One of the toughest positions in baseball is the catcher. This is true even in youth baseball. In this position, you have to worry about foul tips, errant baseball bats, and players aggressively sliding to home plate. This is a lot of physical abuse to take, which means you need certain protections. The concept of backstop players not wearing the best catchers gear is foreign these days. In the past, they sometimes only wore a simple catchers mitt, rather than the padded gloves you see them wearing today. No team or league today would have their catchers standing behind the plate without one. The first person to wear protective paddings was Roger Bresnahan, who was also a Hall of Famer. He was actually ridiculed for wearing it because it was wimpy and unmanly. Thankfully, he didn’t stop wearing it and the trend soon spread to other players and teams. Now, players are protected from fastballs that could deliver a powerful blow. On that note, let’s get into the benefits of ordering … [Read more...]
Baseball Glove Oil: How to Break in a Glove
Good equipment is essential for sports. It's why it's estimated that Americans spend over 45 billion a year at sporting goods stores. Every kind of sport has its own specific kind of equipment that makes playing the game easier. Football aficionados know how helpful a good pair of cleats can be when they're on a slick field. Hockey players know exactly what kind of mask they need that can protect their face and help them see. Baseball requires equipment just like any sport. Bats, cleats, cups, and other equipment are well known, but gloves seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to popularity. Some people see gloves as an afterthought. They've never used baseball glove oil, and they wouldn't know how to break in a glove other than through use. Despite what you may think, you don't have to wait for a few games to pass before you start to feel comfortable using your glove. There are ways you can make it supple enough to properly use, but hard enough to protect your … [Read more...]
5 Best Batting Tees for Baseball & Softball: A Complete Buying Guide
When it comes to honing baseball skills, many former youth players, community leaguers and even major league player started at the same place: Lining up a swing at baseball batting tees. When it comes to teaching the littlest players how to handle a bat, these tools are indispensable. Even seasoned players use them now and again. And while you are busy running drills with your players, it may be worth considering to add in a few tee drills as well to work on batting form and precision. But how do you know you are getting the right tee for your team or player? Do you really need tees, anyway? Short answer: yes, you need a good baseball batting tee. Let's talk about why before we get into our top five picks. Benefits of a Quality Batting Tee Baseball batting tees have a laundry list of benefits, but let's go by age and take a look at how a tee can help every level of player, from beginner to advanced. Beginners These little girls and guys are usually between 4 and 6, … [Read more...]
10 Best Baseball Cleats of 2017: Metal, Molded, & Interchangeable Options
When it comes to playing sports, the type of shoes you wear can make or break your performance. And finding the perfect baseball footwear is no different. There are various options to choose from when you're shopping for the ideal baseball cleat. It can be overwhelming to choose to best pair for success. Thankfully, we've created a buying guide to help you out. Read on to discover the best baseball cleats of 2017. Top 3 Benefits of Proper Baseball Cleats There's a huge difference between wearing the right footwear and the wearing the wrong. As a baseball player, you will benefit from wearing the right baseball cleats. 1. Excellent Traction / Improves Speed It's no surprise that baseball requires a lot of movement and running. Stealing bases, outrunning fly balls, and planting your feet for the throw all require good footwork. A successful baseball player can't afford to slip or trip up as they're playing. Baseball cleats are perfectly optimized for this type of movement. Each … [Read more...]
Best Baseball Gloves for the 2017 Season: Infield, Outfield, and Catcher’s Gloves
The expression "fits like a glove" takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to finding the best baseball glove. You want to find the right match because a new glove could end up being your trusty companion for several years. A glove is like a fine wine, it gets better with age. You know what we’re talking about. Nothing beats a battle-tested, full-grain leather, rugged glove that’s weathered a few seasons of sweat and dirt. It acquires a charm of its own. If you're looking for youth baseball gloves check out our guide here. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: the best gloves types for each position, reviews of the best baseball gloves of 2017, and we go over a handful of things you should keep an eye on before making a final purchase decision. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a teenager with a heart set on going pro, there’s something for everyone. There is no one size fits all for baseball players, so you may want to try out a few of your buddies and … [Read more...]
The Best Baseball Bats for the 2017 Season: BBCOR and Player Approved
The only thing better than taking a new shiny bat out of the wrapper is taking a few perfect swings and nailing some line drives into the outfield realizing you made the right decision. But slogging through all the dozens of options and listening to a sales pitch at your local sporting goods store isn’t always fun and games. There are nearly a hundred BBCOR Certified bats on the market. That’s a lot of bats to choose from. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: first we explain BBCOR certification, then we look at some of the other most important things to keep an eye on before you make a final purchase, and lastly we take a closer look at the best baseball bats of this year. If you’re a grizzled baseball vet we suggest skipping to our lineup of the best baseball bats. Also, if you're looking for youth baseball bats check out that guide. Overview of the Best Baseball Bats Here are the most popular and top rated baseball bats (BBCOR and -3 Drop) currently on … [Read more...]
Softball Drills and Practice Plans: Infield, Outfield, and Team Drills
Drills are the bread and butter of a good softball practice. The drills you choose for practice are only limited by your imagination, though there has been some established as being more effective than others over the years. Hundreds of books have been written about softball practice plans, infield and outfield drills, hitting mechanics, and dozens of other softball training topics. It is an extensive subject. Coaches have many opinions on the best way to go about running a practice. Frankly speaking, there are many ways to run a successful practice but all the best practice plans roughly follow the same formula. In this guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: the most important elements of softball practice plans, some examples of the most popular drills and how execute them, and the five pillars of an exceptional softball practice. Whether you’re a first time Little League Softball coach or part of a veteran coaching staff in a University softball organization, there’s always … [Read more...]
Pitching and Hitting Training Programs with Weighted Baseballs
Weighted baseball training supplement training with standard balls to help hitters and pitchers develop exceptional mechanics. Every pitching and hitting coach has their own opinion about the effectiveness of weighted baseballs. The bottom line is that they are just one way out of dozens to improve pitching velocity and batting skills. Certainly, weighted baseballs are not the only way. A weighted baseball throwing program should be one of many drills that compose a pitcher’s training regime. You don’t want to overdo it with heavy weighted baseballs, it’s very important to moderate the number of throws to strengthen the throwing muscles while not risking injury. Weighted baseballs are also sometimes used by hitting coaches to improve hitting skills. In this guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: why weighted baseballs are a worthwhile addition to practice, how they should be incorporated, their use for pitchers and hitters, and the most popular weighted baseballs used for … [Read more...]
Best Youth Baseball Gloves 2017 Season: Reviews of Gloves for Youth and Highschool Players
It’s not easy finding the best youth baseball glove for a young player. There are many brands, models, sizes, and a handful of other factors to consider. Other than a bat, the glove is arguably the most important piece of equipment in a player’s arsenal. While certainly not a replacement for skill, a quality glove that fits well can help a player perform better on the field. Quality doesn’t have to mean expensive either, there are plenty of durable youth gloves for a decent price. Beyond that, purchasing a well-constructed glove will last multiple seasons, helping the player develop muscle memory with every catch and fielded a ball. Whether you are picking out a glove for your son’s first Little League team, or you’re searching for an upgrade or replacement glove, we’ve selected the best youth baseball gloves of this year. If you’re looking for a softball youth glove, we have a couple great options in our softball glove guide. For adult baseball players check out this page. In this … [Read more...]
The Best Youth Baseball Bats 2017 Season: Reviews of Bats for Little League and Youth Big Barrel Leagues
Finding the right bat will make a huge difference in an individual’s batting average performance over the course of many games. A well-crafted bat can increase a player’s confidence and improve hitting distance. You don’t need to break the bank to get a well-performing bat, but it is a good idea to find one with the correct weight and length to match the size of the player. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: an overview of the best youth baseball bats of 2017, information on youth bat regulations, the most important things to look for, and how to pick the right bat for a youth player. All the bats that made the cut are constructed to last multiple seasons. Whether it is your first time purchasing a quality youth bat for your child or teen or you’re upgrading from an older model, there are some clear winners that are worth checking out. If you're looking for BBCOR bats for adult baseball players we have a guide here. Overview of the Best Youth Baseball … [Read more...]
Best Softball Gloves for the 2017 Season: Reviews of Fastpitch, Slowpitch, and Youth Gloves
An essential part of any softball player’s arsenal is a broken-in glove that fits well. We take a look at some of the best gloves for softball players and for simplicity’s sake we divide them into slowpitch and fastpitch categories (even though you can generally use them interchangeably). Whether you’re looking for an expensive top grade leather mitt or a less costly synthetic, it’s a good idea to find a glove designed for your position and—at a bare minimum—won’t fall apart mid-way through the season. Finding the best softball glove for you isn’t always an easy task. Back, wrist adjustment, webbing, and material are some of the top factors worth considering before you make a final purchase decision. If you're looking for baseball gloves check out this guide. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: the most important things to look for in a softball glove, why there are unique designs for different positions, the most popular glove brands, and lastly our … [Read more...]
The Best Softball Bats for the 2017 Season: Reviews of Slowpitch and Fastpitch Bats
If you’re serious about showing the softball who the real boss is, you need a worthy bomb dropping sidekick. We’ve found some bats for both male and female players that will help you knock juicy pitches into the stratosphere. The only thing you’re going to be worried about with these bats is where your car is parked in the parking lot. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: an overview of the best softball bats of 2017, both slowpitch and fastpitch options, and before these softball bat reviews sections, we touch on the top things to look for and how to find the right softball bat for you. If you're looking for baseball bats check out this guide. Overview of the Best Slowpitch Softball Bats Here are the 10 of the most popular slowpitch softball bats for this season. The bats are sorted by price ascending. Skip down to our next chart if you are looking for the best fastpitch softball bats. Overview of the Best Fastpitch Softball Bats Here are the 10 of … [Read more...]
The Best Batting Gloves 2017 Season: For Adult Baseball, Softball, and Youth Players
Batting gloves are the key to creating a loving, glue-like bond between your hands and the handle of the bat. They are important equipment. Batting gloves are an extension of your hands and provide the right feel and grip to aid a solid swing. A well-fitted, fresh pair of hitting gloves is a welcome feel when stepping up to the plate for some serious ball slamming business. In this best batting gloves equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: we provide an overview of some of the best youth batting gloves, best softball batting gloves, and best baseball batting gloves. We also provide a few tips on what makes a great pair of batting gloves and what to look for. Overview of the Best Batting Gloves Here is a selection of the most popular batting gloves for adult softball and baseball this season. If you're looking for youth batting gloves or gloves for very small hands skip to our last section 'youth batting gloves'. Why Hitters Wear Batting Gloves For most … [Read more...]
Baseball Drills & Practice Plans: Infield, Outfield, and Team Drills
Managing and coaching a sports team comes with a long list of responsibilities and duties. While professional baseball staff get paid big money to help keep the organization running like a well-oiled machine, many coaches volunteer or get paid very little. One of the chief responsibilities of coaches is coordinating and executing weekly practices. Planning a practice can be a pain in the ass, but the trouble is worth it in the end. It is very rewarding to pull off a series of well-executed practices and see the skills of players grow and develop. The satisfying feeling of “I did that” is up there with the rare but sincere expressed gratitude of parents and players. Knowing some of the top baseball drills and workouts goes a long way to getting the most benefit from practices and ultimately leads to more wins in a competitive environment. Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail Maybe you’re a first time Little League coach and you got suckered into the coaching job by the rest of the … [Read more...]