What's the best way to break in a new fielder's baseball glove?
969409
With a good glove, soaking in water is great..then dry.  The only problem with Neatsfoot oil is that it drys the leather eventually.  Go to a Tack Store or Pet Supplies and find something called Bag Balm.  It is a salve and used on cattle...so it works well on cowhide :).  I have a 40 year old Wilson A-2000 that is still soft and supple and I used Bag Balm to lubricate the entire glove once a year and the pocket after each game or practice.  After it dries and you oil it.  Beat the pocket with the fat end of a baseball bat to soften the pocket even more....and playing catch with it is always good.
81549
1.   Hide the ball in your glove.  \n  \n2.   Grip the ball with your middle and index fingers perpendicular to the seams at their widest point, with your thumb underneath the ball.  \n  \n3.   Spread your top fingers apart slightly and keep your ring finger and pinkie tucked into your palm. (Image 1)  \n  \n4.   Hold the ball firmly, applying pressure with your middle finger and thumb. Try not to let the ball rest in the palm of your hand, and keep your index finger relaxed. (Image 2)  \n  \n5.   Wind up into the pitch. Use the same pitching motion as in your other pitches so that the batter cannot predict a curveball. (Image 3)  \n  \n6.   Keep your wrist relaxed. After drawing back the pitch, hold your wrist so that the back of your hand points toward your body. (Image 4)  \n  \n7.   Roll your wrist downward and to the right (if you are right-handed) or to the left (if you're left-handed) immediately before releasing the pitch. (Image 5)  \n  \n8.   Release the pitch and follow through by bending your wrist. A right-hander should finish with the palm facing in toward the chest. The top of your thumb should be facing up.  \n  \n9.   Throw the ball between the batter and home plate if you're a left-handed pitcher facing a left-handed batter or if you're a right-handed pitcher facing a right-handed batter.
297847
The best method of learning to slide is to start on a wet surface.  Wet grass will stain any clothes but is most practical.  A slip and slide is usually the easiest.  The first part of the lesson is to have the individual drop to one side from a squatting position in order to get the feel of falling and landing on one side.  There will be one leg closer to the ground and bent at the knee.  The weight should be rolling backwards.  The other leg should be straight and the toe should be pointing to the base.  It should also be free to move in space so one can avoid the tag.  The individual could lie on the ground in this position to get comfortable to the unique feeling.  Once this is completed then try and run a couple of steps and drop into the sliding position.  As one gets a good feeling for this, then try from farther distances.  Finally have a catcher throw to an infielder to practice avoiding the tag and then move to the real dirt field.  \n\nThe key to sliding is to get down at the proper time and do not let the upper leg get jammed into anything, like another player or the base.  Injuries also happen on the bottom leg and the butt if the landing is awkward.  \n\nGood luck and enjoy the game.
412114
Play with it. Its like a baseball glove. New ones arent that great, but one that you've had for awhile works perfect.
543623
neatsfoot oil and a baseball in pocket wrapped with a band ...make sure you use the oil generuosly to work into the leather. The oil not only conditions it but breaks it in so you can catch the ball instead of it popping out.
672090
Practice! But also try light weight wrist weights while parcticing. Because of the added weight they make you throw harder. When you take them off, your pitches are harder and faster.
592726
Grip the ball as you would a two-seam fastball, holding it with your middle and index fingers at the point where the seams are closest to each other.\n \n2.  Spread your middle and index fingers outward and along the seams, extending them to the point where the seams are farthest from each other. (Image 1)\n \n3.  Support the ball with your thumb and small fingers. Your thumb should lie along the seam stitched on the underside of the ball, while the ball should rest in a "V" formation. (Image 2)\n \n4.  Go into your windup. Remember to pivot and shift your body weight from your back foot forward toward home plate. (Image 3)\n \n5.  Keep your wrist loose as you release, and try not to throw the ball with more than an adequate amount of force.\n \n6.  Throw the pitch using the same motion as a fastball, flicking your wrist downward as you release. (Image 4)\n \n7.  Follow through. Your feet should parallel each other at the end of the pitch, and your throwing arm should come across the front of your body. (Image 5)
409302
no, you don't have to break a bat in... actually, bats are only good generally for like 200 hits... don't use your bat if its colder than, i think its 65 degreees... it will dent... but if ur bat happens to dent within one year of buying it, you can send it back and they will send you a replacement...\n\nlasalle softball... # 3   :)
842136
move up a little in the box and hope you can hit when it STARTS to break..it is just timing it would be better if you can learn to switch hit then that way you can see the ball break toward and you can hit it better...try to go with the pitch ..don't pull it
759670
Depends what position you are playing and how many outs there are, etc. You have a force out at second but not third, so most likely that's your best play. If there are two outs, throw to first or second, depending on which one's the easiest play. If less that two outs and you are playing the infield, try looking back the runner at third and holding him there before thowing to first or second to save a run. If the runner at third is going home and you're confident you can get him tagged out, you may want to throw to the catcher.
938551
The first step is to establish a proper grip, putting two fingers (index and middle) around a seam of a baseball. Then pull back behind your head and during the act of throwing pull down on the ball to produce the rotation, releasing the ball at the proper point.\n(the two links are alternate grips for a curveball)\nhttp://www.hellbored.com/uploader/uploads3/DSCN1761.JPG\nhttp://www.hellbored.com/uploader/uploads3/DSCN1762.JPG
786019
garden glove? Washing gloves? Batting gloves?
1140306
As a former coach, here's my advice to you.\n\nStart with a bat that's not too heavy and one that's not too long. If you feel awkward swinging the bat it may be because it's too long and you'll have to "choke up" [move your hands up from the bottom of the bat handle.\n\nOnce you've found the bat, you need to get into a batting cage where you can watch the bat hit the ball. You need to watch the ball all the way into the bat.\n\nDon't swing hard [called "trying to kill the ball"] swing easy and make contact first. Do NOT increase the force of your swing until you can consistently make contact with the ball. Then gradually increase the speed of your swing.\n\nFind a batting stance that you are comfortable with. Don't have your legs too far apart and be sure to "step into" the ball when you swing. The power in a swing comes from the hips and legs driving through the ball, not just from strong arms.\n\nI hope that helps. Oh yeah, don't forget to wear a batting helmet.
692339
kind of a mix of a regular glove and a catcher's mit.  see the link below.
795079
I have never heard of a maxium glove size in baseball, but it may be different for different leagues.  Its usually not to your advantage using a softball glove in baseball because the deep pocket makes it hard to get the ball out fast.  If you are just using it to play catch or rec ball, its not a big deal.  Also it depends on how big it is too.  I know they make smaller softball gloves.  If it happens to be a 11" or 12" its not that big anyways.
812326
Place the ball in a ball holder, keep out of direct sunlight and when you must handle the actual ball, wear cotton or latex gloves
453344
Bat should be parallel to the ground, hands end-to-end toward the end of the grip (unless you choked up on the bat).\n\nHips should be slightly rotated, depending on which side you bat from your outside hip (one facing the pitcher) should be pointed toward although not directly at either First or Third Base (First base for Lefties, Third for Righties).