MLB 2008 spring training edition updated 3/7/08

[swingman]

It's that time of year again where the sun shines a little brighter, the birds chirp a little louder and the sweet smell of freshly cut grass introduces us to an upcoming summer of baseball. It's spring training time and ball players are pounding away the stiff leather of there new gloves.

This post will consist of some observations that regard players and there gloves. Whether it be a new model they are wearing, a new brand or just something new. Anyone is free to post what they like and feedback on opinions.

The American league MVP is sporting a new version of the
PRORV23B it seems like Rawlings has constructed the glove with the pro lite material. Bigger and lighter glove makes sense.


Ryan Howard on the other hand seems to have made a transition from rawlings to adidas who have decided to join the glove market following the trend of other brands such as nike and reebok.




Along the lines of other non major glove brands. Jimmy Rollins is following up last year with the same Nike model which is by far one of the most attractive models out on the field. Wish nike could release a signature line of this glove for the general public.



Back to the major brands Wilson has cosmetically changed a couple of gloves. Although minimal as it added just a different tone to the double welting the gloves look better. Wright and Polanco seem to have this change.




Last but not least Mike Lowell is seen in this picture with a set of gloves for the entire season. If you look closely you will notice single welt from a Wilson glove kinda rare for modern day wilson gloves (Miguel Cabrera being the other). Nonetheless these are beautiful gloves.



That's it for now. I will update later on as spring training progresses. Thanks and enjoy.

[BretMan]

Heading down to spring training has become an annual tradition for my wife and me. We just booked our flight to Fort Meyers, Florida a few days ago and already have tickets for a few games.

With six inches of snow on the ground and single-digit temperatures last night, needless to say, I'm looking forward to it!

[boz2730]

That Adidas glove that Ryan Howard has is probably just his regular Rawlings model with the Adidas logo sewn on the back of the glove for endorsement purposes.

[splinters]

Santana using a Rawlings Pro Pref 50th Anniversary model:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... ent.1.html

[splinters]

I guess Bedard left his gloves in baltimore:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... ent.3.html

[splinters]

One of the few guys using an HOH OxBlood- Dan Haren.......have heard most players do not like them because they are heavier......Anyone seen any MLB players using the Primo yet? There was an article about Peavy using one , but in fact it is a HOH OxBlood not primo.

[splinters]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... ent.5.html

[boz2730]

Santana using a Rawlings Pro Pref 50th Anniversary model:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... ent.1.html

Santana's glove has the gold foil labels because he was a Gold Glove winner last year.

Matt

[splinters]

Still unusuall for the players that won the the awrds to use the glove with gold labels....Before this photo of Santana...the only players I recall using them in the last couple of years are T. Hunter and i think Renteria...Correct me if I am wrong

[glovefan]

i just saw a picture in a local paper with santana using a glove with the pro-lite fingertip patern in a springtraining article just like shown in the picture with arod above. maybe rawlings is coming out with more of those?

[boz2730]

Still unusuall for the players that won the the awrds to use the glove with gold labels....Before this photo of Santana...the only players I recall using them in the last couple of years are T. Hunter and i think Renteria...Correct me if I am wrong

I've also seen A-Rod, Mike Matheny and Kenny Lofton use the gold label gloves.

[GloveGypsy]

so have I.

[Mike_2007]

On my son's travel ball team a kid had a pro prefered with the gold label. Everytime he tried to use while pitching the sun's reflection off the label was too distracting for the batters. Umps made him change glove or put duct tape over the label. Most kids and parents I have talked to rearding the gold labels don't like them - too "bling bling".

[Cowboy7130]

A kid on my son's high school team showed up with a Rawlings gold label glove today. As the sun went lower, the reflection off the gold foil got worse and worse. It was quite a distraction!

[swingman]

Orlando Cabrera has one of the best pieces of leathers in the game which is provided by Easton. Seems alot of players signed up with easton during the offseason because the E has been allover.



This next set is a continuation of the last post on Wilson gloves and there new color schemes for the A2K series. Wright has a real nice one matches well with his cleats.




On the Rawlings front we have Joe Crede who has used this model for years (might actually be the same glove). I believe its PRORV23B but in tan leather.


In regard to Nike Matsuzaka seems to have a new design on his web. This glove has some cool detail with the embroidery.



To finish off is another J-Roll pic with his cool nike glove. If you notice it might be his glove from last year since the laces are white. The first picture showed blue laces.