Pro Gloves | Page 2 of 9 | Ball Gloves Online

Category: Pro Gloves (page 2 of 9)

Dansby Swanson’s Glove(s): Custom Wilson A2K 1787 and Custom Wilson A2000 1787

Like most players in the MLB, Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson has a set game glove in addition to a set warmup/backup glove. This post serves as a complete guide to both gloves, including a look at the details that shape each of Dansby Swanson’s gloves.

Dansby Swanson's Glove: Custom Wilson A2K 1787

Source: Wilson

Dansby Swanson's Glove: Custom Wilson A2000 1787

Dansby Swanson’s Game Glove: Wilson A2K 1787

With one of the cleanest looks in the MLB, Dansby Swanson’s blonde and navy glove is a true joy to look at from any angle. This section of the post serves as guide to Dansby Swanson’s game glove, including a look at his clean colorway, his pattern choice, and the meaning of Swanson’s custom embroidery.

Source: Wilson

Dansby Swanson is a budding Glove Design Maestro – Just look at his Game Glove

Dansby Swanson kept the design on his game glove simple – he combined a classic blonde base with Atlanta Braves-themed navy-blue lacing and navy/red logos. To top off his game glove, Swanson went with tone-on-tone stitching and navy-blue embroidery to keep the blonde leather as fluid as possible.

Topping off Wilson’s blonde, one of the cleanest colors on the market, with navy and red in select areas was clearly an excellent choice. Not only is Dansby Swanson’s Glove super fresh, it is easily one of the nicest-looking gloves in the entire pro ranks.

Bob Levey/Getty Images North America

Swanson’s Pattern Choice: Go Bigger

Humans have an innate instinct to follow a group, so it comes at no surprise that Dansby Swanson joined the young corps of shortstops that are normalizing the use of 11.75” gloves at short. Leaders of this group include Francisco Lindor (Rawlings Pro Preferred PROS205-2KB), Carlos Correa (Wilson A2000 1787), and now Swanson.

Instead of going with the 11.5” Wilson 1786 model he used throughout college and during a part of his short time in the minors, Dansby Swanson went with the slightly larger Wilson A2K 1787 model. Dansby Swanson’s game glove is characterized by an 11.75” length, I-web, and medium depth pocket, and is perfect for picking it at shortstop.

Special Features – Embroidery

As you can see above, Dansby Swanson’s glove is embroidered with “All Dai.” Here is what this seemingly cryptic text means, according to MLB.com:

The leather that will rest upon his left thumb is adorned with the words “All Dai”, a tribute to Parker, who was 22-years-old when he drowned after being involved in a tubing accident on an Indiana lake.

“It impacts a lot of people just because of the legacy he left behind,” Swanson said. “Just to be able to wear that every day and to keep him close to me is pretty cool.”

Swanson met Parker as they were playing high school basketball in metro Atlanta and developed a bond with him when they both matriculated to Vanderbilt. He proudly put “All Dai” on his glove last year, his first professional season, which was highlighted by his August promotion to the Major League level.

–Mark Bowman, MLB.com

This video should give you some insight into Swanson’s glove embroidery:

Dansby Swanson’s Backup Glove: Wilson A2000 1787

After using the blonde Wilson A2K 1787 for the entire 2016 season (and planned to use it again in 2017), Dansby Swanson thought it was a good idea to get a backup glove in case his game glove happened to break down.

Again, another awesome Colorway

Dansby Swanson utilized one of the most underused Wilson colors, dark brown, as the featured color on his backup glove. In addition to this dark brown base, this glove has navy-blue lacing, stitching, welting, and binding. Swanson’s backup glove is topped off with the same navy/red logos he has on his game glove.

Like his game glove, Dansby Swanson’s backup glove combines a classic base with the Atlanta Braves’ main colors. However, Swanson’s backup glove has a little bit more navy (on both the welting and stitching) than his game glove, making it the slightly flashier glove.

A look at why Swanson chose A2000 over A2K

Dansby Swanson used an A2000 throughout his entire college career (college players get free A2000’s form Wilson) and later an A2K throughout his short (so far) MiLB and MLB career. This could be considered a thorough A2K vs. A2000 test, and Swanson seemed to use that “testing” to determine if his next glove would be an A2000 or A2K.

Swanson’s backup glove is an: A2000. He claims to like the thinner feel to the A2000 as opposed to the strategically thicker A2K, which in turn makes the glove easier to squeeze and allows him to feel the ball more. This video should give you some more insight into his decision:

Other Notes

Swanson’s backup glove features both the same pattern (1787) and embroidery (“All Dai”) as his now-game glove. Therefore, there is no need to quibble on details we already discussed.

Which one is better?

Join the Conversation: Which of Dansby Swanson’s gloves is your favorite?

Dustin Pedroia’s Glove for 2017: 2018 Wilson A2000 DP15

Introduction | Colorway | Pattern | About Red Superskin |Conclusion/Shop

Like the wide majority of MLB players, a new season for Boston Red Sox second basemen Dustin Pedroia equals an opportunity to both see and use the glove he designed over the past offseason. While most players simply edit the colorway, Pedroia broke out a new pattern to go with a novel colorway and the use of Wilson’s recently developed colored Super Skin.

We need some discussion on the Colorway – and here’s why

Dustin Pedroia has always created designs I absolutely love, whether it was his red/black glove from 2013, his dark brown/red/black model from 2015, or even his disputed black/gunmetal mitt from last season. However, his new glove is far worse looking than those dope designs and is honestly quite ugly in its own right.

[irp posts=”1675″ name=”Dustin Pedroia’s Glove: 2017 Wilson A2K DP15″]

Dustin Pedroia’s glove for 2017 comprises of a saddle tan base (palm, back, web, and wrist), red Super Skin lining the back and thumb, and yellow gold welting, biding, and lacing. The stitching is red throughout the whole glove and the labels are a mixture or yellow gold backing and red ‘Wilson’ stitching.

[irp posts=”1320″ name=”2016 Wilson A2K DP15 On Clearance”]

Although Pedroia has used both red and saddle tan (and combinations of the two) on prior gloves, this glove is far unlike those past models due to the presence of yellow gold. All saddle tan would actually look sick with red Super Skin, but the prominent existence of yellow gold gives this glove an ugly ketchup and mustard feel.

Source:: Ian D’Andrea/Flickr

Did Pedroia steal a Pattern from another prominent Wilson user?

Ever since he made the switch from Easton to Wilson, Dustin Pedroia has been a major figure in Wilson’s lineup with his very own glove, the Wilson DP15. This 11.5” I-web model, which came as both an A2K and A2000 , is a Wilson top seller characterized by its tighter wrist and hand stalls (fittingly called “Pedroia Fit”). However, Dustin Pedroia is ditching his iconic pattern for one that is entirely different.

[irp posts=”4678″ name=”Evan Longoria’s Glove: Orange Tan Wilson A2000 EL3″]

Instead of sticking with his 11.5” I-web glove, Pedroia is going with an 11.75” Wilson A2000 EL3 (the model created and used by Tampa Bay Rays third basemen Evan Longoria) with a single post web. This transition is puzzling because the two patterns are complete opposites of each other – the DP15 has a shallow pocket design with a rounded pocket while the EL3 has a deep pocket with a flatter pocket.

The Pedroia/Super Skin Experiment did not work before – but is it working now?

Although Super Skin had already existed for a considerable amount of time before this situation, Dustin Pedroia first experimented with this synthetic material in 2015. Let us just say the experiment did not go so well for either party, as Pedroia swapped out the SS-backed glove for an all-leather model before the All Star Game.

[irp posts=”2902″ name=”Wilson A2000 DP15SS”]

Despite the failed relationship between Pedroia and Super Skin, he is once again using this lighter/stronger material on his game glove for 2017. But instead of using the plain black variant of this synthetic, Pedroia is using the colorful red SS (Wilson also offers white and blue) on the back of his glove to complement the saddle tan and yellow gold colorway.

[irp posts=”2677″ name=”5 Things to Know About Wilson Colored Super Skin (Red, White, Blue Super Skin)”]

If Pedroia hated Super Skin before, why would he go back to it? My best guess is that he wanted a lighter glove in 2015, but something did not click – whether it was the feel, the stiffness, or any factor. However, Pedroia seems to like the softer feel and improved durability of the red SS, as he has used the same glove you see above (with red Super Skin) in every game he has played this season.

Conclusion: It will be released, but will you buy it?

As they have done for the past 5+ years, Wilson is releasing the game glove of Dustin Pedroia as a stock glove on August 1. This new Dustin Pedroia game model is again the Wilson A2000 DP15, despite the labeling of Dustin Pedroia’s own glove as an EL3 (we confirmed that Pedroia’s mitt is an EL3). The stock version measures at 11.75”, has a single post web, features the same deep pocket that an EL3 has, and has the tighter wrist and hand stalls.

In addition, you get the same saddle tan, red, and mustard (um…. Yellow gold) colorway that Pedroia has, and that includes the Red Super Skin back that lowers the weight of the glove. You also get the excellent A2000 materials, including the strong Pro Stock steerhide leather and the other proponents that make a durable glove.

That begs the question: All things considered, would you actually buy the stock version of Dustin Pedroia’s glove for 2017?

Anthony Rizzo’s Glove: Rawlings Pro Preferred PROSCMHCBBRM with Platinum Labels

After a season in which Anthony Rizzo won Platinum Glove Award, Rizzo is using the same exact glove that won him the top fielding award in the National League (with one key addition).

This post serves as a guide to Anthony Rizzo’s glove, including a discussion of what exactly his glove is, a look at his dope colorway with platinum labels, and other pertinent information about his glove.

Embed from Getty Images

What is Anthony Rizzo’s glove?

Anthony Rizzo’s glove is a Rawlings Pro Preferred PROSCMHCBBRM, a pattern made famous by Mark McGwire and has since been used by only Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, and currently Anthony Rizzo.

Characterized by its 12.75” length and double horizontal bar x-laced web, the pattern on Rizzo’s mitt has a deep pocket and enough length to allow Rizzo to pick everything that comes his way over at first base.

One other note about the PROSCMHCBBRM pattern is that it features a single hinge break-in, meaning it closes along the pinky hinge for a thumb-to-middle finger close (if you can imagine that on a first base mitt).

The Colorway was simple – until the addition of one flashy Feature

Although the base of the colorway on Anthony Rizzo’s glove is the same as past years, the addition of one key feature transitioned it from a rather simple design to a flashier one.

Rizzo’s Cubs-themed black leather, blue-laced design was always considered a sweet design, but the infusion of platinum labels took this glove to another level of awesomeness.

Reserved solely for winners of the prestigious Platinum glove award, these platinum labels add a ton of flash to what was once considered a simple design. The look of the shiny platinum on black leather is a glorious design.

But surprisingly enough, Rizzo is only the third player of a total of eight recipients to use the “plats” in a game. Francisco Lindor and Manny Machado are the others to have gamed platinum-labeled gloves in the past.

Embed from Getty Images

Rizzo uses Mesh to give him more control at 1B

Anthony Rizzo chooses to entrust the Pro Preferred line’s Kip leather to allow him to make plays in the field, but he also endows a synthetic material with the responsibility of helping him catch every throw: mesh.

Mesh is a material that, when used on a glove, gives said mitt a lighter weight over its all-leather counterpart. Mesh is strategically placed on the back of a glove to allow the user of said glove to control it much easier.

Anthony Rizzo is one of few first basemen to use the synthetic material on his glove, but its effects seemed to work in propelling Rizzo to winning the MLB’s highest fielding award.

Anthony Rizzo’s glove is available as a Stock Glove

Even before Anthony Rizzo won the Platinum glove award, Rawlings made a smart move in releasing his sweet mitt as a stock glove.

However, it does not have all of the features that his game glove has. Although Anthony Rizzo’s game glove has features such as mesh and platinum labels, those who buy his stock glove are not treated to the same goodies.

Despite this, the stock all-leather, red-labeled Rawlings Pro Preferred PROSCMHCBBR is a top option for a first basemen looking for a longer mitt that combines good looks with high quality and durable materials.

Shop Now

Brandon Phillips’ Glove: Wilson A2K DATDUDE

New team, same glove.

Despite being traded to the Atlanta Braves over the offseason, Brandon Phillips has decided to stick with the same glove that got him through 2016 with the Cincinnati Reds.

This post serves as a guide to Brandon Phillips’ glove, including a look and discussion about its funky pattern, brash colorway, and other information you want to know about his glove.

Embed from Getty Images

What does Brandon Phillips’ use?

Put simply, he uses his own game model – the Wilson A2K DATDUDE.

It is a pattern that has endured five MLB seasons and five completely different Wilson Glove lines, with only one thing remaining the same throughout the years: it 11.5” length and I-web.

Although Phillips has constantly tinkered with his own pattern, the last few years prove he seems to be set on a design with a clawed back and a pocket shallower than many middle infield gloves today.

Embed from Getty Images

About the Clawed Back

As both Aso and Brandon Phillips note in a YouTube video from a few years ago, Phillips’ clawed back idea represents his outside-the-box swag and his desire to create something unique.

In fact, this design is so unique that Wilson did not even offer anything remotely close to it when Phillips and Aso designed it in 2015, meaning that a traditional pen (more like markers) and paper were required to make a visualization of the design.

Embed from Getty Images

About the Shallow Pocket

In an attempt to create something to make him a better fielder, Brandon Phillips added in a request when constructing his new glove: make me a shallower pocket.

Through a combination of flatter fingers and simply a shallower design, Brandon Phillips’ glove has one of the shallowest pockets – even shallower than the 1786 – on the middle infield market.

The Colorway – like the pattern – is one-of-a-kind

Although the unique pattern of Brandon Phillips’ glove stands out a good amount, one can argue that the colorway is even brasher than the pattern.

Forgetting the single-colored gloves (like all-red, all-blue, etc.), there is hardly a glove in the MLB that packs more flash than Phillips’ red/black/saddle tan/white design.

But as he does every single year, Phillips adds in a classier feature – Wilson yellow/black labels – that infuse some simplicity into Phillips’ well thought-out colorways.

Embed from Getty Images

What is Snake Skin?

It is not hard to see that there is a visual difference between the look of the saddle tan-colored material on the back of Brandon Phillips’ glove and the other colored leather on the mitt.

All of the colors on the glove are the same material – Wilson Pro Stock Select Leather – but the saddle tan-colored leather area is actually embossed with a texture that is meant to emulate a snake’s skin.

Besides the visual difference between Wilson’s regular A2K leather and Snake Skin, there is a feel difference also: the smooth, buttery feel of the regular leather vs. the rougher feel of Snake Skin from the embossing process.

Phillips’ Mitt is available as a Stock Glove

Unlike the typical “it is only available on the custom builder” jargon associated with the vast majority of pros’ gloves, Brandon Phillips’ glove is available as a stock glove.

Because of its easy availability at a price much lower than the ridiculous custom price, Brandon Phillips’ glove is the top option for middle infielders looking to complement their own swag with a glove that is easily the flashiest on the glove market.

Shop Now

Carlos Correa’s Glove for 2017: Wilson A2000 with a Laced Cross Web

This post serves as a guide to the glove Carlos Correa has been using since early February – a glove that has caught our eye for a variety of reasons, but has been flying under everyone’s radar.

Harry How/Getty Images North America

Correa First Used this Glove in the WBC

An earlier version of this post called this glove “Carlos Correa’s WBC Glove,” and rightly so – he had indeed used this exact same glove representing Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

It makes sense that Correa would have used this glove in the WBC – just like other players in the tournament, Correa ordered a glove that has a design that somewhat matches his country’s colors.

Believe it or not, Correa used this exact glove throughout spring training and thus far into the regular season, all despite the fact that none of the colors on this glove match the Astros’ colors.

And there is one thing that is certain: no matter how ugly (see his 2016 glove) or how beautiful (see his 2015 glove) Correa’s glove is, he will get comfortable with whichever glove and use it throughout the end of the season.

Bob Levey/Getty Images North America

What is the Pattern? Do not worry… We are not 100% sure either

There really is not much we actually know about the pattern on Carlos Correa’s Glove due to the fact that the pattern is different from Wilson’s norm and Wilson has released zero information on it.

Scratch that, we do know a few things: Carlos Correa’s glove is an 11.75” model (just like his gloves have been for his entire career) with a laced cross, a new option (for the pros) from Wilson that is an odd choice for Correa considering his former I-web usage.

And one more thing: we noticed a semi-common featured on Correa’s mitt that should help us figure out a little bit more about the pattern – the notch between the index and middle fingers.

On gloves like the Wilson A2K DP15, the Wilson A2K D33, and now Carlos Correa’s glove, this “notch” forms both a shallower and rounder pocket. Now I am not quite sure if Correa considered the 1787 (the pattern he formerly used) too deep, but his new glove will certainly be shallower than his old one.

Shop Correa’s Glove (in a 1787)

Colorway

As we mentioned earlier, the colorway on Carlos Correa’s glove easily matches the colors on the Puerto Rican flag, but does not quite match the colors of Astros as well.

Ok, maybe the navy on the back and palm of his glove do indeed match one main color of the Astros, but the other colors on the glove – blonde, red, white – are not gray and orange.

Despite the fact that it is not quite an Astros-themed glove, I believe Correa did do a fantastic job on making this sneakily nice-looking glove – what are your thoughts?

Bob Levey/Getty Images North America

Conclusion

Overall, I like the idea of this glove – a shallower pattern for shortstop and a colorway that looks nice – but that fact that this pattern is not available yet is discouraging.

Although we may be able to get this pattern with this colorway in the future (future CC1?), the only way to get a glimpse of this glove is by going to an Astros’ game or tuning into one of their games on TV.

Jose Berrios’ Glove: Custom Wilson A2000 B2

Although Jose Berrios is relatively unknown among the majority of fans right now, there are two things to learn about him: he throws gas (with a dirty slider) and he designs some of the best-looking gloves in the MLB.

In this latest post, we will detail everything about Jose Berrios’ glove, including a look at the glove, a discussion of the colorway of the glove, and more.

Source: Patrick Smith/Getty Images North America

What Jose Berrios’ Glove is

Berrios’ glove is the most popular Wilson pitcher’s glove: the Wilson A2K B2, a 12” model with the grip-concealing two-piece web. Although it is no surprise that Berrios ended up going with this pattern, it seems like he experimented with quite a few of Wilson’s options before settling with the B2.

Last year, he tried both a custom Wilson A2K D33 and stock Wilson A2K B212 before testing a custom A2000 B2 in spring training this year. He must have liked that 12” B2 in spring training so much that he ordered another custom one (the one we are discussing) for the regular season.

Colorway

The part that attracted us the most to Jose Berrios’ glove was easily the absolutely fire colorway Berrios designed. My eyes were instantly attracted to the unique design that perfectly match the Twin’s team colors.

With a combination of dark brown, red, and blue, Berrios’ glove could almost be mistaken for Dansby Swanson’s glove from afar. And, just like when we featured Swanson’s glove, we love the look of the red and blue on the dark brown leather.

Not only is the colorway on Jose Berrios’ glove unique (which can be bad or good, good in this case), it is one of the nicest looking gloves both among pitchers (who are not necessarily known to make flashier gloves) but among the entire pool of MLB players.

Source: Hannah Foslien/Getty Images North America

Conclusion

Overall, Jose Berrios’ glove is perfect for the position he plays, pitcher, due to the combination of a perfect pattern, grip-concealing web, and a colorway that is not bland or ugly, but unique and beautiful.

Shop Jose Berrios’ glove through the Wilson Custom Builder

David Wright’s Glove for 2017: Wilson A2K DW5 in Orange Tan with Blue Super Skin

It may seem a tad peculiar that we are featuring David Wright’s glove despite the fact that he has played exactly zero innings this year due to a serious injury suffered last year.

However, an early spring training photo of Wright and his glove prompted me to quickly become enamored with the beautiful design Wright had made in the offseason. Because of this, I decided to write this guide to discuss David Wright’s Glove’s colorway, pattern, and more.

Embed from Getty Images

David Wright’s Glove: What is it?

For 2017, Wright stuck with the pattern that he himself and Aso had concocted a little over a decade ago when Wright made the switch from Rawlings to Wilson.

Given that information, we find out that David Wright’s Glove is a 12” Wilson A2K DW5 model with an H-web, deep pocket, and a narrower width than many gloves with this length.

In addition, Wright has always been an adamant supporter and user of Wilson top-of-the-line A2K series, having used an A2K in every single game of his decade-long stint with Wilson. He continues this belief of A2K superiority into 2017 with his use of another A2K model.

The Colorway is Special: Bold and Unique

Throughout his career, David Wright has typically stuck with classic colorways like vintage tan/black or blonde/walnut. Sure, he mixes in “flashier” gloves every few years, like his coal/blue/orange 2016 glove or his blonde/orange from 2014, but he has mostly designed rather classic-looking gloves.

For 2017, he followed that trend by designing a glove with an orange tan base and walnut lacing. However, getting a glimpse at the back of the glove proves it is not as plain as you may have formerly believed, and here is why:

David Wright’s Glove has blue Super Skin, a recent addition by Wilson, on the back of it.

Embed from Getty Images

Blue Super Skin? Here is What You Need to Know

Super Skin has been in existence in some respect throughout David Wright’s career with Wilson. Never before had he succumbed to the temptation to get this polymer on the back of his glove until this year, when he fit the newer blue Super Skin onto the back of his orange tan and walnut glove.

What may have finally nudged Wright to add Super Skin to his glove?

We found some fairly logical reasons, although both may be incorrect: one, he may have been pleased with the addition of Mets’ color-matching blue Super Skin (instead of the plain black), or two, he may have finally been convinced of the benefits of the synthetic material (lighter weight, increased strength).

Although the reason for his switch is unknown, we believe one thing is certain – the blue Super Skin looks amazingly good with the orange tan leather. It adds an element of flash to what would be considered a rather classic-looking glove.

Embed from Getty Images

Conclusion

David Wright has yet to get into a game this year, but his unfortunate circumstances did not stop him from creating a fresh combination of classic orange tan leather, walnut lacing, and Wilson’s new and flashy blue Super Skin.

We like David Wright’s glove for 2017, do you? (Poll)

[poll id=”92″]

Troy Tulowitzki's Glove: Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROTT2

Troy Tulowitzki’s Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROTT2 Glove

Troy Tulowitzki’s glove has been in the spotlight for quite a few years now because of the use he accumulated on his prior glove (eight years’ worth). However, we are going to feature Tulowitzki’s new glove, one that is actually a lot different from his past model in many facets.

Source: Patrick Smith/Getty Images North America

A Look into Troy Tulowitzki’s Glove

The most fascinating part (in our eyes) of Troy Tulowitzki’s glove is how Tulowitzki took to using the pattern he has been using his whole career.

The History between Tulowitzki and the TT2

When Tulowitzki first broke into the major leagues after being drafted in the first round of the 2005 draft, he was searching for a pattern that fit his unique need at shortstop – an 11.5” pattern that plays extremely flat. After searching around for the perfect design, he went with a pattern that garnered zero attention at the time and had never been released: Adam Kennedy’s AK2.

The more ‘Tulo,’ as he is frequently called, used the AK2 pattern, the more he fell in love with it. In fact, he used the same AK2 pattern glove for over eight seasons (unbelievable, right?) before finally switching over to a new glove just last year when his old one finally fell apart. This new glove was fittingly named the ‘TT2,’ commemorating the sole user of this funky pattern, and from now on, Troy Tulowitzki’s glove will be marked “PROTT2” instead of “PROAK2.”

Why are We Calling the TT2 Funky?

As stated earlier, Troy Tulowitzki went looking for a pattern that played flat and finally chose the AK2 (now TT2), he was not joking at all about finding that perfect-for-him pattern. He chose a pattern that has fingers that are completely straight when new, unlike the other patterns (even the considerably flat NP4) that feature a bit of curvature in the fingers.

Another strange feature of the TT2 pattern is that it plays so shallow at the beginning but then becomes as so deep after some use. Just feel the stock Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROTT2 new and you will not be able to close the glove around the ball at all, and then feel the pocket naturally transition into something even outfielders envy.

Colorway/Materials

Tulowitzki kept it simple with his glove with a full tan colorway and tan split welting (as opposed to his former gray split welting); however, this choice means much more than what it looks like on the outside.

Why the Colorway Matters for More than Looks

Just like any other ballplayer, Tulowitzki wanted a glove that featured the best leather (regardless of color) for the best durability. Therefore, he went with Rawlings’ Code 55 Horween leather on his first AK2 and then took on the classic color that comes with this tan-colored leather.

Eight years after that excellent decision, he can look back and smile at the great choice he made when he was young so that he can still have his precious glove, despite its great use. So, when designing the glove that would replace the glove that got it done for him for eight years, he followed the statement “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and stuck with the Tan Horween leather.

Finally: Gold Labels

Sandwiched in-between the eight years of use out of his first glove were two Gold Glove awards (2010, 2011), an honor reserved for the best fielders at a position. However, Tulo never made the same move we have seen guys like Francisco Lindor and Brandon Crawford do lately – get the gold labels stitched on their last year’s games. Instead, he stuck with the classic red patches; I figure he just wanted to preserve the good streak he had with his old glove and not mess with it too much.

As you can see above, Troy Tulowitzki’s glove finally features the gold patches. And, boy do I have to admit that was a sweet move by Tulowitzki to finally get those labels on his glove, as they are delicious on the tan Horween leather.

What does the Embroidery Mean?

Just like he has done in the past, Troy Tulowitzki got “TAZ” embroidered on the thumb of his glove to serve as an in-game remembrance of his son. Besides the fact that that name is cool (yet admittedly odd), the embroidery is a nice tribute that seems to be growing in popularity across the MLB (i.e. Adam Jones).

Source: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America

You can Get Your Own TT2, too

After waiting for what seemed like forever for the re-release of a TT2 model, Rawlings finally did release a stock Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROTT2 with some extra goodies – most notably Horween leather (something that has been absent for a while as well) and a gold thumb label with the red/gold wrist patch:

While it is not the exact same thing as Troy Tulowitzki’s glove, I think it still is an awesome option (arguably even better than Tulo’s glove) if you are looking for a TT2 for short or second. Check below for some more resources to learn about and buy the stock PROTT2.

Links

Shop the Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROTT2 for $249.99

Six Things to Know About the Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROTT2

Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROTT2 Review

Meet the war-torn glove Troy Tulowitzki can’t let go of, Sportsnet/CA

Maikel Franco’s Glove(s): Custom Wilson A2K DW5

When checking in on my hometown Phillies, we found some gloves that we liked, but one player’s glove stood out among them all: Maikel Franco’s glove. Not only did it stand out in the looks department, but Maikel Franco’s glove also differs a ton from his 2016 glove, the stock Wilson A2K 1787. As you will see in a second, Franco went all-out on his 2017 design.

Game Glove

Embed from Getty Images

What It Is

Maikel Franco’s game glove is a Wilson A2K DW5, a 12” third basemen’s model with an H-web. It looks like Franco decided to go a little bigger with his glove this year, as he used the 11.75” 1787 model last year and has since transitioned to the 12” DW5.

Colorway

This is where Maikel Franco’s glove stands out. It has a black and red colorway, but the way he put it together is why it especially stands out. With a black back and palm and a red power finger, thumb, and web, we find this colorway particularly slick and something that especially matches the Phillies’ colors.

Warmup Glove

Embed from Getty Images

What It Is

When researching Franco’s game glove, we stumbled upon a picture of something that was surely not his game glove. Because he was in his full warmup attire in the picture we saw (and you can see above), we determined that this glove must be his warmup glove. It has the same pattern, the 12” DW5, as his game glove, but has one main difference: the colorway.

Colorway

Although Maikel Franco’s warmup glove shares many of the basic colorway features (web, palm, back) with his game glove, you get a sense that it looks a lot different. When I was going through the custom builder, it became obvious that many parts of both gloves were the same besides one thing that makes a larger-than-expected difference: the welting and binding color.

Whereas the welting and binding on Franco’s game glove are a mixture of black and red, both the binding and welting of his warmup glove are white. If there is one thing about white on a glove, it is that it stands out over the other colors of the glove, as you can see here. That is exactly why we see a sizable difference between Maikel Franco’s gloves.

Which one Do You Like More?

Let’s see what you guys think:

[poll id=”91″]

Brandon Crawford’s Glove: Rawlings Pro Preferred PRO200-6KB

Brandon Crawford is simply one of the slickest fielders in the MLB, and get the job done in Golden fashion with one of the best overall mitts we have found in the MLB. Here are the features of Brandon Crawford’s Glove:

11.75 inch PRO205 Pattern with an H-web and medium pocket depth that gives Crawford both sufficient length at shortstop and a solid pocket for quick transfers.
Sweet blonde and camel colorway that still looks great after multiple seasons of heavy use. In addition, Crawford finally put Gold Labels on his game glove after abstaining from during the 2016 season.
Rawlings Pro Preferred model that is built with top-notch materials, including a lightweight and durable Kip leather, that has held up exceptionally well after a few full MLB seasons.

Finding a nice-looking glove in the MLB is not too difficult, yet Brandon Crawford’s Glove still stands out in a crowded field due to its gorgeous colorway that now features the prestigious Gold Labels. Scroll down to get more photos of his glove.

Buy a replica of Crawford’s mitt on the custom builder.

Older posts → ← Newer posts