Glove at first sight. (The Closer).

During batting practice at home, I like to go out to shortstop and take a few ground balls with our infielders. They let me mix in. I try to look fluid but to no avail. Sometimes I ask our infielders to let me use their gloves, and almost all of them tell me to forget it. They won't even let me use their backup gloves.

What's the deal with guys and their gloves? I started asking around. I found out that most position players are very particular about their gloves. But why?

Position players obviously make their living with their gloves. They are breaking in a new glove at all times. In spring training, they will have at least five gloves at some stage of the break-in process at one time.

There are as many ways to break in a glove as there are players. Most guys get a glove, sit at their lockers and break it in. They use shaving cream, saddle soap, oil, whatever. I've seen guys get a glove and throw it in a bucket of water for a few hours. After it comes out, the leather is soft, and they can manage it. They tighten it, curve the fingers, stick two baseballs in it, wrap it with a sanitary sock and hang it to dry. After a few days, the glove is totally dry. Next come the shaving cream and off.

Guys are unbelievable--if they use a glove in batting practice during the spring and don't catch with it, they will file it and go to a new one. Once they find one they can use, it's like gold.

If a glove is a gamer, other players have no chance of getting anywhere near it. I've seen guys get so mad if someone else messes with it that they want to fight. After all, everybody's hand ...