball glove. The things you need, step-by-step procedures, and useful tips will all be here.
Contents
Step-by-step Guide to Flaring a Baseball Glove
Flaring a baseball glove is done in and out of the major games. When we say a glove is flared, you essentially stretch the glove’s thumb and pinky. You pull these two fingers outwards and hold them in this position.
The flare design baseball gloves will make its web structure larger and give you more surface area to catch a ball with. Aside from that, a larger area will help keep the ball in your hand once you catch it.
To get started, you do not need a whole glove flare kit as you can just use your hands for the entire process!
What to prepare
- Your baseball gloves
- You can stick with using your hands, or a tool like clamps
- A bit of patience!
Here are the steps to the simplest and best method to flare gloves. You can also flare a softball glove with this process.
Step 1: Assess the flare needed by your gloves.
Wear a baseball glove first and assess the extent of flare that you want to achieve. You want to have the baseball glove close to its original form and prevent too much deformation.
Too much flaring can lead to poorer performance in catching a baseball because it can lose its authentic pocket depth.
So, assess first the extent of the flare that you want to achieve and let this be your guide when doing the flaring process.
Step 2: Hold the thumb and pinky and carefully bend outwards
Flaring is all about opening the pocket depth of the baseball glove. All you need to do is use your hands to shape the thumb and pinky finger of the gloves.
Put some pressure on the outer tip of these fingers and bend them outwards. This will open up the web-like structures of the glove.
Moreover, holding it in its flared position will help the leather get used to the position that you want it to be.
Step 3: Maintain pressure over the glove
You need to maintain pressure over the fingers that you are flaring. You need to put in moderate effort to ensure that the flaring will be effective. Remember that you need your glove to remain in its flared state!
The amount of time where you maintain pressure also helps boost the flaring process. Apply the pressure for a longer period of time if you want the flare to be more pronounced.
Step 4: Do a bit of a twisting motion to the thumb and pinky fingers
Aside from directing the flare outwards, you can also do a twisting motion. Grab the thumb and the pinky finger of the baseball glove and twist them outwards. This will do a more drastic flare and will open the glove further.
Step 5: Repeat these steps as necessary.
Now, all you need to do is repeat the previous steps as much as you need. You can tell that your glove is adequately flared when you achieve the flaring that you want.
Do not forget to occasionally check the flaring of the gloves and see if it is time to retain the flare or continue bending and twisting.
Tips to Keep Your Flared Baseball Gloves in Good Condition
Even the pro flare baseball gloves. So, keep in mind that altering the depth of your gloves is not necessarily considered cheating because you are not doing a drastic modification to your baseball gloves.
The first tip for you is that you can use a softener.
Vaseline baseball glove help soften the leather and make flaring a less tedious task. Other than Vaseline, glove oil can also get the job done.
Vaseline or glove oils are not required, but softening the leather will help you avoid too much hand strain especially if your glove is still brand new and has tough leather.
Flaring a baseball glove is often a continuous process.
Some infielders continue flaring their gloves even a few minutes before they start their games.
It helps a lot to keep your baseball gloves in their best condition. After each use in a game or training session, wipe off the trapped dirt over the gloves, especially on the webbings. Use a soft cloth or a clean brush to accomplish this. Then, make sure to store your gloves in a dry room.
Using a damp cloth with leather cleaner can also help the glove remain in its best shape.
Wipe off the leather cleaner and let the glove air dry before rubbing it with a leather conditioner. Keep your glove in a dry place again.
Lastly, keep your baseball gloves when you are sure that they are dry.
When it is wet with sweat or other fluids, it will be absorbed by the leather and would become more brittle. When your glove is wet, make sure to wipe it with a clean cloth and let it air dry before storing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The importance of flaring baseball gloves
- Flaring the glove allows a larger catching surface for the player, thus allowing them to grip the baseball with more ease.
- A flared glove ensures that the player can throw the ball faster due to a greater energy transference to the baseball.
- This also ensures the baseball fits the player’s hand well and keeps the glove in good condition and symmetrical condition.
Are flared baseball gloves good?
Baseball gloves are used both in the outfield and infield. Flare outfield gloves are less common. Instead, flaring is done by most infielders.
Flared gloves are perfect for infielders because they will help them grasp the ball and easily throw it whenever needed. The shorter reaction time required can be boosted by a glove that is easy to transition from catching to throwing.
What is a flare vs roll baseball glove?
There sure are some MLB players with flared gloves. But baseball players can do the opposite of flaring – they can roll their baseball gloves for a deeper pocket. Rolling a baseball glove can help produce a snugger fit so that the glove can be comfortably used by the player.
Rolling a glove can be done in a bunch of ways like dunking it in water, putting it in a microwave, using shaving cream, or hitting the glove with a mallet.
Conclusion
If you want to improve the area of your baseball glove for more successful catches and quickly switch to throws, you might need to flare your baseball glove.
You have seen here how to flare a baseball glove. It is essentially a simple process of manually bending and twisting the thumb and pinky of the glove outwards until you get your desired form.
Some tips to maintain this flare include keeping your glove in its best shape and always flaring when needed!
A powerful swing and the ball is flying across the field, just one hit, and we might never forget the thrill it brings. I do not know about you, but I never do. Every baseball game is the chance to compete with others and cooperate with your teammate. It is among my biggest passions.
