Early in baseball history players did not use any protective gear at all. At one point it was even considered weak to use a fielding glove! Slowly but surely, beliefs changed as players realized the benefits outweighed the feeling of being a “tough guy”.
Batting helmets were also considered weak until they were finally accepted in baseball, eventually becoming mandatory. The same pattern of acceptance also happened to helmet ear-flaps, batting gloves, elbow guards, shin guards and most recently helmet “C Flaps” to protect the cheek and jaw.
The next piece of protective equipment that should become standard is protective batting gloves. Every year many baseball players break their hands, fingers and wrists getting hit by pitches. A lot of these injuries are preventable. Just in 2022, Bryce Harper, Julio Rodriguez and Carlos Correa missed time due to hand/wrist injuries' caused by hit by pitches. In years past, Derek Jeter, Justin Turner, Aaron Judge have all suffered the same fate. Besides those stars there are many countless lesser known professional players, college players, high schoolers and Little Leaguers who suffer the same injuries.
The next innovation in Baseball protective gear?
For professional players, time missed while injured can cost the team (and the players themselves) millions of dollars. Scholarship money and scouting opportunity can also be lost for amateur players while injured. Pain, suffering, medical bills and possible permanent damage are all negatives of being injured. So if you could possibly avoid injury, wouldn’t you?
At Gauntlet Gear we want to help keep Baseball and Softball players on the field. Our gloves don’t feel any different than normal batting gloves when you are using them, but can possibly keep you on the field. There really is no downside to wearing them.
In our opinion, one day (hopefully soon) all players will be wearing protective batting gloves at the plate. So go ahead and pick up a pair of gloves to try out. You will be lowering your chance of injury and will be a trendsetter, ahead of the curve.
Warning: No batting glove can protect the player from all impacts. Baseball and Softball present inherent dangers and risks. Use of these gloves cannot prevent all hand, finger and/or wrist injuries.
